Hurray! I am half done with my MBA degree. Boo! I'm now an unemployed, out of school student. Who is desperately looking for a job. It'd be awesome if I decided "I'm going to take the summer off and travel." But I didn't. I've been spending much of this spring doing the job search.
I finally got an offer.
To a job that I was super excited about when I interviewed in April. In fact, after the interview, I hung up (at least, I hope I did - sometimes bluetooth technology is a little, uh, slow on the hang up) and yelled something to the extent of "I am a fucking genius." Yeah, the interview went well. The interviewer/potential future boss and I totally hit it off. It's for a sustainable energy non-profit in San Diego. I wanted to leave the Bay Area for the summer. And I think I'm going to eventually find my career in renewable energy. And I've never worked for a non-profit and would like to see what that's all about. Sweet, right? Marketing stuff, working with the California Solar Initiative, consumer outreach.
The problem? The pay. We're talking just over minimum wage.
But I'm in school so I can eventually have a job that relates to what I care about. So I'm leaning towards taking it. I'm really excited about it. Plus it'd be great to live with my sister. And a friend of mine down there is talking about learning to surf over the summer. Of course, this means moving AGAIN... and again when I come back up to San Francisco again for school. But so it goes.
OOOORRRRR... I wait and hope that one of these other jobs in the SF area pans out. Oh, and if I get a job in SF, then I could work on making that translate into a part time job during the school year. Which would be ideal.
But seriously, people. The waiting? It sucks. I'd love to be enjoying this mini break, but I can't because I'm super stressed (well, aside from a road bike ride yesterdayfollowed by dinner & American Idol with friends and a planned mtn bike for today).
So, do I take it? Suck it up and dip into my savings this summer, knowing that it will bring me closer to having to take out a personal loan sometime during the next school year? Because I think I'd really enjoy the work.
*sigh*
The timeline... The job in SD wants me to start June 1. I'm currently only locked into my apt here through June 1, so that's perfect. I could extend my lease a few weeks if I want to. I do not know that I can push the start date out past June 1 though - nor do I know that I want to... it's only ~ 2.5 months of work anyway. But I could ask.
So please, comment, my friends. Comment and propose additional questions.
Big hugs to you all.
4 comments:
Sounds like this is a great opportunity for you, Kelly. My vote is...take it. You may not be rollin' in the Benjamins (do people even still say that? I'm totally out of the hip verbiage loop), but you'll be doing something you love, and as a teacher, I can testify that it's worth it (most days, until I realize that my students have better stuff than me, which sucks for like five seconds). So go for it--you'll have a cool experience in a new city and a meaningful job, from which you can go home at night and be proud of what you're doing to make the world a better place. In my opinion, it doesn't get any better than that. Good luck with your decision!
Woo hoo! Let's see, in the plus column:
-A job you're excited about
-in the specific field you're interested in
-working for a possible future employer
-at a nonprofit (which I think could be a very good fit for you, office culture-wise)
-where you could also hang out with your sister for the summer, and
-learn to surf. And besides,
-You are a fucking genius. This goes without saying, but I enjoyed reading that you DID say it, and the details about your phone.
And the minuses?
-money...admittedly, this might be a very big minus.
-moving--not fun, but not worth turning down a great job. Could you rent a storage space in SF for non-essentials?
That's seven for, two against. And after mentioning the money issue, you went right back to describing how great the job would be. That sounds an awful lot like a decision. But since you asked for questions:
How importantis it to put off/avoid a future loan? Has a SF company said that they hire part timers during the school year for sure? How important is trying out the sustainable energy thing before you graduate? And a year from now, would you regret not taking the job/learning to surf/spending time with your sister?
If you still feel like one of the SF jobs wold be better, maybe call them to follow up on the interview and see if you get any good/bad vibes? Wait a week to see if any more offers come in?
In any case, good luck. Way to rock the interview!
I'd say take it.
You'd be in a place you want to live, doing what you want to do, with people you want to live with...
My 2 cents
The thing about jobs in graduate school is sometimes you have to take the low-paying job that gives experience so that you can have experience when you graduate.
Can you store your stuff for the summer? Would this be a year-round position, or summer only?
And we all know you are a fucking genius.
When should you find out about a job in SF? If you can call someone, I would say, "I am extremely interested in a position with your company. The time is nearing for me to make a decision on another opportunity. Can you give me a timeline?" Something like that...if you get no bites, I'd go with the SD job. Spent time with your sister. New city. New people.
What would totally suck is if you reject SD job and get nuttin from SF.
Those are my two cents. :p
Congrats, btw, on being 1/2 done!
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