Have you ever....

[moonlight]

Have you ever had to take a cut in pay to get your foot in door of the career you wanted- and it worked out in the end? I'm in a pickle. This isn't life or death, but its important to me. I currently work part time in sales. I transferred my job to our fellowship city. The location here sucks at work. My new manager isn't as upbeat as the one I had during residency. The clients here are very hard for me to relate to and sell to. The contracted staff I work with here (not my company but folks I work with) are down right stupid. I can't get through to them no matter how hard I try. I absolutely dread going to work. I still suffer with plantar fasciitis in my left foot and I'm in so much pain after my weekend shifts on my feet. I know I'm being bitchy, but I don't think I can take it anymore.

I have a new job offer that will get my foot in the door of the academics world I've so desperately wanted to join again. As you know, I plan is to return to grad school next year. From my research I know work experience is very important to land where I want to be career-wise. My sales job pays 60% more than this academics job. Sigh.

Suck it up and take the money for now until DH is finished with fellowship- when I'll have more finical options? Tell the sales job to take a flying leap and go for my dreams?

PS I just started a second job. Combined with horrible 1st job, my monthly income has doubled. If I quit horrible 1st job now I won't really be making any less than I was in the past. I just won't bring in what I did for Aug and Sept of this year.

[Mrs. MD, Esq.]

I say follow what you love...life's too short to be miserable at work. Plus, you're probably not totally used to the new income. The longer you have that, the harder it is to give up (believe me).

[poky]

Yeah, that seems like a no-brainer. Unless you're month to month and close to the edge, and the pay difference will make the difference between eating and not, go for what will make you happy.

[Momo]

+1 to poky's reply

[Meenah]

I agree, go for what you want. After fellowship who knows where you will end up or what opportunities you will have (or not have).

[moonlight]

Nope, its no where near that dire of a situation. Big sigh. The new job just called. I'm all cleared and official now. She asked what Saturday I'm able to start training. Dang it. I'm scheduled to work all Saturdays in Sept, thankfully she knew that. Maybe I should call back and ask if I can be trained during the week when I actually have time to hang out all day for training? IDK I feel so conflicted. I hate change and I know that's making it hard to decide.

[diggitydot]

Do it. Don't look back.

[Curegirl]

What DD said. The universe has a way of having things work out in some way and I have no doubt it'll be the same for you and this situation.

[alotofyarn]

I didn't quite take a pay cut, but I did take a job as a postdoc when I potentially could have gotten a faculty position somewhere else when I got my first job out of grad school in the same city where my husband was in med school. They knew I wanted to move there, so I didn't have a ton of negotiation power. I considered a non-academic appointment instead, but it just didn't feel right. It worked out well, because I got a faculty appointment after a year, and postdocs are always good experience, but it was a year when I could have been making more money doing something else.

[moonlight]

God gave me a brain and I sometimes forget to use it during stressful moments like this situation. While talking it out with DH tonight it dawned on me there is a way I could do both jobs for the next several months. Hard ass boss has told me for months I need to find the key shifts when there is peak traffic and schedule accordingly- even if its odd ball days and times. That's my way out of working Saturdays for her the next few months! At least until I know the new job is exactly right for me. I can literally breath better than I did all day! I've done this before when I wanted some Saturday's off. Duh. :/

[Curegirl]

Sounds like the universe just popped in to say hello

[MAPPLEBUM]

I'm a classical musician who moved halfway across the country for my husband last year. I went from having some of the best work where we lived, making $137 a service to playing with groups that barely cover mileage. I knew the move was going to be hard on my career but it turned out worse than I ever could have imagined. It sounds like you've already made your decision, which is great, but I do have two reactions which at times are opposed to one another. If you're miserable in a job it's not worth it, find something better. Conversely, if you're in a down phase of your career take whatever you can get, but always work on constructing a clear picture of what you want professionally so that when something better comes around you know how to take it. In this last year I was able to go from have zero contacts in this state (and playing shitty gigs) to being hired as applied faculty at two local universities. Consider the whole "following SO and wherever his job takes him" a challenge, that it doesn't matter where you live or how often you move, you can construct a satisfying career wherever you are.

And also, congratulations

[poky]

God gave me a brain and I sometimes forget to use it during stressful moments like this situation. While talking it out with DH tonight it dawned on me there is a way I could do both jobs for the next several months. Hard ass boss has told me for months I need to find the key shifts when there is peak traffic and schedule accordingly- even if its odd ball days and times. That's my way out of working Saturdays for her the next few months! At least until I know the new job is exactly right for me. I can literally breath better than I did all day! I've done this before when I wanted some Saturday's off. Duh. :/

So, let me get this straight. You're going to be working THREE jobs for a while? I guess I'm confused as to why you're holding on so hard to this job you seem to hate so much?

[moonlight]

What poky said. I don't get it.

I know! I woke up today and the first thing I thought was WTF I'm I doing, I don't feel good about this. Again.

My only reason to stay at this point is for the additional income. Walking away from the money makes me feel sick. The thought of staying and dealing with those stupid people also makes me want to jump off a cliff. I'm really confused as to what I should do. I thought a compromise of keeping both jobs through the end of this year would be the best thing (to get me a little closer end of the fellowship). Now I'm second guessing myself.

Thank you MAPPLEBUM (BTW we need a nifty acronym for you!) for your perspective. One thing you said really spoke to me. I like when you said I need to construct a vision for where I want to go so that I can take good opportunities when they come along. The truth is I've planned and researched for a future career the past couple years, and I feel good about "the plan." Many of you have influenced me greatly on my plans. I've prayed a job opportunity like this would come along and I could get the hell out of this soul sucking sales job. Be careful of what you ask for? IDK.

And yes that means I would have three jobs. I think I'm a part time job junkie.

[Curegirl]

Woah, sorry I think I missed something...three jobs? I've been a freelancer for the most part and it's dicey because who knows when the next job will come around? So there were many toxic situations that I was scared to leave. But every time I did (after preparing myself for worst case scenarios, which gave me the confidence to deal with whatever comes next), something better popped up. So I say leave if you're miserable after you've steeled yourself with what ifs because you may never really let a good things happen if you've got your feet still in shitty situations.