My posts have been kind of heavy these days, so I thought it was time to lighten things up and post some good news!
I got a job offer on Thursday! This is an interesting situation as I have been applying for both paralegal positions and accounting positions (my pre-degree field) in order to increase my chances of securing a job within the 6 month window of unemployment. This job offer happens to be in the accounting field. Although I really want to work in my degree field, there are some significant benefits to this position:
- I really do enjoy the ROUTINE of accounting. One of my frustrations in working in the legal field are the constant changes in priorities - that is a skill I have, but one that causes me a great deal of anxiety.
- This position is less than FOUR miles from my house. It is actually in our little town of 3,500 people and is a company I could reasonably stay with as long as we live here.
- Since there is no commute, the hours work well with my family responsibilities.
- The pay is well within the range that I need to contribution to the household budget.
This was the FIRST time that I've ever sent a counter offer to an employer. There were a few things that would have made this more of the perfect job for me, so I decided to ask for the following:
- A base salary increase to compensate for the fact that I will not be participating in their medical/dental insurance [GRANTED]
- A small change in working hours (they indicated there was some flexibility and I am asking to start and end my day 30 minutes earlier)[DENIED, but for good business reasons - I will be supporting the west coast branch offices]
- Paid vacation in June (an already planned trip to San Antonio for my nephews HS graduation)[GRANTED]
I learned a lot about myself and my priorities these past three months. Unlike my husband, money is NOT my strongest motivator, and I cannot make it the most important thing in my job search. Being available for my family son, finding that balance between work hours and family hours, is really the most important thing in my life. It also became quite clear that, although I really enjoy the field of law, I don't enjoy working in the field of law. Maybe I should have gotten my degree in accounting?
