Confused about jobs!

[hope123]

Hi

 

I am starting my career, been looking for an entry level job. I finally got an offer after going through many agencies. I am supposed to start soon..i decided to cancel the other appointments with other agencies and one called me back saying i really would like to speak to you about one position.

 

She told me the pay and its $5000 more than what i would getting at this other place but of course i would have to go on the interview with the company and see if they like me. The thing is..i am supposed to start working at this other place by the 25th of this month..which only gives me a week to go on these interviews and hope they make their decision before i start at that date..i accepted the other position and even though it may not be classy to decline it a few days before i start or even one day--i do have to think of myself and the student loans i need to pay and if i get a better offer maybe i should take it.

 

I just don't know if it is worth bothering over..putting myself through the stress of going on 2 more interviews and hope they make up their mind..the other problem is--what if i go..they dont make up their minds until 2 weeks after i start this new job..and what if its offering more money? Its a very classless thing to do--to quit after that short amount of time but it does happen and i have even seen it happen where people just get a better opportunity and need to do what is best for them.

I guess i need advice on if i should even bother going on these interviews or just accept the position that i got and forget the other places..although $5000 more could help.

[Jayar]

Honey, you gotta do what you gotta do... Look out for number one, because believe me, everyone else in life is. I'd go on the interview, start your job as planned, and leave after a few days if you have to. They won't like you very much. It is classless. And they'll wish they had hired someone else. But you know what? If they're not gonna give you the $5000 more, then they forfeit all rights to your presense in that office chair. JMO.

[kellbell]

Hey there,

 

I found myself in this last year. I moved cross country so I was starting over. I was called in for an interview and it went REALLY well. But although I had a good feeling, I continued to look and see what would happen. It turned out that I did get the position, with no other offers so it was a bit easier for me.

 

If I were you, I would go on that interview. And still have plans to start that other job on the 25th. Yes, it would be kind of cruddy to leave so soon after you start (if you were offered that other position) but these things happen all the time. You have to do what it is in your best interest because believe me, companies have no reservations doing what is best for them.

 

Good luck with everything.

[hope123]

I have a dilemma.

 

i went on the interview with this marketing/media place even though i said yes to another job which is an assistant at a financial firm. The woman from the media company likes me and once i meet with the highest person there--more than likely the job is mine and is willing to pay $3000 more.

 

Here are the facts.

 

The financial firm--the hours are 8:30-5pm and probably slight OT--i guess i can't run out the door at 5:01 in the beginning especially. And it will be easier to get home from there--probably a 35 minute commute. On the interview she didn't say oh you will have to be flexible meaning we will need you to stay later often. Even though its less money--its a financial firm which would look good on my resume i imagine and can probably take me into a lot of different industries if i wanted it to.

 

The media company is going to pay more but i am going to be assisting a woman who assists the president of the company. So i feel like i will be her right hand person..and on the interview she said i will need you to be a little flexible which you seem to be..sometimes we might need to stay late..and she mentioned last night leaving at 9pm and saying oh but that only happens 4 times a year..i am reading into it as it is probably going to happen more often than she is saying. The hours are 9-5:30 so its a little later and being her assistant is making me think i won't leave at 5:30 alot of the times and that if the president needed something she would need me to stay often(Thats how i am thinking and reading into it even though she did not directly say this) Also, it will take about 20 minutes LONGER to get home.

 

I don't know which to choose...

[Batya33]

First of all, congratulations on having a choice! I take it that you do not yet have the offer from the media company?

 

It depends on your priorities. You have to figure out if it is more important to have additional free time or more important to have more money and/or build your resume. Also, since the financial job is not strict nine to five anyway, you never know if you will have to work late if it gets busy - possibly even longer than the media company?

 

If you are career-oriented you likely will have to sacrifice the free time because, even if it is 9 to 5, in order to impress and get promoted or get good references for future jobs you will have to stand out, network, market yourself within the firm and offer to go the extra mile and stay late or work weekends, etc.

 

If you are not career-oriented or if this job is just something to pass the time, you don't have to do that and then you should take the job that is easier.

 

Also, you might discover you are interested in media since you seem to be somewhat familiar with financial firms.

 

If you do leave the job early on for a better offer, do so ASAP and before they have invested a lot of training time for you.

[hope123]

Thanks for responding!

 

I feel like it is such a slimy thing to say yes to one and then change my mind BUT if a better opportunity comes my way, Im sure they can understand and deep down--my feelings are--is a company really that concerned about me? they will find someone else to work i bet in a heartbeat. It would be a hard phone call but i know i could do it. Anyway, not really the issue.

 

I remember on the interview for the financial firm saying maybe sometimes you wind up staying late but for the most part a person leave at so and so.

 

I am worried about my career but I also had a crazy schedule these past four years between work and school. I also do not really know what exactly it is i want to do..im not very interested in one particular thing. The possibility of getting home at 5:30 or 6 is so tempting. With the media company, i think i would be getting home at 6:20, 6:45 or 7. 7 if i had to stay til like 6:15 or so. Both positions seem like a job where i would quit in a year or two if not promoted--they are assistant jobs and sometimes that is what they remain. For the financial firm--he did in fact say i dont want to mislead you on what the job is(meaning its an assistant position) and he realizes a person may not want to stay for like 5 years. And with the media company the lady said i see someone staying in this role for a year or two and moving on. That to me means I probably would be leaving after some time.

The media company has slightly better benefits---they cover dental.

 

3000 more i dont think will make THAT much of a difference. It comes out to about $60 a week for my bills. Maybe easier hours is a better way to adjust to a full time work schedule? help help help

[Batya33]

I've never had a career-oriented job that had easy hours -- I guess there could be exceptions. I would take the job that you would like the most meaning you would want to work overtime and network with people in other departments to take on other assignments. It makes sense that you would have to start out as an assistant.

 

One more thought - will one or both pay for you to continue your education or in the case of the financial firm, get licensed?

[hope123]

Well--when hearing on the interview i see someone staying for a year or two and moving on--no i do not think this is the type of place where they are going to pay for my masters.

 

Since i do not know if i am going to be interested in staying at finace or in marketing b/c i really dont know what i want to do..i do not personally want to ask for extra assignments or stay til 8 pm 3 days a week--especially for entry level money..it probably would make more sense to move on after a year or two, get better pay and then work a little extra b/c i will be getting paid more so to do it.

 

Also batya--an assistant job is an assistant job..it would be hard to say which one i would like better b/c i probably would be getting a lot of crappy work..the media company was saying i will be doing a little bit of everything..travel arrangements which is no big deal to me, expense reports, setting up the board meetings, looking around the office to see if a light needs to be changed etc etc, packages.

 

I just found the description of the assistant job for the financial firm--i went on this interview awhile ago so i forget but on the paper it says this is a new position--hours 8:30-5 and i would be supporting the SVP of client services and also 2 client services assistants--the responsiblities are helping out with quarterly mailings, help out with marketing support by binding packets for presentations, some phones, filing etc etc

[Batya33]

I've had assistant jobs where I worked many hours doing grunt work and I have watched assistants - mine, others, market themselves at the company, go the extra mile and - voila - either they are no longer assistants or those above them take a real interest in and liking to them and help them find a better job elsewhere.

 

Seen that many times. It's up to you though- and what you make of the job. I was an assistant - a one year position - about 15 years ago. without a higher degree there was no room for promotion. I befriended one of the important customers who later offered me a good job working for her. Through her, I made connections to people who later proved invaluable in furthering my "real" career. In addition, I kept in touch with the president of the original company, and 5 years after I left, he helped me get an interview at a major company with a major player there who I would never have met had it not been for him.

 

If you get your foot in the door, go the extra mile, market yourself and network the sky is the limit. I have no special skills or talents so if I can do it, you can too - and especially you since you seem to be contemplating this somewhat in terms of your future career. It all depends on your priorities.

 

If you see it as just an assistant job and you are not interested in seeing whether it can be more or lead to more then take the one with the easiest hours/shortest commute and focus on having fun with your extra free time - nothing wrong with that.