Thoughts on career change

[monica9]

I love my job but I work 12 hours shifts twice a week and have to work every other weekend from 11am-7:30pm which is pretty much my whole day. I also have to work a lot of holidays and in my 12 years I usually end up working New Years and some thanksgivings but sometimes Christmas Eve which I hate working. My fear is one day they will put me on Christmas and I have two children. My children are involved with sports that only happen on weekends and weeknights. I am off work 4 days a week but those 3 days mean I’m missing out on a ton of memories and end up having to call out at times if my daughter has tournaments out of state.
this new job is a 3% pay deduction which I don’t mind, same benefits, not as great of a job (stationary) but I get all holidays and weekends off and out at 4pm.

husband gets out at 5 but working from home now so either job would work for our family it’s just a matter of me being able to see their sports, making memories on holidays and be able to take a vacation on a weekend (can’t unlessI find my own coverage which is about 40% likely 60% not likely hence why I have to call out)

thoughts?

 

[wfjny]

My daughter is an EMT. She works at least 3 12 hour shifts a week, but will sometimes work as many as 5 (60 hour week). Makes great overtime, if you want it.

She is looking for a job in the hospital system that will be a 9-5 type of job. Less action, but also a stable job with holidays and weekends off. So I get it.

I think the only question is if the days off help or hurt things. My daughter can work Sun, Mon, Tuesday one week, and Thurs, Fri, Sat the next. Effectively allowing her a week off without taking any vacation time. Do you do things on your current days off that you would now miss (volunteer at the school, plan doctor appointments, etc.)

With the money being about the same, it all depends on what you gain or lose with your family, at least IMHO...

Good luck!

 

[Karin1984]

So the decision comes down to less interesting job or less time with your family at important moments?

While I do think it is important to have a job you like, a better work-life balance is more important. I would do it. Who knows what will happen in the new job, maybe in a year from now new opportunities come by.

 

[monica9]

My daughter is an EMT. She works at least 3 12 hour shifts a week, but will sometimes work as many as 5 (60 hour week). Makes great overtime, if you want it.

She is looking for a job in the hospital system that will be a 9-5 type of job. Less action, but also a stable job with holidays and weekends off. So I get it.

I think the only question is if the days off help or hurt things. My daughter can work Sun, Mon, Tuesday one week, and Thurs, Fri, Sat the next. Effectively allowing her a week off without taking any vacation time. Do you do things on your current days off that you would now miss (volunteer at the school, plan doctor appointments, etc.)

With the money being about the same, it all depends on what you gain or lose with your family, at least IMHO...

Good luck!

I had that schedule once too where I worked all my hours in 4 days in a row on my weekend on (Friday 12 he, sat 8hr, sun8hr, monday 12hr). My kids would hate it but I would get a whole week off the following week.

 

[monica9]

So the decision comes down to less interesting job or less time with your family at important moments?

While I do think it is important to have a job you like, a better work-life balance is more important. I would do it. Who knows what will happen in the new job, maybe in a year from now new opportunities come by.

Yea I think I might want to suffer in my job and enjoy my weekend and holidays. I do enjoy my days off during the week to go to the gym, grocery shop, clean, etc but I guess I would have to adjust and do that after 4.

 

[RogueX]

In situations like that yours it reminds me of the song Cats in the Cradle. If you can tolerate a job you don't love to have the time with family, then I suspect you know which direction to go.

My husband had to make a tough call on his job years back, where we opted for a substantial pay increase, but it meant he is on-call many weekends. We're lucky in that he doesn't have to stay at the airport he flies from, just within an hour reach and we're really close to it.

His previous job gave him free weekends, more vacation time and a large gap in the middle of the day, but for a lot less money. It was a perfect fit though when our daughter was in daycare because he spent those hours in the middle of the day with her.

 

[katyjeka]

I quit a job 20 some years ago that was consuming my life. Thankfully I've been able to work just 1 day a week since our girls were born and I treasure every moment that I've been home. We have always loved to travel so when I was changing jobs I followed the advice of a friend and started working behind the desk at a hotel. I love the atmosphere and the discounts on travel are huge. I admit I was VERY nervous leaving my job as I always thought it was going to be my career but things change. It took me awhile to get used to less money but we managed and actually did well. Good luck