For all you guys out there that just love to give advice...

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Senor Matt · #1 Post by **Senor Matt** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 8:31 am

I've noticed a lot of people like asking for and giving advice on here so I thought I'd throw out a little dilemma I'm currently having and see what you all thought of it.

As the observant on these forums should already know, the last few months of my life have mostly been spent looking for a job. As I have a degree in Psychology and plan to go to grad school in that field I've been looking for a job where I could use and improve my therapeutical talents. But when you only have a Bachelor's degree in Psych, your options are extremely limited. Thus most of the places I applied to were group homes where I would simply be supervising emotionally disturbed kids and teens.

In the midst of my search I came across a group home called Summitview that really seemed to fit my needs perfectly. It offered great benefits and training, and the pay was more than any other place I had seen in my jobsearching, and they were looking specifically for people with bachelor's degrees with plans for more schooling. I got quite excited over the prospect and eagerly sent them my resume hoping to hear from them soon. But then a week passed, then two, then three, four, five, six, and so on and I never got any response.

Finally I got an offer from another group home called Families First. The pay is definitely less, as are the benefits, but it was closer to home. And as I interviewed with and began my training with them I was impressed by how organized and professional they were and as I began to actually work with the kids and teens I felt that I could really help them. I then began to get excited about working for them, even if the pay did stink, as well as the hours (I have to work mostly evenings and weekends when the kids are home, which pretty much destroys my social life).

Then last week while I was in the middle of my training with Fam. Fir. I finally got a call from summitview wanting me to come in for an interview. So now this place that I had previously been very excited about working at is wanting to talk to me after I had just taken another job that I was just beginning to get excited about.

At F.F. I am working with emotionally disturbed boys, most of whom are victims of physical and seexual abuse and who will often get very violent with the staff and have to be restrained. While at Summitview I would mostly be working with depressed and suicidal teenage giirls who would be much less likely to attack any of the staff, though a little more likely to physically harm themselves.

So to sum things up, here are all the pros and cons of each job:

Summitview: More pay (about a dollar and a half more an hour), Better Benefits ( I actually get a free gym membership), And less chance of getting hurt. However, they are about 50 miles farther away from me than Families First so I would have a much longer commute and I really don't like being stuck in traffic.

Families First: Less pay and slightly worse benefits, but much closer. Plus I already know and like the staff. Though I've only been there for about two weeks, not long enough to develop any emotional attachments to either the staff or the kids so if I left I don't think it would be very damaging to anyone.

My current plan is to simply interview with Summit and see what happens, but if I do get an offer from them in the coming weeks what do you guys think I should do?

Gronagor · #2 Post by **Gronagor** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 9:05 am

No one can give you an answer. Do what you said first... go for the interview. You already got a job. This time you're going there not only for them to interview you, but you interviewing them as well. They need to show YOU that THEY want you.

Consider moving. Take the time you spend on the road and what you pay per hour. If you subtract that from the pay they offer and it is still better than the other place...

(You guys are lucky... I've got a Psych degree as well, but here it doesn't mean anything if you haven't achieved a masters... at least. No chance of getting a job.)

Zeus · #3 Post by **Zeus** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 9:56 am

Why don't you discuss with your current boss if these things are going to change and WHEN :
a)increase salary
b)work in more logical timetable

or you could negotiate with him by telling him that if you have to work these difficult hours plus the possibility of being hurt, then he should pay you more.I know that you do a difficult job: a friend of mine started karate lessons for self defense. She is going to work in a clinic...
Of course caution is needed in the way you ask these because you are new there.

Personally i would go to the job with the higher salary (practical reasons)
and would leave my car in the garage. I would use train/bus. This is what i do now. The car is used only when i go out for beer/club various trips.

Ask your boss, and his answers will help you more in deciding what to do next.

Klytos · #4 Post by **Klytos** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 10:19 am

Do a job you'll enjoy. I've worked in great jobs with crap pay, and crap jobs with great pay, and the great jobs are much better.

Senor Matt · #5 Post by **Senor Matt** » Tue Sep 28, 2004 5:06 am

Thanks for your comments guys. Ya know, as I read over my original post in this thread I can't get over just how long and boring it is. I'm surprised anyone even took the time to read it all the way through much less respond to it.

Blackthorne519 · #6 Post by **Blackthorne519** » Tue Sep 28, 2004 5:08 am

Senor Matt wrote:Thanks for your comments guys. Ya know, as I read over my original post in this thread I can't get over just how long a boring it is. I'm surprised anyone even took the time to read it all the way through much less respond to it.

Dude, it's because you're part of the family now! We value you!

Anyway, my opinion: take the job that will make you the happiest, regardless of pay. Taking money for something you loathe makes you feel like a whore in the end.

Bt

Senor Matt · #7 Post by **Senor Matt** » Tue Sep 28, 2004 5:13 am

Blackthorne519 wrote: Dude, it's because you're part of the family now! We value you!

Bt

Awww, BT loves me!! Now I feel all warm and fuzzy!!

Zeus · #8 Post by **Zeus** » Tue Sep 28, 2004 6:42 am

Blackthorne519 wrote:
Senor Matt wrote:Thanks for your comments guys. Ya know, as I read over my original post in this thread I can't get over just how long a boring it is. I'm surprised anyone even took the time to read it all the way through much less respond to it.
Taking money for something you loathe makes you feel like a whore in the end.

Bt

This is how YOU would feel. Someone else would feel more like he can do more things in his life with the higher salary. (raise/educate his kid in a better way, travelling, invest on a good house without paying all your life
the loans with the mediocre salary - that is only a few).The point is that a better quality of life is always needed.A high salary plays an important role for having quality in your life. Unless your parents are very very rich
so you do not have to bother hunting the high salary job

(a case of a friend of mine)

At least the boss is paying you what you DESERVE in the 'boring work' case . Maybe in the case where you do what you want and get payed less, the boss is 'bloodsucking' you, to put it this way and avoid using your bad word.The excuse of "hey you do what you want, so there is no need to
pay you more" from a boss is laughable. We all must try to get what we deserve. In all aspects of life.

Senor i wish you make the best choice for YOU.