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Job decision

August 20th, 2015 at 12:42 pm

I was having a hard time deciding what to do about a part time job I was offered. As Snafu said, it was a problem of timing. I decided to accept it and I start September 14.

However, August 31 I have an interview for the higher position at my current employer. Even if I get this new position I think I will still be able to swing both jobs, at least until the end of the academic year. My schedule will look like this: M-Th PT job from 8-12, FT 1-9, Friday: PT job for 4 hours; Sat or Sun FT job 7.5 hours.

To answer some questions: I work in the public sector. I make far less than I should for my education, but for where I live and what I am doing I am fairly compensated. This new position will add some breadth to my experience and give me more options for employment in the future, should I choose to turn to more academic jobs, or try for jobs overseas.

Money isn't a real consideration with this- I am doing fine money wise but I am not going to lie that the extra income will come in handy. We are going forward with the basement renovation (that is a separate post I have to write) and it will be nice to have a little cushion. The university pays on opposite Fridays than my current job so it will be nice to have a paycheck every week Smile

I am not interested in obtaining a Ph.D. I might have been when I first entered grad school but after a semester I knew that path just was not for me.

There were two positions open at my current job but I only applied for one. I didn't apply for the second because it just wasn't the audience I wanted to work with. I am qualified and would have done an adequate job (to start with) and probably would have grown into doing a fantastic job, but it is not my passion. And I didn't want to pigeonhole myself into this type of audience for the future.

I have to add-when my new manager called my current manager as a reference (she was warned) he was absolutely glowing about me and said "How can you ever let her leave?" That feels pretty good. My current managers are absolutely fine with this new arrangement. For one, it makes it easier on them that someone wants to close every night (we are not a 9-5 M-F business, so it's hard to evenly share the least wanted shifts) and also they recognize that their staff has many interests and that a handful of us are being under utilized (in terms of education) in our current positions. They don't begrudge us the chance to further our careers. I did ask that they keep this quiet. I didn't want it to be a factor in the interview. The response I got was "I don't see why anyone has to know why your schedule has changed" so it's nice to know they'll be discrete.

So, job situation isn't completely cleared up, but I am feeling great about my decision. Working 60 hours a week will only be temporary, and I can do anything for a year.

3 Responses to “Job decision”

  1. CB in the City Says:
    1440076893

    Good luck with your new job, and I hope the juggling works out!

  2. snafu Says:
    1440093508

    Sending best wishes for success in the upcoming interview. I hope it's ok to say working a 60 hr week for a whole year can wipe you out physically, emotionally and make hash of your social life and other interests. It's very important to work out what income tax will cost and make a nearly 'written in stone' automatic deposit to saving for the new money. It's so darn easy for it to dwindle due to items of convenience when you're tired and stressed. It's that old saw...'a dream without a plan is merely a wish.'

    If you still want to work in academia sometime in the future, you might want to observe credentials held by lecturers, instructors, adjuncts and profs. Did you want to work at a university overseas? [I loved it]

  3. VS_ozgirl Says:
    1440150218

    Good luck with your new job, hope it all goes well!

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