Did I Move Up or Did I Move Down?

In the current job market, I think most people are just happy to have a job, no matter how much they may complain. I had a fairly decent job for my area. It was not in the highest pay grade, considering I have a Bachelor of Arts '" English, degree, but the benefits were more than worth the difference. I was given the chance to move to a job that paid a little more per hour with none of the benefits, so I consider it more of a lateral to step down, even though the pay was about fifty cents more per hour. The main question is: why do I consider it a good thing that I made that change.

In the first job, I was a support technician for an online legal library. First, I am not the most technically savvy person on the planet, so every day was a learning experience for me, from beginning until the end, which was over a year later. With how quickly technology changes, there was always something different to overcome. What I did was assist customers (mostly attorneys, judges and paralegals) in installing the version our law library that came one computer disc. I also assisted customers with small problems when their internet connections would not allow them to access the website. I also did some research assistance in a limited capacity that was only possible due to the familiarity that I gained with the website. There were also some general office tasks.

This job had first class benefits. The paid time off amount was amazing, the insurance options were excellent (although the one I chose was expensive it was worth it), and there were many other benefits, including occasional bouts of overtime that would add quite nicely to a nest egg. Although my boss was tough on me at first, she grew to be impressed with my determination to succeed. It did not hurt that my thorough documentation made her happy. Her administrative assistant was first rate, and is still a friend of mine, to this day. Since our department was available seven days a week, scheduling was able to be flexible, and I was able to have one that worked around the needs of my family, quite nicely, thanks to the administrative assistant, although she did her best to accommodate everyone.

When the opportunity arose to interview for a job at an adult education facility to work as a teacher/paraprofessional working with teen students who were working toward their general education diplomas, I felt I should look into it. I had sent my resume by email before I got the job as a support technician, and there had been some communication, but nothing came from it. I was contacted by the director of the adult education facility fourteen months after I had started my job at the law library. Since I had attained my degree with the intention of becoming a teacher through the nontraditional method, as the education degree was not yet available at the closest university, this seemed like an excellent step in the right direction.

I interviewed with the director, her assistant, and several other very important people, that first time. I was invited back, on my day off, to come observe the teen class with the current teacher. I sincerely enjoyed that visit. I was very happy to accept an offer of employment, and after the appropriate paperwork was completed, I did so. I gave my notice, as my imminent employer and I agreed that it was the appropriate thing to do. I did go in on a day off to see how some of the other factors of the job would work. I was very excited to be moving into a field that would utilize my degree and education. I would also be doing some general office work and some general cleaning to help keep our pay raises from having to go to hiring a janitor. My soon-to-be former boss was very proud and encouraging to me.

With the job change, however, came a loss of insurance, a loss of any kind of paid time off, many periods of time that I would be on school breaks, since and many days when my children would be out of school, but I would be in professional development. I would not be making what a person with a degree in education or a teaching certificate would be making, and my hours would be no more than thirty-nine per week with no overtime possible, there would be more net pay, but sometimes sacrifices are made. I honestly made more money at my other job due to the unusual amount of paid time off always filling out my checks and the overtime that came from time to time.

However, I enjoyed working with the students. I did discover that I am not much of an authority figure with teens. Working with the adults seemed to be better for me. Most of them really wanted to be there and wanted to learn, so they could finish and get on with their lives. I was lucky to work with some really talented educational professionals. When my family needs became an issue, my boss made every effort to support me and assist me in meeting the needs of my family. The only time my hours dropped were due to my own health issues and the necessary accommodations of my special needs children.

If time and my health would have allowed, I believe, I could have been doing a lot of my work from home, monitoring online classes or classes that were web-enhanced. The forward-thinking director of the adult education facility will eventually be able to make attaining a high school education available to any person who can go to a library and learn to use a computer. She is constantly looking for ways to offer ways to provide education to any person who desires it.

In some ways, I consider the move a lateral move. At the first job, I made a decent and steady check and had all health costs covered for minimal amounts of money. For the time that I was able to work the full thirty-nine hours per week, I was bringing home plenty of money, and once my husband's insurance covered me and the children, again, things smoothed out. Both jobs tried to work with me on my schedules to help me meet family needs. At both jobs, I was constantly learning, as much as I was teaching, and it is essential to me to be continuously learning. Once I master something, I become bored. That never happened in either job.

At both jobs, I had coworkers for whom I had tremendous respect, some of whom I also liked. There are some who are still friends, today. It was due to my own health and my own family needs that my hours had to change and my income had to drop before I finally had to end my employment. It is a true regret. Actually, I miss both jobs.

My advice when looking to change jobs is to not look just at the increase or decrease in income. Look at the work you will be doing. Will it satisfy you as much, if not more than what you are doing? I frequently say that what you save in prescriptions for ulcer and anxiety medications is worth the decrease in pay if you will enjoy the job that pays less.

The reason taking the job at the adult education center was the right thing for me to do was that it finally allowed me to utilize the education in English that I had attained. I was also able to use the little Spanish that I had learned in college. I discovered that I do not want to be a full-time teacher, so that made it a good move, too. Also, having a boss who cared enough about me to be supportive of me during the many issues that had and work with me on hours that I could manage was worth it, as well. She also did not make me feel badly for having to leave even after all she had done for me.

I do not think my former boss would have treated me differently, but company policy would have tied her hands in a lot of my situations. I had the death of a best friend, helping with the custody battle over that friend's children, the illness and death of my sister-in-law, the loss of child care, two children with autism who have more appointments than most, and my own fibromyalgia that causes me a lot of doctor's appointments. The lateral move to the adult education center turned out to be the better move for me. I will never regret having made it.