To Work Or Not to Work?

[ziasudra]

Got a phone message yesterday. Called back today.

- Hello, Ziasudra? This is L calling from [company name]. I came across your résumé and have a temp job position for you.
- *inwardly jumping* What are the details about this job?
- It'll be for about a month, most likely only for December.
- What kind of hours will this require?
- Regular, 9 to 5. Are you interested?
- Er... yes, I'd like to know more details about this.
- Great! I'll set you up for an interview with the supervisor.

Fast forward to the end of the conversation. In short, I landed myself an interview tomorrow at 10 a.m., with the "supervisor," who, incidentally, is the editor-in-chief of the publication that I will potentially be working for.

Now, here's the hard part. Assuming everything goes well, I'll pretty much have the job. But should I take it? I made a list of pros and cons. What do you think?


Pros:
- MONEY. I worked for the same company before (the same one for my copyediting job last spring). They pay good.
- Meaty filling for my résumé. Reputable company, good position, what's not to like?
- The publication is some sort of a trade magazine on tech stuff and gadgets, which is something I'm interested in.

Cons:
- I'll have to stay in NYC for the entire December (i.e., no Christmas vacation).
- I'll have to cut out of my kiddies job one week short (which will be okay, because a simple "finals week" excuse will do, and believe me, that's more truth than a mere excuse!).
- I'll go from having a lot of time to work on my three term papers to having virtually no time (progress: draft finished for paper #1, working on paper #2, just conducted an interview with a source for paper #3).
- A 9 to 5 schedule, heh, that would require a complete readjustment from waking up at 10 everyday.

I guess I'll find out tomorrow whether I'll be potentially hired. But in the mean time, what kind of vibes are you getting? Should I go for it? Not go for it? Any thoughts/comments/suggestions?

Comments

[radicalteacher.livejournal.com]

Just from this information, it seems like the Pros outweigh the Cons (if you can live with no Xmas break this year). I think you can plan the papers around the work and hope that the kiddie job would be flexible. Would you have a day off for Christmas or no time at all?

[ziasudra.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure I'm fine with not having a Christmas break, seeing how my winter vacation actually extends into mid-January.

It's just a little bit of déjà-vu for me from the end of last semester -- I also had a bunch of papers and two part-time jobs. Those few weeks of having everything were quite challenging. But then again, I survived that, so I'm sure I can do it again :)

[radicalteacher.livejournal.com]

Well, it's a short term sacrifice (only 3-4 weeks) and it looks like there are some good benefits.

And you can be kind to yourself for the rest of your break in Jan.

[tanechigai.livejournal.com]

Go for it!!! then again, I always say that even for bad jobs, so maybe someone more neutral will respond ;)
I think it will work to your advantage to have as much meat on your resume as possible before you graduate. I had to earn almost all of my resume filling in the two years after college instead of going right to an entry level position (which I still don't have quite yet ^_^ ;;) Not to mention that you've been concerned about your first Pro for a while now ;)
And if you're in town all during December, you might get to meet sad1225 in person. Plus Christmas is on a weekend this year, so most other people don't get days off either. I bet you could visit your New Jersey family for the weekend, unless they'll be away? In which case Anna will probably adopt you ;) I liked being a part of the Lee family Thanksgiving.
The paper thing will be tough though. Would you be working 5 days a week?

[ziasudra.livejournal.com]

Hehe, I think my prayer for money has been heard ;)

Part of the dilemma is that I've been planning (well, as much planning as a P would allow) to go home for Christmas for quite a while now, so the sudden prospect of not going home feels kind of like a let down. But I suppose I get go home during January, when airplane tickets would be cheaper.

And, yes, meeting sad1225 and being adopted into the Lee family are great incentives. And so is going to NJ and playing Boy Cousin's new video games that he'll doubtless get for Christmas ^_^

I just realize... I'm acting as if I already have the job. Maybe I won't have to decide if I end up not being a good fit for the company.

[tanechigai.livejournal.com]

I'm sure that if they already hired you before, and called you out of the blue this time, that you have a good chance ;)
*hugs* have a good interview ^_^

[ziasudra.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[nenyaentwhistle.livejournal.com]

i'd say yes just b/c you want to work in journalism and it's a good experience and it actually pays well (and goodness knows that helps!).

[ziasudra.livejournal.com]

Yeah, just the prospect of having something potential that pays is already good. Most of my classmates are graduating at the end of this semester, and they're all looking for "real jobs." It's scary, seeing how so many of them will finish their schooling with an astronomical amount of debt, while the paid jobs out there pay barely over minimum wage :\

By the way, when do you hear back from your summer internship applications? Would you need to sort that out before you go abroad?

[nenyaentwhistle.livejournal.com]

:) so get the experience, get on their good side and maybe they'll hire you. working for review tech gaggies would be awesome :). i'm actually not taking the practical journalism class, but... it'll be okay i think. i'm a fast learner and well, if i go to grad school it'd be for creative writing and i need to build a portfolio (besides the fact i didn't get into the class b/c it was full). so i'm positive that this is a sign.

as for summer internship, i find out end of jan/early feb. i'll definitely let you know! btw, austin was out, so newsday and Houston are last option, or else i'll probably end up working some mediocre job all summer which sounds like a big bummer. unfortunately i do need to come back to the us (or else i'd stay in UK) to apply to medschool.

[ziasudra.livejournal.com]

I hope you'll end up with something you like to do for the summer! Maybe you can look into something in the UK that only requires you to stay for the early part of summer? This way, you'll get to stay there longer, have some sort of experience to put under the "summer 2006" category of your résumé, and come back in time to apply for med school.

Whew, you're going to have a busy summer ahead of you, and spring semester hasn't even started yet!

[nenyaentwhistle.livejournal.com]

unfortunately i already bought the ticket home :( so i can't stay even if i wanted to (and you have to get a visa to work and that costs a bundle!) and i need to send off med apps by june i think, especially w/ my grades i need to be in the first wave.

but i'm really hoping for new york, i think my writing test was good *crosses fingers* (thanks to your help).

has your LJ comments been going to spam?

[ziasudra.livejournal.com]

I haven't gotten all of my LJ comment notifications, and it seems like everyone is having the same problem. My LJ e-mails didn't get routed to my spam mailbox, but your mail provider might be doing that because of this (http://www.livejournal.com/users/status/84103.html).

I try to keep a mental list of where I left comments, and then to later go back and see if anyone has replied.

[nenyaentwhistle.livejournal.com]

it routes most into the spam now -_- but it's okay. i don't get much spam so it's not a hard thing to check. though i have emptied my spam box before figuring out that was where my comments were going.

[sunnydlita.livejournal.com]

I would say to go for it as well. To me, the biggest "con" on your list is the papers, and in my experience I'm actually more productive all around if I have a tight schedule. It forces me to be more time-efficient, whereas when I have a lot of free time I tend to waste it.

[ziasudra.livejournal.com]

You know, some of my best works were done under stress, though not all, as I have produced plenty of crappy last-minute works.

Had a good interview today. Will update in a future post :)

[lynkemma.livejournal.com]

I'd go for it - though I sympathise with the lack of Christmas holiday + the getting up early :-)

[ziasudra.livejournal.com]

I had a good interview, and I should have all the details finalized by the end of tonight :)

Maybe I'll post something about it later tonight. For now, it's paper writing time...

[everydaysushi.livejournal.com]

Go for it!! You never know, this could lead to longer term employment, and if it means having to suck it up for one month, then it's worth it, right?? :o) Besides, wouldn't you rather be busy and productive than, say, relaxing in lazy boredom? ...That's what retirement's for! That's why you have so much energy when you're young! Now go run around in circles like I'm about to! Whooooooo...

[ziasudra.livejournal.com]

*runs around in circles*

Haha, I actually took a nap today because I was staring at the screen for the longest time and nothing came out :p

Now that I'm rested and awake though, it's going to be mass production of words-on-paper/screen for the rest of the night.

[sra-black.livejournal.com]

Take it! You never know when an opportunity like that will appear again. I'm sure you'll be able to work your schedule somehow. In the mean time, good luck!

[ziasudra.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Interview went well today :)