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Friday, August 20, 2010

Thinking too much--but it's a good thing!

So here's my "dilemma of the day"--I GOT A JOB OFFER!!!

I'm really excited, because it's with a county government, which will mean that the benefits will be good, and the job will be relatively secure.   I really couldn't do better as far as finding a job with the current resources that I have.

Here's the dilemma part:  Is this really the right move for me???  It will be another 2 hour (one way) commute, five days a week.  I'll have to pay for parking, too, or find a "park-n-ride" where I can take a bus into the city.  Either way, that'll be a cut into the budget, along with the gas.  Not to mention the time....I do have a friend I could stay with sometimes, so I wouldn't have to drive every day if I didn't want to....It does pay better than most of the things I've seen lately, and then there's the benefits.....DH needs to have his medications.....but here's another thing--like I told you all, I just found out that I could potentially go back to school on the government's dollar.  I could come out of school with something like a paralegal certificate, or a computer degree....if I take this job and don't like it, I'm probably throwing away that opportunity.

And then, of course, there's the big "if" of DH.  He's working right now.  But what if I decide to go back to school and he becomes unstable again and can no longer work?  Barring a lottery win, there's no way I could support us on unemployment for years.....? So if I took this job that's being offered, I'd have a good chance of avoiding that scenario.  Hmmm.

I hate decisions.....it's just like buying the car--what if I make the wrong decision....?  I know eventually I have to do SOMETHING, but what is the smart thing to do????  Hint:  unless someone who reads this blog has a compelling reason why I should forget this job and go to school, I'm thinking I'll take the job.  But I do acknowledge that there is a chance I could be making a mistake.

Where can I find one of those crystal balls, anyhow?

5 comments:

Reighnie said...

I'd say go back to school. I mean, it is a huge opportunity to have your education paid for. It will give you an edge in the end if something should go awry with the current job. Ya know? What if they end up laying people off ? State budgets are being hit pretty hard right now.

I think you should go with making yourself more marketable. I would LOVE to go back to school and get my Masters. I keep telling my kids that college is so important because by the time they get into the market a BS/BA isn't going to be optional anymore.

I can already see that it's true now.

I also understand what you are saying about finances...but it sort of sounds like it's going to cost you some to work at this place. So are you really getting a good deal out of it?

Lastly, being a government job, do you know if they pay for school or reimburse tuition if you go to school?

Because maybe that might be the best of both worlds.

Tough decision. Good Luck and btw, congrats on the offer!

Kathie said...

Carol...TAKE THE JOB. I have been praying for you!

perphila said...

Ok..more two cents...

Look into and see if you took the job if that would make you ineligible for school. If not then take the job and do school part time. I would check that first.

If you go to school will you be able to keep your part time job? I think it would just be best to assume DH is going to lose his job at some point.

You had a job before that was a long drive as well as the part time and DD and DH it deal with and it was really too much. If DD is away and you don't have the part time job...

So much to think about. Try just looking into the school thing first.

Not much help...:( If it were me though I would be taking the job. Safer bet all around.

Miz Kizzle said...

The commute is very long. What will you do when the weather gets bad? Is there any way you could move closer to the job, perhaps renting out your house and renting something closer to work? I know you have a lot of animals so an apartment is probably not the answer.
How do you feel about the job? Does it excite you or is it the paycheck and benefits that are the lure? If you don't like the work it would probably be better to go back to school and train for something that you would enjoy doing.

Grace. said...

Well, you asked, so here's my two cents: Paralegal is one of those careers that sound better than they are in real life--IF you can find a job (and many of those positions are being cut because right now, there's a glut of young attorneys who will take the job). I don't know about computer jobs but easy money in dot com positions don't seem to be around as much. Government jobs come with (generally) good health benefits which your husband and daughter dearly need and you could use (I assume your daughter has medicaid, but that will end soon whereas under the new healthcare plans, you can carry her on it until she's 26), as well as retirement plans. There is also room for movement since many of these jobs are unionized and there's an incentive to hire from within. The commute is a bummer, but if you could find a carpool or bus, it would give you some easy reading/relaxation time.