Brides Helping Brides ™ - * NEED ADVICE BAD* I'm confused, and I don't know what to do

Danielle&Scott Posted: Oct 08, 2004 07:38 AM

* NEED ADVICE BAD* I'm confused, and I don't know what to do

I'm debating the whole postal job now...I don't know what to do. I dont know about taking the postal job. It has its benefits but it has it negatives too.

I have to work all weekends, saturday and sunday, all holidays, including christmas and new years, and on my days off they call you and ask you to work...If you say no that is looked at as bad.

The benefits are good dont get me wrong...but I keep asking myself do I really want to work all those hours, outdoors in the extreme cold and the extreme heat.
What do you think I should do? I am still thinking about going back to school for computers, fixing and maintaining them. I like working on computers, and Danielle thinks that would probably be a good thing for me. I agree with her. I don't know about the whole postal job. I am really confused. I don't think it is a good sign that I am so confused. If it was something I wanted to do I wouldnt be weighing the pro's and con's all the time.
Forget about going on vacation for the next two years....Danielle and I are planning a 1 year anniversary trip. We wont be able to do it. You have to be accessible for the first year of employment...In case they need you to work if someone is out sick.....
I don't know what to do. I just printed out the Farmingdale University brochure and I see they have a computer BA Degree program tat looks interesting.
What do you think I should do? Do you think I should skip it this time, and if I want, I can always take the test again....If I decide I want to do it.
Please help me...I am so confused.
Thanks,
Scott

jenny2penny Posted: Oct 08, 2004 07:44 AM

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anjerandunder Posted: Oct 08, 2004 07:45 AM

Re: * NEED ADVICE BAD* I'm confused, and I don't know what to do

well something made you take the test right? i personally wouldn't want a job that had me doing all of those hours but if you are the type of person who can handle that then go for it. i think it's good that you're weighing pros and cons but don't spend too much time on it because if you're having doubts before you even start then i think you know your answer. good luck with your choice.

Danielle&Scott Posted: Oct 08, 2004 07:53 AM

Re: * NEED ADVICE BAD* I'm confused, and I don't know what to do

NO COFFEE!!!!.....Ah I couldnt do it. Anyway...thanks for the great advice. The thing is, I have no idea where i see myself in 20 years. I know Danielle and I want to be able to buy a house in 3 to 4 years, and It will be hard on the postal salary. If I go to school now for even a certificate program and get my degree, I can defanitely make more money than I am making now, and still have my weekends and holidays.

If I take the postal job the weekend, and holiday hours last until you become full time. They start you out at Part time flexible. That means you work a minimum of 20 hours and a maximum of 50 hours a week. You get paid time and a half for sundays, but you only get paid regular for holidays until you become full time. That can be in 4 months or in 3 years...It all depends on who's retireing and moving up etc....

I just got married and im not sure I am ready to go through such a big change in my life.

I know I hate my job now, but I love working on computers. I would be interested in learning how to fix and maintain them too. My friends brother builds computers, and fixes computers. He makes over $100k a year. Not bad for a 27 year old guy that didnt go to college.

I would stay at my job for now, if I knew they would be paying for my schooling. My company offers tuition reimbursement.

I think this would make me more happy....

Scott

Danielle&Scott Posted: Oct 08, 2004 07:56 AM

Re: * NEED ADVICE BAD* I'm confused, and I don't know what to do

Posted by anjerandunder

well something made you take the test right? i personally wouldn't want a job that had me doing all of those hours but if you are the type of person who can handle that then go for it. i think it's good that you're weighing pros and cons but don't spend too much time on it because if you're having doubts before you even start then i think you know your answer. good luck with your choice.

See I think i know my answer too. I took the test because I was in and still are in a dead end job. I didnt know how to get out of this position and I thought the post office was my answer. I heard many positive things from my friend who is a postal worker, and then I went to the interview and they told us the negatives too. I have been thinking about it since wednesday...Yesterday I was happy about it, and today I am not....I dont know if i want to give up my free time and my weekends. I wont even have time to detail cars anymore, and that is my passion. In the future I want to be able to open my own car detailing shop.....Who knows if I will be able to do that working for the post office.

If I don't take the position, what do I tell the woman from HR when she calls me?
Scott

anjerandunder Posted: Oct 08, 2004 08:03 AM

Re: * NEED ADVICE BAD* I'm confused, and I don't know what to do

well fh is in computers and it is a very lucrative job. if you think about long term, you can transfer anywhere after 5 years from the post office right? so if you and danielle are looking to move that could be a plus. if you go back to school you'll be getting a degree which is always a plus. don't worry at all what you tell the woman from hr..honestly she can give a hoot if you take it or not. it's just her job. i would sit on it for a while longer and then move on scott. time is precious and you don't want to go into another job that you're not happy with.

Danielle&Scott Posted: Oct 08, 2004 08:05 AM

Re: * NEED ADVICE BAD* I'm confused, and I don't know what to do

Posted by anjerandunder

well fh is in computers and it is a very lucrative job. if you think about long term, you can transfer anywhere after 5 years from the post office right? so if you and danielle are looking to move that could be a plus. if you go back to school you'll be getting a degree which is always a plus. don't worry at all what you tell the woman from hr..honestly she can give a hoot if you take it or not. it's just her job. i would sit on it for a while longer and then move on scott. time is precious and you don't want to go into another job that you're not happy with.

So you are saying I should pass this time and if I want to go back to it some time, I can always retake the test.

anjerandunder Posted: Oct 08, 2004 08:06 AM

Re: * NEED ADVICE BAD* I'm confused, and I don't know what to do

I THINK YOU'RE SAYING THAT

did you just make your decision scott??

jenny2penny Posted: Oct 08, 2004 08:10 AM

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Danielle&Scott Posted: Oct 08, 2004 08:11 AM

Re: * NEED ADVICE BAD* I'm confused, and I don't know what to do

I think i may of. The thing is that everyone is pushing me to take the job...and they were all happy for me and everything....now i feel like I am letting everyone down.

Im not sure if I will have a future with my current company. If I go back to school and get my degree in computers, i will have more options on what to do with my life....right now I have a crappy associates in liberal arts and it is next to impossible to get a job anywhere else. I guess I know my family wont be upset with me if I dont take the job, I just think they are tired of my confusion...I got to get the ball rolling...Im going to be 33 next week and I still have no idea what I want to do with my life.

don424 Posted: Oct 08, 2004 08:12 AM

Re: * NEED ADVICE BAD* I'm confused, and I don't know what to do

See, maybe because my dad worked for the city do I have a different outlook on things.

You make some really really good points and yes there are some sacrifices involved, but I do know that city jobs offer better security than private industry, as well as steady advancement.

Like someone else said, you took the test for a reason. i would give it a try. The computer plan sounds like a good idea, but if it doesn't pan out, you'll always be asking yourself, 'what if'

Of course on the other end of the coin is Danielle. if you decide to do this, you need to sit down and make this commitment together and you both need to realize what you're giving up and be fair to each other. If she's cool with it, fine. But, if she's not, you'll have to rethink this because the last thing you want is resentment to build up.

JMO

MuchInLuvMichi Posted: Oct 08, 2004 08:14 AM

Re: * NEED ADVICE BAD* I'm confused, and I don't know what to do

Hey Scott, I can totally see how your feeling. change is never easy espeically when money is obviously something u need in life, yet we all wanna b happy with what we r doing..

you need to sit and weight the pros and cons..

if u r having doubts i would certainly pay attention to those doubts..

every job has some part of it that suxx, its never going to b all sunshine and roses..

my uncle is a postal worker and i can tell u some of the things i have heard from him..

obviously the pay is good, u definitly have a job when u wake up in the morning, full benefits for u and ur family, and after u get past the 'hump' u have ur set schedule and route...

of course the negatives I have heard is that it can b very tiring, lugging mail all over the place and u r out when its hot, when its cold, in any weather..plus u r working alone so depending on the type of person you are that can b a plus or negative..

the way i see it, if u r having doubts def. think long and hard about it--but dont NOT do it cause ur scared about switching careers...maybe look at the school thing some more..the way i see it if ur ment to work in the postal system something will happen that will make u decide on that..

but to b honest once ur called for a job like that i think its rare they will call u again if u turned it down...keep us posted, were behind u 100% for advice:)

anjerandunder Posted: Oct 08, 2004 08:14 AM

Re: * NEED ADVICE BAD* I'm confused, and I don't know what to do

fh went through this last year and went to school for programming and once he got a job he HATED it..he's now back in networking and at first i was very disappointed that he spent all the money to go to school and he's not utilizing his degree but now i realize it has to be whatever makes him happy. you can't wake up every morning hating your job. that's no way to live life. your family will be disappointed at first i'm sure but they'll get over it. they aren't the ones who have to wake up every morning dreading going to work.

jenny2penny Posted: Oct 08, 2004 08:14 AM

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Danielle&Scott Posted: Oct 08, 2004 08:17 AM

Re: * NEED ADVICE BAD* I'm confused, and I don't know what to do

I don't think she will be fine with the job. I know she wants to spend the holidays together and I do too. I know she also wants to go away next year for our one year anniversary, and I want to do that too.

I know the job secuirty is much better working for the post office, but I dont know if im ready to take that big of a step. I think I should be sure about something like this before I take the chance.

I have been working for the same company for 5 years. Maybe I am scared to take the chance, because I have security here...or maybe I am just not ready I dont know....Something is holding me back though.
Scott

MuchInLuvMichi Posted: Oct 08, 2004 08:17 AM

Re: * NEED ADVICE BAD* I'm confused, and I don't know what to do

i must say i agree with don 100%!!!! he couldnt have said it better...i really think the fact that a city job will always b there outweighs alot of factors..but babe do what is good for you NOT what is good for ur family!!!!! who gives a F if u let them down this is ur life, dont feel like ur disappointing any1, they want u to b happy also..ur the 1 who hasta wake up every morning and do this job u must b happy and that comes first!!!!

frosty Posted: Oct 08, 2004 08:23 AM

Re: * NEED ADVICE BAD* I'm confused, and I don't know what to do

Scott, I've been in similar situations in my working life and I've always gone with my gut instinct. And generally, it has worked out for the best.

If you are really feeling uncomfortable with the postal job, then you need to reevaluate taking it.

Can you put up with your dead-end job until you can complete your computer training?

At one point in my life, I thought about getting into the legal field. I took a paralegal course while working full-time at a dead-end job. Once the course was over, I interviewed at a bunch of law firms and realized that I didn't want to work in the legal field after all. Nine months and $4000 (out of my own pocket) later! But, you know what? I don't regret taking the course at all. It allowed me to focus on what I really wanted to do.

I'm now working in a field that I like and I'm good at. Do I use my paralegal certificate at all? Nope. But I'm not at that dead-end job anymore, the certificate is something I can put on a resume, and I'm much happier at work than I have ever been.

Good luck.