I’ve been laid off from my job *deep exhale* I’m now looking for my 6th job since I’ve been in Big City and have the unfortunate disadvantage of it being in the middle of summer and in a potential recession. The Great Depression lasted 10 years and it didn’t reach the bottom for 3 years. With the length of the “conflict” in the Middle East unknown combined with the current trend of our economy, I would like to make the most solid decision given what I know. I am writing this blog because next week I am walking into a situation where I may be offered two different jobs that will lead me down very different paths. I want to put down the pro’s and cons of both in order to make a wiser decision.

I will start with the Corporate job. It is a recruitment job in one of the oldest and largest staffing firms in the world. In this job I will be highly trained in recruiting and marketing. I will have experience to gain a very strong job in human resources. Good benefits, 3 weeks vacation a year and I would also get to take clients out for dinner/golf, whatever they want. It would be a Mon-Fri position which would align with Alex’s schedule and he also has 3 weeks vacation a year. Good base salary and the possibility to make a lot of money. Money would be really nice with the market the way it is. I may even be able to build up my savings again instead of borrowing from it.

Now for the cons of this position. It will be a stressful, highly competitive, work environment. I will be given a quota and if for any reason I do not fill it I will be cheating myself and my coworkers out of money. I will have no time at work to socialize, so that leads me to believe that our relationships will be based solely on how good I am at my job i.e. how much business I am bringing in. I will also have to master my sales persona within my training period or risk being fired. Not to mention, I was just laid off from a staffing agency. The market is so slow some firms are just closing their doors. If we are in the beginning of a recession taking this job can be a future risk. The last thing I need is more holes in my resume.

The other is a entry level position in the Buy/Sell/Trade industry. This industry will only grow as people become more frugal. I would be working in an environment where I was free to be myself. Also, along with the lack of responsibilities and expectations I can focus on other, more important matters. I would imagine the stress level in a job such as this will be extremely low. I would be able to make some new friends and learn about fashion, music, society and hopefully myself. I think I would even enjoy to work a more fluid schedule.

But, alas, it has its flaws. $$$ Low wages, no benefits, little vacation, working weekends and holidays. It will be a regress in my career.

Which one has the most benefit? I also happened to be browsing through my old entries and came a cross this from Fantasies written in March:

“I think it would be wonderful if instead of jumping into interviews and training and quotas and meetings I could pick up a job working with minimal responsibility to use my brain power and flexibility to live life.”

I should be weighing on the side that has more money, but there are so many reasons for me to be nervous about taking that job. I think I will have more flexibility with the trade job. It wont be anything like the money I have been bringing in so we will obviously need to make some sacrifices. If I get wrapped up in the staffing agency I feel it is either make or break. I had to quit my job in March because I couldn’t juggle life/work and job searching. I don’t want to be without a job, searching for a job. Not in Big City; not again. I feel a lot more comfortable taking the trade job and planning from there, some $ is better than no $. And peace of mind is better than aggravation.