Job Advice Part E
Sept 16, 2009 23:16:10 GMT -5
Post by Eric O'Mac on Sept 16, 2009 23:16:10 GMT -5
Alright, for those of you who don't know much about me or my current situation, here's some light shed on it.
I graduated last May with a degree in Physical Education. I received my teaching license in June and have applied for every Physical Education opening within 90 miles of my current residence. To date, I've only received one interview (and the job was given to some guy who was living in Florida at the time.)
The current job market sucks. All of the talk about how school systems need teachers was either bullshit or this is part of the state and federal budget crisis or something. Then again, as I've noted, there have been a few jobs - I would figure I've applied for about 30 jobs over the past 3 months - but I've only gotten one interview.
Which brings me to where I'm at now. I've been very fortunate since June to have been able to work and run my fathers landscaping business. I've made good money, enough to cover rent, other bills, plus money to put away. While I'm not exactly set for the next few months, I do have a little money stored away.
Anyways, with landscaping, there is only so much to do until the weather turns cold. The business will dry up by early October and won't be in full swing until next April. Meaning I have to seek other employment.
The plan was to substitute teach until I can find a permanent teaching job. My papers are all in order, and are just waiting to be approved, which they set to be dealt with next week in two different counties. However, this evening, I received a phone call from my ex-boss at the catalog company I use to work at.
Some of you may recall, this is the same catalog company that let me go nearly a year ago due to budget cutbacks.
Anyways, she calls and wants to offer me a chance to do some "seasonal" work with the company. I ask what that means, and basically, I'd be working starting next week until after Christmas. I told her I'd think about it and let her know by Friday.
This is my dilemma. What do I do?
I'm trying to weigh the positives and negatives between working for the next three months at the catalog company and possible substitute teaching. So far, this is what I've got:
If I choose to work at the catalog company, I would have a steady paycheck every week until the end of the year. This is one thing that substitute teaching cannot promise me. With substitute teaching, I only work when they call. I could work 20 days a month or 2 days a month. While the daily pay rate for substitute teaching would be higher, there's no promise I'd be matching what I would be promised at the catalog company.
However, the two years I spent at the company previously were miserable times for me. I was well liked at the company and I was good at my job. The work was easy, but my work was in customer service. I hated it. The more and more and I think about it tonight, the more and more I remember how much I disliked the job. With substitute teaching, it would be more along the lines of what I want to do with my life. I think I would be happier doing that. Also, while I'm substitute teaching, it keeps my name in the mix. Politics runs schools, and I'd like my name to be out there somewhere in a positive light, especially if it help leads me to a more permanent position.
Another thing to consider is that I'm current an assistant football coach for a local middle school. Taking the catalog job would eliminate me from helping with the team.
At first, this seemed like a no-brainer. Take the job that makes you happy, right? But then, I spoke with a couple of friends, and they advised me to think with my head and not my heart, basically telling me to take the guaranteed 3 months pay and give substitute teaching a try in January.
Anyway, tomorrow, I'm finalizing some paper work for the two counties I would be substituting in, and I'm also calling the catalog company to clarify a couple of things about the proposed seasonal job (mainly salary. Even though I'm not in a position to be bargaining, I don't think I'd be asking too much for a slightly higher pay than what I was making when I was let go. Of course, this might make my decision a lot easier.) And while I'm doing all of these things, I'm still going to be thinking about what to do. I need to make my decision by Friday.
So, friends and (kind of like) family at Pun's House, what would you do? What do you think I should do?
Thanks, as always, for the help.
I graduated last May with a degree in Physical Education. I received my teaching license in June and have applied for every Physical Education opening within 90 miles of my current residence. To date, I've only received one interview (and the job was given to some guy who was living in Florida at the time.)
The current job market sucks. All of the talk about how school systems need teachers was either bullshit or this is part of the state and federal budget crisis or something. Then again, as I've noted, there have been a few jobs - I would figure I've applied for about 30 jobs over the past 3 months - but I've only gotten one interview.
Which brings me to where I'm at now. I've been very fortunate since June to have been able to work and run my fathers landscaping business. I've made good money, enough to cover rent, other bills, plus money to put away. While I'm not exactly set for the next few months, I do have a little money stored away.
Anyways, with landscaping, there is only so much to do until the weather turns cold. The business will dry up by early October and won't be in full swing until next April. Meaning I have to seek other employment.
The plan was to substitute teach until I can find a permanent teaching job. My papers are all in order, and are just waiting to be approved, which they set to be dealt with next week in two different counties. However, this evening, I received a phone call from my ex-boss at the catalog company I use to work at.
Some of you may recall, this is the same catalog company that let me go nearly a year ago due to budget cutbacks.
Anyways, she calls and wants to offer me a chance to do some "seasonal" work with the company. I ask what that means, and basically, I'd be working starting next week until after Christmas. I told her I'd think about it and let her know by Friday.
This is my dilemma. What do I do?
I'm trying to weigh the positives and negatives between working for the next three months at the catalog company and possible substitute teaching. So far, this is what I've got:
If I choose to work at the catalog company, I would have a steady paycheck every week until the end of the year. This is one thing that substitute teaching cannot promise me. With substitute teaching, I only work when they call. I could work 20 days a month or 2 days a month. While the daily pay rate for substitute teaching would be higher, there's no promise I'd be matching what I would be promised at the catalog company.
However, the two years I spent at the company previously were miserable times for me. I was well liked at the company and I was good at my job. The work was easy, but my work was in customer service. I hated it. The more and more and I think about it tonight, the more and more I remember how much I disliked the job. With substitute teaching, it would be more along the lines of what I want to do with my life. I think I would be happier doing that. Also, while I'm substitute teaching, it keeps my name in the mix. Politics runs schools, and I'd like my name to be out there somewhere in a positive light, especially if it help leads me to a more permanent position.
Another thing to consider is that I'm current an assistant football coach for a local middle school. Taking the catalog job would eliminate me from helping with the team.
At first, this seemed like a no-brainer. Take the job that makes you happy, right? But then, I spoke with a couple of friends, and they advised me to think with my head and not my heart, basically telling me to take the guaranteed 3 months pay and give substitute teaching a try in January.
Anyway, tomorrow, I'm finalizing some paper work for the two counties I would be substituting in, and I'm also calling the catalog company to clarify a couple of things about the proposed seasonal job (mainly salary. Even though I'm not in a position to be bargaining, I don't think I'd be asking too much for a slightly higher pay than what I was making when I was let go. Of course, this might make my decision a lot easier.) And while I'm doing all of these things, I'm still going to be thinking about what to do. I need to make my decision by Friday.
So, friends and (kind of like) family at Pun's House, what would you do? What do you think I should do?
Thanks, as always, for the help.
