What if I chose the wrong job offer?

[Watercolors]

I had two job offers on the same day. Now I'm second-guessing myself for which job offer I accepted.

 

Job offer #1: full-time job w/benefits and an IRA

Job offer #2: 6-12 month contract w/no benefits or possibility of hire, pays more than #1.

 

Before you say #1 is the obvious choice, know that #2 is exactly what I want to do. #1 is your basic admin role whereas #2 is in a creative industry, through an employment agency.

 

My gut told me to choose #1 ONLY because my experience as a contractor is that when a recruiter tells you, "this contract is for a year or longer," that isn't actually the truth. They just tell you that because the client hasn't put a deadline on the job.

 

Once, I accepted one of those yearlong contractor jobs. Guess how long it lasted? 3 months. So, as much as I WANTED to accept job #2, I turned it down. It's in a field I want to work in, and job #1 is not in a field I want to spend more than a few years in but for the admin experience on my resume.

 

Did I choose the wrong job offer, do you think? There's no guarantee that job #1 will be indefinite either. It could end in 3 months or a year. I hope to god it doesn't end, but you get where I'm going.

 

Has anyone been in my situation before?

[d0nnivain]

If you take the contract job for more money you will be free to pursue something else if the contract doesn't turn into a permanent position.

 

If you take the stability of job #1 perhaps you can eventually convince that employer to give you more & more creative responsibility.

 

Your heart seems to be leaning to #2 but realize that the more of these contract jobs you accept over time the less attractive you look to long term employers

[Foxhall]

Personally Number 2 would be the choice, Id always favour something requiring more creativity than a basic admin role, regardless of the less stability.

 

your circumstances may be different of course, "cut your coat to suit your cloth"

[Watercolors]

If you take the contract job for more money you will be free to pursue something else if the contract doesn't turn into a permanent position.

 

If you take the stability of job #1 perhaps you can eventually convince that employer to give you more & more creative responsibility.

 

Your heart seems to be leaning to #2 but realize that the more of these contract jobs you accept over time the less attractive you look to long term employers

 

Yes, I agree with you that the Pro of Job #2 is I'd be free to pursue something else since the contract *won't* turn into a full-time position. That's what the recruiter told me anyway -- that it was not a temp-to-hire.

 

My heart did lean towards #2 for the creative aspect and the higher pay. Except that you're correct, employers don't get a clear picture of my job skills, if all I have to show for the past ten years is a list of contact-agencies listed on my resume.

 

Personally Number 2 would be the choice, Id always favour something requiring more creativity than a basic admin role, regardless of the less stability.

 

your circumstances may be different of course, "cut your coat to suit your cloth"

 

I thought about that too, Foxhall. Creativity is something I NEED in a job role. Boring admin work makes me miserable. But, with this company, I let them know I had a ton of skills in other areas that they could utilize. Everyone who started in the role I accepted, was promoted to other areas doing different work after about 5 years. So...that was one of the reasons I chose Job #1 over Job #2: stability. No one leaves this company.

 

And, as much as Job #2 would fulfill me creatively, well, it's not a permanent job and since it's contractual, the client could end that job before a year is up too.

 

I guess I was trying to be practical when I chose Job #1 because my priorities are:

 

1. Financial Stability

2. Job Stability

 

I like that idiom although I've never heard it before. What does it mean? Make the choice that best suits my circumstances?

 

I was jobless for a year, while living with my mother who had a stroke, taking care of her until I could find a memory care home for her to transition to. So, when both job opportunities came up, I went with Job #1 because I have no financial buffer, no one I can just live with, while looking for a job.

 

So, while i may be bored and miserable at first in Job #1, from a practical standpoint, it presents the idea of stability better than Job #2. I hope Job #1 turns out to be the right choice. I hate instability.

[Londy]

There are worse possibilities than having 2 job offers to pick from and wondering if you made the right choice.

[Awesome Username]

#2 is exactly what I want to do.

 

My vote is #2!!

[amaysngrace]

Can you work job 1, make contacts/clients through them then work independently with your new contacts/clients?

 

Best of both worlds.

[alphamale]

my choice would depend on how old you are Watercolours, if you are older go with #1, if you are younger go with #2

[Happy Lemming]

...if you are older go with #1, if you are younger go with #2

 

100% Agree...

 

As we closer and closer to retirement, we sometimes have to take the "less than perfect" job in order to boost our IRA(s) and retirement savings.

[Watercolors]

My vote is #2!!

 

I actually wanted to choose #2 but since it was a temp job (not temp to hire job), I went with the safer choice of #1 b/c its a permanent job.

 

Can you work job 1, make contacts/clients through them then work independently with your new contacts/clients?

 

Best of both worlds.

 

You're thinking on the right track. I decided that I will use job #1 for my financial security, while I pursue freelance work after hours on a few different websites that support virtual freelance work. I had to set up my profile and for each website, i have to "bid" against other freelancers with the client, in my contact letter. That part is awkward b/c it's the equivalent of telling the prospective client, "I'm a better choice than my freelance peers, b/c of reason a, b, and c.." which is a little intimidating competing against established freelancers on these sites since I'm brand new.

 

my choice would depend on how old you are Watercolours, if you are older go with #1, if you are younger go with #2

 

I'm nearly 50 alpha, so yeah, I'm going the safe route with #1.

 

100% Agree...

 

As we closer and closer to retirement, we sometimes have to take the "less than perfect" job in order to boost our IRA(s) and retirement savings.

 

Yep, Lemming. I had to go the safe route with job #1 b/c I'm almost 50 and have about 15-20 work years left in me to build an IRA and retirement savings. Not sure I will stay at this company for 15 years but at the minimum, at least 5 despite how stressful the work environment is. The president of the company is so anal, he won't allow anyone to have plants ANYWHERE and since its a financial company, making $$ is the bottom line, so extraneous elements like plants, holiday decor, and listening to public radio (on a low volume), or having any personal items is prohibited. It's a very stark, very sterile work environment.

 

I am grateful for the financial stability despite this, so I will pursue work that job #2 offered, on a more freelance basis and hopefully, can build up a stable client base and make enough income to eventually quit this job.

 

I didn't have a job for a year, so now I have one. I may not like it, but I needed a job so now that I have one, I can figure out how to tolerate the awful work environment while I focus on pursuing freelance work on the side that will make me happy. Thanks for everyone's input.

[elaine567]

You have to be mindful of these age milestones.

Sometimes tipping over into the next decade can severely limit your job prospects.

 

49 - Yes.

50 - No, sorry.