Career Related - What choice do I make?

[Jayce]

I was required to do an internship in order to graduate college. I chose to do it at my former high school. I enjoyed it there a lot, and decided I wanted to get involved in a school district after graduating from college.

So I found 2 options. Option A came earlier than Option B. Option A was hiring for full time computer technician, to manage help desk as well as doing odd jobs (new projects, etc).

Well, I got beat out. Turns out somebody with far more experience landed the position. However, they called me back and wanted to know if I'd take a part time position. They said I did a great job interviewing and I came with high recommendation. I thought about it for a week, then I accepted it. I have currently been here for 7 days. I love it. Already I feel like I'm gaining respect and people know they can count on me. It's a great crew here.

The 2nd district I applied for that wasn't starting as early just called me and left a voicemail. They want to know if I would come in for an interview middle of next week. It's for a full time position. Pay wise, I'm sure it's the same. All districts are almost identical when it comes to benefits, pay, etc. The trick here is, at my current job that I like and I'm already established at - I have no benefits. I work 35 hours a week and I manipulate my schedule however I want to, as long as I do 35 hours. But this other option here, it's full time, which means there's benefits. I'm sure the pay isn't much better at all, in fact it's probably relatively comparable... but with the full time status taken into consideration at the other district, it may be a dollar or so more an hour. But I have no clue, it could even be less, but I doubt it.

So, what do I do? Do I take a chance at this full time position on the table? For all I know, I may not even get it. However, there would be benefits included with this option.

Or, do I just continue establishing myself more and more with my current position and push for full time 3-6 months down the road? My boss knows I want full time, and I was told during the meeting that it's a definite chance down the road. He said it's just best to see how things are 3-6 months from now. However, there's a lot of projects coming in down the road, so maybe it's possible? I don't know.

I just talked to my career services advisor from college, who strongly recommends I go through with the interview and feel things out and see what's best for me. I guess she's right. I should probably look into it.

What do you guys think?

 

[Kharn]

Moving around to much can be a sign of a unmotivated employee, or at worst some one who cant settle down. Stay where you are now is my advice.

 

[Peter.Cort]

are you still keeping the part time job at the magazine place, or whatever the other odd part time job was? What are the benifits that you would get working full time at the other school? And also is it a case where you could just talk to your boss and say, hey there's an opportunity for me to work full time here and get benifits and such which I need, and then just go back if they are looking to put you on full time? or would you have to wait it out for that 3-6 month period and then they would look at what you've done specifically and decide if they want to keep you on full time.

 

[Jayce]

Both options are very well known school districts. Both options, school wise, are decent choices.

But the bottom line is this...

I'm part time now. I want to be full time. There is no guarantee to be full time here, however, there is strong indication for it in the future. But who knows!

The other option is hiring for full time. That's where the key thing is.

Now, at my current job (the part time 35 hr a week one) would hire me full time, it would literally be the same as the other one that's currently hiring. In this area, a school district is a school district. Very little variation between hourly pay rates, benefits, etc. They're all very similar.

BUT, like I said, right now I have to PAY for medical coverage and stuff. That's kind of a kicker. But who knows... for all I know I may get beat to the punch with the other option anyway. Yet at the same time, I may have to work here for years to get a full time status. Who knows...

And I understand, Saxon. That's one thing I was afraid of. But my college is stressing to me that I shouldn't worry about that considering the reasoning behind the job bouncing in this case, which would simply be, I want full time. But yeah, I was afraid of that too. Blah.

Peter - Yeah, I'd keep that job at the printing industry. I only have to work every other weekend, so it's gas money to me.

 

[KSoD]

35 hours is part time? Wow. All you need is 1 more hour to be considered full time. So really you are putting in the full time hours already. So in all honesty it wouldnt hurt you to switch if you knew you could get the full time position.

Yeah it may look bad to leave a job so early but when you are just 1 hour away from full time and benefits what is the point? They get to classify you as part time and not have to pay your benefits. But yet you are almost doing as much as the person who beat you out for the full time position.

Just cheating you is all they are doing.

 

[Jayce]

So in all honesty it wouldnt hurt you to switch if you knew you could get the full time position.

Exactly. That's the trick. I have no idea if I could even get it. For all I know, I may get beaten to the punch AGAIN at this other district.

And what's this 1 hour talk? 40 hours is full time. I'd need at least 5 more hours for that.

And with me being part time, I have a lot of benefits in terms of flexibility. I can pretty much leave/come any time I want to. If I decide I'm not coming in tomorrow until 12, that's fine, as long as I get at least 24 hours in. 24-34 is the range I should work for. So on one hand, it's very nice knowing I have that flexibility. On the other, I have no benefits. Yet, on the third hand I like it here a lot and if I play my cards right maybe I can work up more. For all I know, maybe the people at this other district suck and I may be miserable there.

There's a lot of what-if questions in this situation.

Part of me thinks I'm crazy for considering the move. Another part of me feels as though I've worked so hard until this point between working full time + college full time that it's the least I deserve. Yet, I just had a meeting with the rest of the crew, and it's hardcore crunchtime on the 10th degree. It'd be a real jerk thing of me to leave now...

 

[Jorsoft]

Isn't anything over 32 hrs considered full time technically? 40 hours is traditionally full time but I think there's a federal mandate of 32+ for that.

As far as this new job, there's absolutely no harm in going in for the interview and seeing how well you do. Jump on that first and see how well you do. If they offer you the job then I'd just as soon take it. More money, benefits, etc. there's really no downside to switching. No one would blame you for that.

EDIT: Just go for that interview and if they offer you a position then talk to your current manager and let him know about it. Tell him you'd be prepared to leave to get that full time status w/ benefits and maybe he can work something out for you. He may like you enough to create a full time slot for you, a pay raise, something like that. The point is to give him the opportunity to work with you on this before you make a final decision.

 

[veedubfreak]

You can be 40 hours a week and still be considered "hourly" and not full time. It all depends on if the state is an at will state. Personally i'd take the full time job. I worked tech support for a school district for over 3 years and the pay sucks. So the only real benefit to working for the state, is the benefits package.

 

[Jayce]

Yeah, the pay certainly isn't great, and the benefits are what seem to make up for it from what I've heard. But at the same time, there's not many positions in my area that seem to be hiring at anything better. In fact, a lot of the leads I get (I get about 10 or so emailed to me a day from my college, they really do a great job helping you out) those 10 must be 8-10 bucks an hour, average.

Yesterday for the first time I saw an opening that hires at 40-45k to start, but there's a TON of experience with visual basic, SQL server, and a list of other stuff to even be considered. It just sounds like when it comes down to what experience I have, what knowledge I have, and where my interests are, that a high school is ideal for me. There's so many computers, just sooooo many, and a ton of new technology being warped into cirriculum. Yet, at the same time, I won't make 6 figures off of it. But hey - I'd be happy.

It just sucks, being that we had that meeting and I know the IT Director is very stressed out about work getting done. I doubt he'd be able to bump me to full time. If he did, I'd love to stay. But if he doesn't and I have a full time position on the table, what do I do?

I think what I'll do is wait for the other district to call me, and just let them leave me a voicemail regarding whether they filled the position or whether they wanted me as the picked candidate for it. That way I wouldn't be on the spot to give an answer and I can go to my current boss asap and talk to him about it.

Blah. If only I was able to make 30 bucks an hour with full blown benefits at a school. Instead, I make less than half and get no benefits. Life is good when you have a degree.

 

[KSoD]

Sorry i should have stated that in NY where i live anything from 36-40 hours is considered full time. It isnt just straight 40. Some places have full time workers at 36 hours now cause of family and everything else. The state does this to kinda protect people so they dont get yanked from insurances cause they dont work a full 40.