Need advice in regards to job offers

[notadmblnd]

After being unemployed for the last 5 years I have suddenly had two job offers. One is house cleaning paying 8 dollars an hour, the other is an IT rep level II for 10.50 an hour. Neither job has benefits (but I come with my own health insurance so I'm not too concerned about them) The IT job is pretty much the same position I held with the same company 5 years ago (I worked for them for 28 years) so I know the stress level can be high, I'll have to dress in business attire, required OT and all that stuff. The house cleaning position I have never done (outside of my own home) but I think there will be very little stress and I don't have to dress for success.

I've gotten very used to being poor and stretching a dollar these past five years and don't know if I want to put up with all the crappola that comes from working in IT. Putting up with all the mess was worth it at 45k (my previous salary).

At this point, I'm torn about which position I should take- the difference in pay being 100.00 a week. I'm leaning toward the house cleaning position that I start in a couple of hours.

Would any of you do it again for 10.50 an hour or would you take the stressless house cleaning job for less pay and be happy instead of stressed out?

[Statistical]

1. The IT job looks better on a resume if you are hopeful you can move up in a year or two.

[notadmblnd]

6. But I'm near the end of my career. 3 more years and I get my pension

Of course I'm still 15 years away from SS. This late in life, I find that I'm not really after money any longer. I just want peace of mind.

[FBaggins]

8. If the pension is from that same company,

the benefit calculation might be impacted significantly by restarting your career there (and that could either be a good OR a bad thing depending on the plan structure). I recommend that you review the plan carefully before making your decision.

[notadmblnd]

10. It's through a contract house so I don't think it would count towards my pension

it's a two year contract with the possibility of being hired back by the company after that. I'll talk to the hiring manager again tomorrow and ask her some questions about long term employment tomorrow.

[revolution breeze]

2. Housecleaning

I quit a high stress secretarial position at a law firm for an less stress position working from home. Less stress more than makes up for the loss in income!

[Lars39]

3. How long can you stall the IT job?

The longer you can stall, the more time you'll have to see if the house cleaning job is as stress free as you'd like. Bonus: you might get tips with the house cleaning job. :) Downside...it might be harder still to get back into an IT position in the future.

[notadmblnd]

15. I don't know, I have to talk to them tomorrow

I'd like to be able to put them off for a bit, I got the initial call Thursday. They want to talk to me again tomorrow. Since it's moving so fast and I'm a previous employee that left on good terms.

[sinkingfeeling]

4. I'd do the IT. First because I would dislike being in someone else's home and putting myself in a

position where I could be accused of breaking/stealing/or losing something.

[FSogol]

5. The IT job can lead to higher paying and better jobs.

While the house cleaning might be stress free, it really doesn't lead anywhere. Unless you want to run your own house cleaning company in the future and then you'll be back in the stress game. Take the IT job and look at ways to minimize the stress.

[Enrique]

7. you should expect high stress in the housecleaning job

with the job market so tight, you should expect them to squeeze you until you can't take it.

[uncommon]

12. I have to agree - I did housekeeping for years when I was in

high school and college and it was hard work and very stressful. It was nice to stop thinking about when I clocked out, but it was no walk in the park.

[cynatnite]

9. Housecleaning is labor intensive...

That's the drawback to a job with less responsibility. I'd take the IT if it were me.

[notadmblnd]

14. I'm not afraid of working hard.

My husband died 6 years go and I've been doing everything on my own since. Cleaning, painting, replacing boards on the deck. I've become quite the little handyman. And it wouldn't hurt me to get off by butt and do some moving around. Washing windows, mopping floors and cleaning toilets isn't glamorous and I'm no longer a spring chicken but the possibility of going back to something I know for less has me a little perturbed.

[Brickbat]

11. If money isn't an issue, which it doesn't seem to be, then work for happiness. Cleaning job it is!

[MindPilot]

13. I'd go for the house cleaning...

$10.50 is too low for any kind of IT job that isn't intern/entry level and it's nowhere near enough to compensate for the level of BS an tech job entails. Ten bucks is an insult when you used to do the same job for twice that.

If you enjoy the house cleaning and are good at it, in a few weeks you will probably have more work than you can handle. It's physical, you probably won't be micro-managed, and you get to see the fruits of your labor right away.

[Canuckistanian]

16. $10.50/hr for an IT job?

WOW. I had a menial factory job a few years ago that paid $11.50/hr.

And I thought THAT was bad.

[Lars39]

17. Thought of something else...

The extra 100 per week might allow you to draw more $ from Social Security if you're that close to retirement. You might want to compare how much you'd be drawing from SS based on both jobs. Also...does the house cleaning job pay mileage if you're driving your own car? Mileage and gas can really add up fast if you're driving in 20 different directions each day.

[notadmblnd]

18. but the extra 100.00 a week is going to have to go on clothing at least at first.

I don't have much business attire left from 5 years ago. I'm going to go ahead and start the house cleaning job today, talk with the hiring manager of the IT company tomorrow and get answers to some of my questions. If it's an off shift (afternoons or midnights) where things tend not to be so micro managed, I'll seriously consider their offer.

[AmandaRuth]

19. depends on the bod...

physically, if you are ok with housecleaning, it might be a better fit.

[notadmblnd]

20. Well I've always cleaned my own home

and I have had comments from my son's friends on how clean it is. I've always done my floors on my hands and knees. I do make my son wipe his friends piss off the toilet if they miss the hole and won't sit on the pot, but other than that I do it all myself.

I do know, that I won't be making beds or cleaning up dog poop. Mostly sweeping, dusting, mopping, cleaning bathrooms and windows.

[EC]

21. If you take the housecleaning get references from your

clients as you go along and eventually you could open up your own business. I've a few friends who went this route after having high paying positions with stress and they never regretted it. They are happy now picking and choosing which jobs to accept. They tell me the work is easy, basically dusting and vacumning. They also said that at Christmas every client gifts them with very, very nice gifts..

[notadmblnd]

22. Well, I got thrugh my first day

dusting and vacuuming for the knick knack queen. The owner said the house hadn't been cleaned in over a year. It took 2 hours dusting the house from top to bottom, all surfaces. It wasn't too bad. Plus, I got to work with men (which I didn't think would happen). It was a pleasant surprise. I think I'm going to like this job. I think I'll try to hold out until the end of the week giving my answer for the other position, but I did like doing what I did today.

[revolution breeze]

23. I am happy for you

Good luck with your choice.