I'm one of those people who makes lists (In case you hadn't noticed all the lists on our blog). I have a list for things I will get from the store. I have lists for things I will do each day (even if my list consists of only 2 things). Lists of household chores I'd like to accomplish. Lists of books I want to read. Lists of books I've read. Lists of things I'd like to own. Lists of things I want to do when the sun comes out for the summer. Lists of parks I want to visit. Lists of touristy places I want to see. Lists of cities I want to explore. You get the picture.
Anyway, I live my life in a very orderly fashion. When I do things it usually plays into a bigger plan. But what happens when you have to do things that could affect your end game? That is what I'm going through right now. I think some people strive in stress. They excel under pressure. Not me!
I have purposely been applying to temporary jobs because they fit in to my well planned future. I thought about my end goal and what needs to happen between now and then and a temporary job was what needed to happen. Well, along comes life and throws my plans all to whack.
As you know, I recently got a temporary job with UW. I was planning on staying there until around June at which point I would either be in love with the job and apply to the permanent position or we would take the apartment management position in our building and I would finally get to do something other than budget reconciliations.
Well, turns out life didn't like my plan. Yesterday (on my second day of work) my boss was informed of an impending hiring freeze for the next year and a half. This information sent her and every other person in the University into a frenzy trying to figure out loose ends. My position happens to be one of those loose ends. A temporary position when a hiring freeze looms near is anything but helpful.
So, she called me into her office today to see if I wanted the permanent position. For those of you who didn't put two and two together - this is my third day at work. I had 2 and 1/4 days to implement my plan of getting to know my co-workers and job to see if it is something I want to stick with for the next long while. Not to mention, if I accepted the job now, I would feel obligated to work at least until the hiring freeze was over - Fall 2011 - even if I hated the work, that's just how I am. But, I don't think this news was the worst of it. I told her about my potential options and how I was hoping to have the next few months to decide what I wanted to do. Then I asked her when she needed me to have a firm decision. I think that's when I started freaking out. Thursday (tomorrow) by the time I leave work. Dah. So not cool.
Ben and I have done the pro's and con's. We've made a list and checked it twice. On the one hand there is money. On the other hand there is a bunch of what if's. I am just so mad at the universe right now. If it had given me another month - I think I'd know my answer already. But no, it thought it would be funny to make me decide before I had all the needed information for a well educated decision. Boo. I'm mostly hoping that neither decision is the wrong or right one. I'm hoping that whatever we choose to do will work out and things will be well in the world.
So that's what is going on. I think we've made up our minds but I still have to sleep on it and see how I feel tomorrow.
As a side note: This blog was mostly written to help me sort through my decisions and weed out some stress. Sorry if parts don't make sense. Cheerio.
3 comments:
if the other things are what ifs then just take the job and if the other things work out later then you can quit. they can always find a replacement. lots of people looking for jobs. right now your choices are stay home and have no job or go to this one right? you can decide the other stuff if it happens later. that's how i see the world i guess. it will all work out. no worries.
Hm. That's a tough one. On the one hand, as you well know, jobs are hard to come by these days. On the other, as I well know, getting into a long-term commitment kind of thing can be hard. There have been times since I started back at school when I wished I weren't so committed to the path I was on. But accepting the job shouldn't mean that you HAVE to stay there for a year and a half. You have no obligations other than to do honest work for honest pay. But if you felt reasonably sure that you want to stay indefinitely, I'd say go for it. And if it's a job you think you could live with or could take you other places you want to go, you'll make it work for as long as you need to. Most people have to make long-term decisions about jobs before they ever even get to try it out!
That's my 42 cents ... ;-) Good luck!
I think Christy's advice is good. If you aren't under a contract with them, I mean I understand your sense of obligation, but jobs are hard to come by and I say deal with the what ifs as they come. Good luck in your decision!
I also love lists, and enjoy http://www.listography.com/ every once in a while. You should go there! They have a book too! Fun for us listmakers.
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