Where Do You Draw the Line on Jobs?
April 8, 2008 Claiming your joy, Life choices, Setting boundaries, career change No Comments
I am happy that I decided early in my life not to take or stay on jobs that depleted me, never mind didn’t gratify.
When I was in between closing my tutoring business and looking for a job, I decided to substitute teach while I looked for full time work. Teaching is my callling and the situation I found was perfect in many ways: a 6-month assignment, close to home (I could walk) and the principal was flexible. In spite of all that, I quit after one day.
It was tough after having made an agreement to call the principal and quit. But the school was so out of control that I refused to be a part of it. It was more important to say “yes” to myself and feel authentic.
At the time I was separated from my husband, had four children and no savings, but I strongly believed that we would not crash. And we didn’t.
While my kids were at school, I spent my energy searching for work that paid well and gratified me. To keep things afloat I took 4 part-time jobs teaching and running short-term programs. I was on a different campus everyday.
I reworked payment arrangements with my mortgage company and my youngest daughter’s Montessori school. I had one interview suit and we ate a lot of Bisquick recipes.
Three job offers came at the same time by the spring of that semester: director of a new program in Central California, sales rep for a major publisher and reading teacher at Fullerton College.
I just retired from teaching at Fullerton College for 20 years.
What about you?
Have you ever turned down work that would pay well but would eat you alive?
All jobs have some aspect that we don’t like, but where do you draw the line on what you will tolerate for money?
P.S. This is an expanded version of a comment I posted on Jonathan Field’s blog. Take a look at his blog and how others responded to his post.
