The Money Mustache Community

Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: Ricky on April 03, 2014, 06:18:38 PM

Title: Should I take this job?
Post by: Ricky on April 03, 2014, 06:18:38 PM
Background:

Bachelors in MIS coming up in a month (Graduating)
Retail Assistant Manager at local Cell Phone Shop (~$13 hour with commission - can probably make closer to $15-16 since boss will likely work with me)
I live in a rural area about 30 minutes from a small college town

So I have the opportunity to switch "jobs" for a Alarm and Fire Security Technician. They want to start me out at $13. They want to start me out in the field doing "grunt" work such as running cable and lines and such. I have the potential to make much more - say $20-25 after I get a year under my belt. I will be moving from running wires to going on job sites after everything is ran and hooking up equipment and setting it up and doing service calls. There is probably room of more growth within the company through programming their control systems. Downside is I have a tore ACL and no insurance and initially the job would probably be very strenuous on my knee. I can function just fine but occasionally there is always that chance it will come out. They are willing to pay for my insurance after 90 days but still... I'd be rushing a surgery... It's a relatively minor surgery, but still.

My dilemma is that I'm graduating online through a regional university and I've been at my retail job for ~4 years. I don't know whether I should take the better job now or wait till something comes up more along in my field. The problem is I would probably have to move to find something better that is more related to my field.

The Tech job I could take also does not require any type of formal education obviously other than maybe an Associates degree. I don't know if I'm selling myself short by taking this job that I feel like I would have to commit to hardcore to get decent results out of.

My original plan was quit the retail job since I am financially able to and take 6 months off and enjoy the world a bit and then look for something closer related to my field. Then this job came up, so I am not sure.

Thoughts?
Title: Re: Should I take this job?
Post by: Another Reader on April 03, 2014, 06:37:21 PM
If I were getting a degree in MIS, I would be at the college placement office, signing up for every interview that was remotely related to my field of study.  I would be sending my resume to every company I would consider working for and applying for every relevant job I found on-line.  If I could not find a job in my field, then and only then would I consider taking another job.  Particularly a field job that required a lot of physical labor with a torn ACL.  Move?  Didn't you expect that going in? 
Title: Re: Should I take this job?
Post by: Ricky on April 03, 2014, 07:02:52 PM
Thanks for your perspective. I guess I should have worded that differently. It's not really a problem to move, as in a way I want to move anyway, but it's just that my expenses will go up because I currently pay no rent.

Moving isn't necessary long term, as related positions occasionally come up through the school, county, and hospital systems in my area. Not saying I'm willing to wait either. I applied for 3 positions related to my field recently. Two were for more experienced individuals who probably surpassed me. The other was through the local community college as an IS tech and I would of had it if I had been done with school. But realistically, yes, if I want something soon I'll likely have to move and I'm not completely opposed to it.

Title: Re: Should I take this job?
Post by: SDREMNGR on April 03, 2014, 07:08:27 PM
You are on a FIRE dedicated forum talking about taking 6 months off while you have no future job with good prospects.  Some of the greatest difficulties in life are during times when income < expense.  And travelling without a job = $0 income, =/= $0 expense.

Whether that job is above or below you is determined by you.  One person may think it's a great opportunity, another may not.  Only what you think matters.  I have learned over and over that life gives you exactly what you ask of it.  If want something bad enough and you put in the work, somehow magically you get it.  The key part being that you don't quit or give up until you achieve what it is that you want.

So if you want a job in MIS, just keep pounding the pavement, phone, internet, email, snail mail, talk to people, talk to strangers, etc. until you get yourself a job in the MIS field doing what you want to making what you want.

Or just take the better paying job now.  But know that you will have to put effort into that as well to get good result out of it (you already seem to know this).  Opportunity cost...  that's why it's hard to make decisions with imperfect information.

Background:

Bachelors in MIS coming up in a month (Graduating)
Retail Assistant Manager at local Cell Phone Shop (~$13 hour with commission - can probably make closer to $15-16 since boss will likely work with me)
I live in a rural area about 30 minutes from a small college town

So I have the opportunity to switch "jobs" for a Alarm and Fire Security Technician. They want to start me out at $13. They want to start me out in the field doing "grunt" work such as running cable and lines and such. I have the potential to make much more - say $20-25 after I get a year under my belt. I will be moving from running wires to going on job sites after everything is ran and hooking up equipment and setting it up and doing service calls. There is probably room of more growth within the company through programming their control systems. Downside is I have a tore ACL and no insurance and initially the job would probably be very strenuous on my knee. I can function just fine but occasionally there is always that chance it will come out. They are willing to pay for my insurance after 90 days but still... I'd be rushing a surgery... It's a relatively minor surgery, but still.

My dilemma is that I'm graduating online through a regional university and I've been at my retail job for ~4 years. I don't know whether I should take the better job now or wait till something comes up more along in my field. The problem is I would probably have to move to find something better that is more related to my field.

The Tech job I could take also does not require any type of formal education obviously other than maybe an Associates degree. I don't know if I'm selling myself short by taking this job that I feel like I would have to commit to hardcore to get decent results out of.

My original plan was quit the retail job since I am financially able to and take 6 months off and enjoy the world a bit and then look for something closer related to my field. Then this job came up, so I am not sure.

Thoughts?
Title: Re: Should I take this job?
Post by: Ricky on April 03, 2014, 07:16:07 PM
You are on a FIRE dedicated forum talking about taking 6 months off while you have no future job with good prospects.  Some of the greatest difficulties in life are during times when income < expense.  And travelling without a job = $0 income, =/= $0 expense.

Whether that job is above or below you is determined by you.  One person may think it's a great opportunity, another may not.  Only what you think matters.  I have learned over and over that life gives you exactly what you ask of it.  If want something bad enough and you put in the work, somehow magically you get it.  The key part being that you don't quit or give up until you achieve what it is that you want.

So if you want a job in MIS, just keep pounding the pavement, phone, internet, email, snail mail, talk to people, talk to strangers, etc. until you get yourself a job in the MIS field doing what you want to making what you want.

Or just take the better paying job now.  But know that you will have to put effort into that as well to get good result out of it (you already seem to know this).  Opportunity cost...  that's why it's hard to make decisions with imperfect information.

Yeah I realize I'm giving incomplete information. I'm leaving out my financials for now which I guess doesn't help strangers help me. You're right about the opportunity costs. If I commit full time to this job there are fairly good rewards but if I commit towards getting a job in my degree, while it may be harder, I'll probably be happier and make more in the end. So I think I know what is right for me I just hoped I could get opinions based on what limited info I gave. Financially, I'll still have income during my hiatus and I will be in no hurry to find a job so I think committing to finding something more along my degree and interests is probably best...

Oh and lol I didn't mean travel the world by enjoy the world. I can enjoy the world by biking and studying for a better career.