I started looking in earnest for jobs on the weekend - and not just low level customer service jobs. I decided to look at government jobs, council jobs, hospital administration, banking etc etc. I figured there must be some sort of entry level job I'm qualified for (I have several administration certifications...).
There are heaps!
And now I am in a bit of a dilemma. I've found one that sounds like it was made for me:
Financial Planners Assistant at (Big 4) Bank, part-time, must be database & word processer proficient. Suited to someone studying finance (their exact words) or looking for an entry level banking job.
Anyway. So the dilemma is, that is a job that I would LOVE. It would allow me to work my way up and help me on some levels with my studies.
However, we've decided to have a baby next year. I can't with good conscience start a job as an assistant to someone if I knew I would be leaving next year. And it would rule out my chances of working for the copany again, methinks. I don't really want to put off starting a family either - if I start a new job like this, I won't want to leave it after one or two years, so that rules that out.
Anyway. I guess I just have to hope that a position makes itself available when I'm ready to go back to work in two years time or so.
There are others out there, but this one seemed to sing a song to me, lol.
My second dilemma is... Well. It's not really a dilemma. It is just making me nervous, so I have been putting it off for a few days.
I have realised that it's probably fair to tell my employers I'm looking for a job. But I also realised I could give them a chance to offer me something, if they think I'm valuable enough. Either that, or it will help them focus on their OTHER staff members, all of whom feel as though they are being treated like crap at the moment. I figure this conversation can only have good outcomes, no matter how ugly it will be.
What I intend to do first, is ask them if I can use them as a reference. She will then ask 'You're not leaving are you?' (Which is what she said when I told her I had started studying). I then plan to tell her that I honestly don't know, it depends what I can find. Depending on how that goes, I planned to tell her that of what I've looked at, there are a lot of office jobs. I also intend to slip in a few things about pay (seeing as I am underpaid for the work I do). I expect that she will probably shoot back about how they have 'given me' more hours when I 'needed it', of which I will remind her that the only reason I was 'given' those hours were because another staff member left and that if they had not, I would not have been 'given' the extra hours.
That is all I can think of at this stage. I am one of the only staff members that does not mind talking to her - she is extremely blunt and has no people skills. I can be very honest, and don't really care what people think of me, so we manage to have a good conversation where another might be bawling 
The biggest problem I have with her is that she always has to remind us staff of how 'good' they are to us - when most of the time, it is only when it suits them. And the psychological mind-games annoy me as well - they will cut your hours, and then 'give you' one extra shift two weeks later, and stand there waiting for you to jump up and down and say thankyou.
Sigh!
---------------------
In other news, I fell asleep on the couch listening to my Law lecture on my iPhone yesterday! :S
dilemma!
April 6th, 2011 at 12:37 am
April 6th, 2011 at 01:01 am 1302051667
Just some things to consider.
April 6th, 2011 at 02:23 am 1302056589
Applying for a job may give the the opportunity to polish your interview skills. It doesn't guarantee you will be the new hire. It is a good idea to ask your immediate supervisor for permission to give her name for reference. If asked...you can mention someone suggested you apply for a particular position. It is not a good idea to give details or explain why you might want to change employment. Discussing your current employment may give a negative impression and there is no need to do that since the employer makes many choices that affect you. Smile and say as little as possible without being rude and never, ever say anything negative or anything that can be interpreted as being dis satisfied by you or any other employee.
It might seem disingenuous to smile and be positive but it is necessary in the world of work. A poor reference can follow you for years and wreck your plans and dreams.
April 6th, 2011 at 03:50 am 1302061801
April 6th, 2011 at 03:53 am 1302062004
And I think you have a great plan for talking to the current boss. I don't think I would even say anything about the money. Let them go there.
Good luck!
April 6th, 2011 at 04:25 am 1302063930
April 6th, 2011 at 07:36 pm 1302118565
April 6th, 2011 at 10:56 pm 1302130570
I would NOT EVER let anything prevent me from applying to a job that interested me. Apply!