Thread: Which job to go for?

Originally Posted by sidneykidney

No, for me this is more a question of professional conduct and going for career at expense of job certainty.

Job certainty is an illusion. I read the description of the job you want and it's a hell of lot more interesting and, potentially, satisfying. If there's a job you really want, you should go for it. The worst thing you can do is pass up an opportunity to do something really important.

Ok but those items change the picture and thus they should have been part of the original question
Because now, less hours work means that the impact of traveling is less dramatic.
And because of that, the time with your wife is impacted less and the difference between the 2 is less.

A friend of mine works and lives in london.
He has several colleagues with families, and some of them have a family somewhere near london, but not close enough to live there. So they rent a small studio to live in london in the week, and go home in the weekend.

But of those guys, there are several ending up divorced because they gradually estrange from their family.
Which is normal. Of course this is not the only reason, but it's a significant factor.
So it's not only about spending quality time together and loving and be loved, but mostly about have a life together.

Still, it's different for everyone and you are not me. I can only look at it from my point of view

This is a topic close to my heart right now too. I have reached the stage of study (and redundancy money!) where I have started looking at jobs again. I have financial security till the start of 2009. My problem is our priority is to remain in the Highlands and jobs just are not as easy to come by - at least fairly specific stuff. A job I would love to do right now has come up at Edinburgh zoo (interpretation officer) but we both agree (daughter too young to have a vote on this one and the dog doesn't either but he'd hate the city!) that we can't live in the big smoke again. So, that's my priority - location first which enables us to live in the Highlands but if it was a national post maybe I could work from home and travel a bit. I may well end up doing any job I can find for a while and that may well be worthwhile too. I could become a consultant in my specialism and maybe do OK but my other life decision is that I want time for family and hobbies - not working 24/7 and worrying about it likewise.

Sorry to hijack your thread a bit here but in a way I am saying that this forum is a good sounding board but in the end only you can work out what is right for you. Just too many factors involved. Personally I would stay on Bute - but I have already confessed to be a city/traffic hater. Mind you at least your option is Glasgow and it is the best city in Scotland by miles

What's for ye will no go by ye

Stephen

Sir, I would go for the more professional position, for the money, the challenge and the satisfaction. If it does not work out you can always change direction later. Sounds like a difficult decsion at best, and I hope these posts help clarify your own wants and needs rather than add to the confusion. God bless and the best of luck.

Originally Posted by nun2sharp

Sir, I would go for the more professional position, for the money, the challenge and the satisfaction. If it does not work out you can always change direction later. Sounds like a difficult decision at best, and I hope these posts help clarify your own wants and needs rather than add to the confusion. God bless and the best of luck.

I agree. I made a similar "receptionist" choice a few months ago and I've been trying to get out desperately. In the end though, it's all up to you. Some group of guys on an internet forum can't make the decision for you. Go with what you want and what you feel is right. In the very least you can say that it seemed like a good idea at the time

Thank you guys all very much indeed. Its funny but my wife has just said exactly the same thing. "You cant let a bunch of guys on a forum decide for you." Yes I know this and I dont want anyone else to, this is my decision. But you guys may give me a different perspective, something I hadnt thought of before. And collectively you all have alot of life experience. So what you think does matter.

But at the end of the day the responsibility of the decision is mine.

I've taken a job (in fast food no less) just to make sure I had the income I needed, only to quit a very short time later because another opportunity came through. I felt no guilt about it because, thats the way life is, sometimes you have to have the income coming in but must always be looking for the opportunity to do what you want.

Besides if you get the counseling job will you really care what the other firm thinks of a short term receptionist.

Thought i'd give you gents who had been kind enough to vote an update.

I did indeed get an interview with the health centre. It came in two parts. A skills test on one day and a standard interview on the following day. The skills test involved audiotyping into word using a pre-prepared template in word. I'd used the exact same equipment before so I was very lucky. I had only a little trouble with the letter- alot of it was medical words and as such required a medical dictionary. I only had to look up one word though. Kienbock's disease.

The next part required me to prioritize a list of tasks in a scenario and give reasons for doing so. Easy enough.

The interview was today and I cant be sure how it went. I was nervous enough for it to be helpful. A little adrenalin can be useful at those times. But I was not overly nervous. They asked questions about teamwork, my experience, my strengths and weaknesses... the usual stuff. I had some questions for them too. Then they asked what my hobbies were. I told them I played Trombone and am getting well into it. This is true, but i'm afraid gents I refrained from telling them all about my straight razor collection and use. They might be a little freaked at this early stage.

Anyway they said they'd let me know in the next couple of weeks. I know I will get an interview for the job in Glasgow since I ticked the disabled box. That means a guaranteed interview. And that means I am in exactly the situation I feared I would be in.

Oh well. I'll deal with it when the problem arises.....

SidneyKidney,

As someone who has worked away from family for a long time (12 years in Alaskan mining camps) I can tell you that you need to think very carefully about how this will affect your family life. Although this lifestyle has never been easy, my wife has been very supportive. However, I have worked with many people who thought their relationships could handle the strain only to find out six months later (usually when the cold winter sets in) that the wives were no longer happy. So, to save their marriages, they quit their jobs.

I'm sure you'll make the right decision, but don't underestimate how hard this kind of lifestyle can be, particularly on the wife at home.

Best of luck.

Kevin

At the end of the day having a job is all that counts. If you turn down the receptionist's job and you do not get the one in Glasgow you'll have nothing. I would take the first job that is offered to you. You usually start with a trial period that lasts a couple of months to see if you get on with them and they with you. During a trial period you can usually easily quit if another opportunity comes up.

My topence.

BTW when I was 18 I worked for a month in a holiday home in the Isle of Bute as a kitchen help. I loved the place! The natural beauty, palm trees along the shore, submarines coming by.