Would you give up benefits for your dream job?

KentuckyKate

I just got off the phone with a friend who is kind of in that dilemma.  It's not her "dream job," but it's a step in the direction of her dream job.

She is a full-time nurse in a pediatrician's office now, but all she has ever wanted is to be a labor and delivery nurse.  It's why she went to nursing school.  She told me it's impossible to get a job in L&D without tons of experience, since it's such a popular specialty.  Since graduating last December, she's sent almost 50 resumes to different hospitals and OBGYN offices.

Anyway, yesterday she was offered a job in an OB office.  She thinks if she takes the job, it will be valuable experience and a leg up when a L&D position opens.  Except it's only 24 hours a week there's no benefits.  She has medical under her husband's group plan, but she would be giving up her company-matched 401(k), vacation, life, disability, tuition reimbursement, and gym membership.

What would you do?

KentuckyKate

What I would do, and what I told her, is to stay where she is until something relevant with benefits opens up.  And that was not what she wanted to hear.  But between the two of us, she was always the passionate risk-taker type, while I was the cautious practical type, so it's not really surprising.

Nebb

I would take it. The long term is more imprtant than the short term. If it will help her get into what she wants to do, how could she NOT. She will get references, a foot in the door and god knows what else to put her in the direction she wants and while she will only be PT and not have benefits or a gym membership, those seems like rather superficial reasons to not take it.

Who knows IF or when an opportunity like that will come up again, if she has been trying this hard.

avsfan33

I'd take it. I'd rather be working towards something I love and want to do than be making money. Like Nebb said, what are the chances something like this pops up again and I mean 50 resumes and only one response? This gets her into what she wants to do. There's a lot of people working at becoming nurses and like you said it's a popular field (the one she wants) if she keeps waiting she might never get another chance.

Blueyed228

I would take it.  But I would factor in that benefits are not included when I am discussing salary with the potential employer.

But I am coming from a perspective of someone who has never gotten benefits from a job.  Bartenders are not extended such luxuries

cupcakesfrosting

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_would-give-up-benefits-dream-job?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:f7ca99d7-669d-4d1f-ab30-3bfce8a10a60Post:64303f29-ac38-4f53-962d-c825df39259a">Re: Would you give up benefits for your dream job?</a>:
[QUOTE]<strong>I would take it.  But I would factor in that benefits are not included when I am discussing salary with the potential employer. But I am coming from a perspective of someone who has never gotten benefits from a job.</strong>  Bartenders are not extended such luxuries :)
Posted by Blueyed228[/QUOTE]

This. And same.

KentuckyKate

I get what you're saying, but I just can't imagine basically demoting myself and taking a paycut, not to mention the long term effect of not contributing to a 401(k).  That could easily amount to a difference of tens of thousands of dollars for her retirement.

My suggestion to her was to take any hospital RN job, which there are tons of, and start meeting people and networking within.  I'm sure a hospital is like any other company, and would hire internally first if there were interested, qualified candidates.

Blueyed228

I wouldnt take a paycut for it.  I didnt see that part.

If she is losing benefits AND taking a paycut, then no way.  I would maybe do same pay, no benefits if its my dream job and a way in to that department.

KentuckyKate

Well she didn't mention if the hourly wage is less, but she is going from 40 to 24 hours.

Blueyed228

Could she take that job and do a few days somewhere else to keep up the hours?  Around here nurses do per diem (??).  I know some who work 1 24 hour shift a week and make bank doing it.

Nebb

She is taking a paycut TEMPORARILY, as long as it evens out after and she can afford it, its putting her in the direction she needs.

[Deleted User]

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_would-give-up-benefits-dream-job?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:f7ca99d7-669d-4d1f-ab30-3bfce8a10a60Post:0057fb26-b749-4626-a450-09b65ee17644">Re: Would you give up benefits for your dream job?</a>:
[QUOTE]My suggestion to her was to take any hospital RN job, which there are tons of, and start meeting people and networking within.  I'm sure a hospital is like any other company, and would hire internally first if there were interested, qualified candidates.
Posted by KentuckyKate[/QUOTE]

I think this is a great suggestion. Either way, she would be doing something temporarily in order to get where she wants to be for the long term except she wouldn't be losing significant pay and benefits with this option.

Is going full time ever going to be an option at the OB's office?

K Byte

I'd probably take it too, as long as she and her husband can afford for her to only work part time for a few years. I don't think it's that big of a deal to give up some of those other benefits in the short term and if someone leaves she could be promoted to full time sooner then she thinks.

Lenore2010

If she has medical, the biggest issue with this is out of the way, and when you only work part time vacation  is not a huge issue (you only lose 24 hours pay if you take a whole week off). Things like health club memberships are frankly not that big a deal, something you can afford on your own generally. 

I would caution anyone against thinking of 401K as a primary retirement savings. In the 2008 crash, I lost significant 401K funds and there is no assurance I will ever recoup it. I would say if your friend takes this job she needs to invest her own money in CD's and Money Market and also look into IRA's.

If she and her husband can afford her working part time, I would say go for it. If she has to get a second job, I would reconsider because it is really hectic trying to coordinate multiple job schedules.

J&K10910

She'll have medical.  She really doesn't need vacation, working part time.  Not having a 401k does kind of suck, but it won't stop her from investing some of her own money towards retirement (or whatever).  Yeah, no one will be matching it, but it's better than nothing.  With how hard it is to get those jobs without experience, if that's REALLY what she wants to do, and they can afford it, I would DEFINITELY do it.  If, after a year or two, nothing comes of it, and she needs those benefits or income back, she can figure something else out, but at least she'll have that experience.

Plus, taking that part time job is in no way stopping her from continuing to apply to "better" (read:  full time/benefit earning) relevant jobs in the meantime.

katiewhompus

We don't even have ea 401k set up yet That's our goal for the beginning of 2011.
What are the odds of her getting another full time position if this short term job doesn't work out? If she's leaving a good job with benefits and has little chance of getting it (or something similar) back then I would say it's too risky. If she can do this job for a year and then get another job if nothing opens up with the dream job then I would say go for it.

Also, not getting into your dream job/field within 1 year of graduation is not that bad. Also make sure she looks at the tuition reimbursement and how much additional that will be out of her pocket. It's one thing to not have an employers contribute to a 401k, it's another if she's taking a pay cut and having to pay additional hundreds of dollars in loans.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

I'd take it. She had medical under her husband, and that's what's important. There are other ways to save for retirement, lots of private life insurance, and if she's working 24 hours a week, she can probably take a long weekend here and there for vacation. I have a 401k, but no company match, so IMO, that's not much of a benefit, you know? Gym membership? That's a perk, but hardly a "benefit."

Ghoti

I'd also take it. There's no reason she can't look for another part time job in the mean time.

zippityb

Only working 24 hours a week sounds so luxurious to me.

Meg1979

I agree with PP.  If she has medical insurance, that's really the sticky point (at least it would be for me).  So many places do not offer 401k opportunities.  She could save in other ways.  Are nurses able to do 403b?  Or just teachers?