I had a job interview today. (Hallelujah, right?!?!) Let me first just take a second and tell you how grateful I am to have someone finally call me for an interview! It went really well and they essentially offered me the job, but I'm really stumped and don't know what to do. I'm going to lay out all the details and I'm hoping you guys will share your thoughts and help me make this decision.
OK, here goes...
It's a front desk position at a very successful salon and spa. At the risk of sounding cocky, I really am overqualified for the position, but it's a job I could do really well and the woman who interviewed me said there is room for future growth in the company. It seems like a really nice work environment that I would enjoy, but it's also almost entirely women (about 50 women to be exact!), which I think any woman knows is a possibility for a really horrible environment. They have health and dental insurance which they pay 35% of. I would end up paying about what I'm paying for my whole plan now, expect it would be a better plan. After a year, I would have a 401k and a week paid vacation. My days off would be Sunday and Tuesday or Sunday and Wednesday. Since my hubby's only day off is Thursday, we'd never have a day off together. And because there's a possibility that I'd be working evening shifts, if my hubby had a morning shift and I had an evening shift, I may not really see him or be able to spend time with him for days.
Up to this point, I'm thinking it's not ideal, but I'll probably take the job if she offers it to me. Then she tells me how much it pays and it's like a kick in the teeth. Now, I'm not naive. I know I'm probably not going to find a job that pays as much as my last job did. But, without getting too specific, it pays about $10/hour less than what I was making. It's even less than what I'm bringing home in my unemployment checks. After taking a hard look at the numbers, it's about $2/hour less than what I can realistically take home and be able to pay our bills without starting to use our savings or go into debt.
So this is where I need your help. My unemployment runs out at the end of June and there is the possibility that I could get an 18 week extension. Do I tell her that I just don't think we could live off of what she offered, suggest $2/hour more, and take the risk that she says no and doesn't offer me the job anymore? Do I just take the job at what she offered, be grateful I'll have a job, and try to figure out how to cut more things in our already tight budget? Or do I decline, bring home more in unemployment than I would working there, keep looking like crazy for a job hoping something better comes along and risk my unemployment running out without finding a job?
She doesn't work again until Friday so she told me to think about it, look at the numbers and get back to her on Friday. I've talked about it with my husband, Mom and Dad, and I'm going to sleep on it tonight, but I just don't know what to do. It has a schedule that would take a lot of time away from my photography and photography classes, and what I eventually really want to do, and I'm really afraid of losing myself in a job again. At the same time, the responsible side of me is screaming, "It's a job! Take it and run with it! The economy is terrible and another opportunity may not come around."
So help me out, please! What do you think?
4 comments :
I'm not the best person to answer since I've only been reading your blog for a few short weeks (and honestly don't know what you did in your last job). Just from reading how conflicted you are, I would suggest that you either tell her you will take the job at a higher pay rate, or turn it down. That old saying about other (better) fish in the sea is true. The next interview you have may be a better job. Good luck!
I agree with Elizabeth. If you're having doubts don't do it.
I can tell you from experience (I managed a salon & spa for over 4 years) that running front desk can be a rough position to have. We all have our rough days and generally when something goes wrong you are most definitely going to be the person that gets the brunt of it because you are the nucleus of the business. You'll hear it from the clients and the employees. I have no idea how this salon is but I was constantly having to hire and train front desk staff because for the amount of responsibility and stress that comes with the job --you're just not paid enough.
On the flip side-- you'll probably build some amazing relationships and that environment can definitely be fun!
Good luck!! Follow your heart. :)
I think that you should think long and hard about it. Maybe ask her for more money and see what she says. It would be nice for you to have some kind of job to get out of the house and back in the swing of things but if you can't pay your bills then you definitely would keep looking and it would just be temporary. But who knows you could really love it! what are the chances that you will for absolute sure get your unemployment extended. It would suck to count on that and not have a job. These are all things that need to be weighed but ultimately just trust your gut instinct.
With all the other factors (hubby's schedule, all women, etc.) I would ask for the slight increase...for your said reasons...Even if she won't increase it the job offer will likely still stand for the original quote...soooo you'd still not be OUT...Personally, I'm a big believer in frugality and God's plan for it...sooooo I'd say wait for a job that doesn't call for going into debt right off the bat like that...but I'm not you, of course! True...a job is probably better than no job!
Post a Comment