Job woes

WatchPot

My job kinda sucks.  I work for a small co and love what I do but my company is poorly manged, unorganized and very stressful.  I've been here 6 years, we have no benefits and for the first 5 I was drasticly under paid.  I am negotiating for maternity leave right now andand I'm asking them to pay me for 6 weeks of leave.  I really want to take 16 weeks so we've been saving in preparation for that with the expectatoin my company will do nothing in terms of leave. 

It seems they might be more strongly considering the leave as well they are talking about letting me come back 4 days full time with 1 day flex time (work at home or pick up the hours through the week) with out changing my salary.  If I change jobs, I likely won't be given the same flexibility since I will be the new kid on the block. 

 But my original plan was to take 3 months off and use the last 3-4 weeks to look for a new job and focus on my resume/cover letter and interviews.  But staying where I am is so much easier than looking for a job, and sometimes the devil you know is better than the devil you don't! 

I can't decide if I should take the current offer or say forget it and walk.  Why does being a grown up have to be so hard?

Sorry to AW, just needed to vent. 

cmcmillan

That is a hard decision.  Can you take the 16 weeks off and the 4 day work week? Then you can still spend the end of your leave job searching, but if you dont find anything better you have a good set up to go back to?

stacylu

I'm kind of in the same boat. I don't love my job and was intending to look for something new after A was born but then I got promoted and realized that I make too much $ now with a job that's very low stress, very flexible and works well with my family needs. So I'm still here. I think when my kids are older I might look into something else but for now, the flexibility is awesome and worth not being as mentally challenged as I'd like. I hope you can figure it out too - it's always a hard decision between the known and unknown.

Nancy_Drew

I'm with Caldwell.  I'd take the offer of 6 weeks paid, take off the 16 weeks then at least you have a job to come back to and the pressure is off. 

In the meantime, you could look for something else for now (negiotiate for what you want if it comes to that) or take the last of your maternity leave to do your original plan. 

Maddimom

cmcmillan:

That is a hard decision.  Can you take the 16 weeks off and the 4 day work week? Then you can still spend the end of your leave job searching, but if you dont find anything better you have a good set up to go back to?

I think this all sounds great. Big Big hugs S 

keri1013

Maddimom:

cmcmillan:

That is a hard decision.  Can you take the 16 weeks off and the 4 day work week? Then you can still spend the end of your leave job searching, but if you dont find anything better you have a good set up to go back to?

I think this all sounds great. Big Big hugs S 

I agree!

WatchPot

keri1013:

Maddimom:

cmcmillan:

That is a hard decision.  Can you take the 16 weeks off and the 4 day work week? Then you can still spend the end of your leave job searching, but if you dont find anything better you have a good set up to go back to?

I think this all sounds great. Big Big hugs S 

I agree!

Thanks guys; yeah this is probably what I'll do.  I'm affriad if I don't commit to quitting I"ll be too affraid to do it later but I have to put our family first.  I have this stupid fear of disapointing the people I work for which makes no sense because they haven't done much to deserve that respect from me.  Maybe it's daddy issues (or in my case mommy/authority issues) coming back up in my adult hood!

doublem

keri1013:

Maddimom:

cmcmillan:

That is a hard decision.  Can you take the 16 weeks off and the 4 day work week? Then you can still spend the end of your leave job searching, but if you dont find anything better you have a good set up to go back to?

I think this all sounds great. Big Big hugs S 

I agree!

I agree, too!  Of course your employer doesn't have to know that this is your plan.  Hugs to you!