2 job offers - need advice

CurlyQ

Cathlete
I'll give some background first. I have just finished my spring semester at school and need to get a summer job (possibly going into the fall/winter). I have one year left at school and will have an associates degree in exercise science. During next spring semester I need to do an internship of my choosing (hopefully something in a clinical setting like phy. therapy or wellness center), so this job would be temporary. Here are my options:

1. Work the front desk at a small gym that has just been purchased by a new owner. It's pretty run-down looking, walls need paint (inside and out), doors and windows need to be replaced, but the equipment is new. The hours are perfect - M,T,W, possibly TH, 8:30 - 3:30. Basically I'd just be checking people in and walking around the gym, testing pool water, cleaning equipment, etc. Pay is quite minimal but isn't too much of a problem. A bonus is that the owner knows/ works with a Phy. therapist and said he'd introduce me so I could ask him about interning.

2. Go back to work at my old job which was in home goods retail (think Pier 1 Imports). I love my old bosses, I know all the employees, I wouldn't need to train, I could pretty much make my own hours but I'd have to work until 9pm some nights and a couple Saturdays a month, I'd have the same pay rate as when I worked there $4/hr more than the other place. They're desperate for help and my best friend is the General manager and she's basically begging me to come back.

The first job is slightly closer to home but only by 5 mins, I have benefits through my husbands job so no big deal there although I could get bene's at job 2 if I wanted...

So what would you do? Job 1 is good for experience, good hours, bad pay. Job 2 is familiar, I'd be helping out my friends, the hours are not great, the pay is good.

Help!:eek:
 
Well, I guess it depends on what is more important to you - the size of the paycheck or the kind of experience you'll be getting? If you need the money, the answer is obvious, but if you don't, you might want to try something that is a stepping stone to your goals... sometimes you have to go back a little in order to go forward.

Just my .02.

Good luck!
Marie
 
I would be more inclined to take the job that will get you closer to your professional goals. But only if money isn't a big deal. It could be a springboard to much bigger opportunities. :)
 
I agree with Marie and Emily. I would take the job to get you closer to your goals, as long as money is not an issue.:)
 
I'd go for option #1. Retail is pretty dead-end for most people and if you are able to meet people who could help you in your career goals, you'd be better off.
 
Thanks for the advice :) I went with job #1 and start on Monday - if I end up hating it I can always go to job #2. At least I'll be getting some experience to put on my resume.
 
Unless you have children you have to worry about, I'd try to do both! You could work your retail job around your gym job and get the benefits of both.
 

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