NER: debating "going to the dark side"

clayswife

I've worked in the non-profit environmental sector for about 10 years and I love the idea of it... the company I work for could be better, but I still get warm fuzzies knowing that a piece of land will be there forever because of the work I've done....

I've never wanted to be a government employee, but there are currently about 50 openings with the feds in my line of work across the country.  I'm really debating it- it would potentially be a $10K/year ++ raise, though we may have to move.  DH thinks I should apply. 

I'm thinking maybe I should, but I've worked with the same company for 6 years now and the thought of resume writing at this point AND the plan was for me to SAH after baby #2 and if I had a raise like that, it wouldn't be worth it and I desperately want to be a SAHM. I hate that I don't get to spend more than a few hours/day with DS as it is. Ugh.

Should I just apply- doesn't mean I will get it, but I really should because of the $$.  I hate being driven by $$.

ETA- sorry I referred to gov't as "the dark side".  I don't mean to offend anyone and sorry if I did!! 

Mrs.JHill

I would apply.  It can't hurt anything and you might get the chance of a lifetime.

TCsbride

I don't really know the ins and out of federal jobs in Canada, but if they are anything like here in the States, I say go for it!  I'm a fed employee and honestly, I couldn't imagine being a working mom anyhwere else. I get paid incredibly well, I have flex hours so I can come and go as I please as long as I work my 40 hrs, I get lots of leave not only for holidays but also sick and vacation time, I get a pension, the healthcare is good if we choose to use it, and a lot of my friends either take a year of unpaid leave when they have their babies or they cut down to job sharing and work 2 or 3 days a week and yet still get full time benefits. Plus, if you work in an area like me, you can basically "move" jobs all around the same area and yet you aren't like leaving one company and going to work for another. Everything stays the same, you just work with different people and do different stuff. I say go for it! 

brianna611

If you got a job offer, it wouldn't mean you had to take it.  You could always change your mind and decline.

suzymarie

If you really truly want to SAH after baby #2, I wouldn't bother applying, interviewing, moving, etc.

If SAHM is just a "dream" and not a reality then sure, apply. 

triumphantreturnofplanningbug

I'm of the "try, apply, see what happens" mentality. Like PPs have said, you don't have to accept an offer, and you might wind up with something really fabulous.

I know resume writing is a PITA, but it seems like one of those skills that comes back once you've worked at it for a little while. If you go for it, I hope that won't be too painful!

papagena

I'm kind of in the apply, keep your options open and then do some soul searching.  I'd say if SAH is really attainable for you and what you really want to do, then it may not be worth it right now (unless #2 is years off, in which case, it may still be worth it). 

Jenn.J.

suzymarie:

If you really truly want to SAH after baby #2, I wouldn't bother applying, interviewing, moving, etc.

If SAHM is just a "dream" and not a reality then sure, apply. 

I'm in this camp. Because if you do happen to apply and get it, it will make the decision to SAH vs. work horrible on you. But I just left a really great environmental job to SAH, so I'm a bit biased . The decision was NOT easy.

Lotte134

I think you should definitely apply.  It's all theoretical, at this point, until and unless you get a job offer.  Then you'll have decisions to make, but I think it's good to have choices.  And as much of a PITA as it is, I think it's always a good idea to have an up-to-date resume because you just never know what will happen.

My opinions are colored a bit because I'm in my third week of a new job that I *love* but here's my 2 cents.  For many years I thought I would be a SAHM.  In my last job I dreamed of it constantly, but finances wouldn't quite work to let me.  Now that I'm in this job (also making about 10K+ more than before) I wouldn't quit if I could.  I truly like what I'm doing and I also really like feeling like I'm contributing to our family living the way I would like us to live.  I'm not sure I'm explaining myself well and I'm in no way saying that working is better than staying home or anything like that.

What I'm trying to say is you need to figure out what will work best for you and your family overall.  I'm a firm believer in happy mommy = happy family and also in the fact that you should be open to things working out in a way that wasn't necessarily in the plans.  Give it a try and just see what happens!

Good luck either way!