Job Decisions, looking for advice

[YFZ-FoFiddy-TC]

I have the opportunity to take a new job that starts at $15 an hour. 3 12's, 3 days off, 3 days on, etc. 3 days of 12 AM - 12 PM, then the next 3 on are 12 PM - 12 AM. My buddy has been there almost a year and is at $21.36 an hour and also started at $15. Now my problem is I would have to quit my current job, which unfortunately right now is only part-time. I've been there for 4 years and it will probably be another 2-4 before I can go full-time. When I do go fulltime it will be $15 an hour, then after 3 years of fulltime I will be making $28.50 with quite a bit of overtime every week, around 5-20 hours. Also the insurance at my current job is killer. When I tore my ACL and Miniscus the bill was over 5 grand, I paid $7 bucks. Another bonus of my current job is weekends off and paid holidays. I'm also 21 if that affects your opinion. Thanks guys, any input is appreciated.

[blaster99]

Your 21... same as me. Have you moved out of your parents house yet? If not do you plan on staying in the area? If you plan on moving at some point I would maybe change jobs because it is so short term, you will make more money quicker. If you plan on staying in the area and you can live fairly comfortably with the current job you have now I would stick with that. It sounds like the place your at now would be much better for the long term just on the benefits alone, never mind the higher pay.

[Kovatch]

You have good health insurance which is worth its weight in gold. Compare how much you are getting paid now, how much your benefits cost you, what your coverages are (90/10, 80/20, etc), deductibles, max out of pocket, etc. Then, once you have all that figured out, you have to find out what the other place offers/pays.

Any 401K opportunities? Does your company match your contributions? If so, up to how much? Will the new company offer similar or better.

You have to look at the WHOLE package. More base pay is great, but if your benies cost more and/or are worse, then you aren't making any more money.

Also, say you get hurt or need an operation (life is unexpected), how much would it cost you to with that new coverage? Is your added pay really worth it with worse health coverage, if the new place has worse coverage?

How much do you value your weekends or having holidays off?? You can't really put a dollar to it, but it is an intrinsic value (personal value) Will having to work flip flop schedules really mess with your social life: girlfriend, racing, hanging out with the boys, golfing, etc

What is the stability of the job at the new company? Is it a large company or small company?

Maybe I am muddying the water, but there are soo many factors to consider when switching jobs, even at 21. If you can net an extra $1000 from the new job with similar health coverage and they offer a better retirement, that's money in the bank.

I've turned down some very high paying jobs because their benefit packages would actually cost me more money in the end!!

Clear as mud right! I tend to over think things, but those are my thoughts on switching jobs

[slightlybent47]

Changing from day shift to night shift will get old fast. You would be constantly adjusting to a deferent schedule. Plus as mentioned the insurance is hard to get these days.
On the other hand, you have been at the same job for years making much less and it will be a long time till you will make as much as the new job.

I will say money isn’t everything, being happy at what you do is valuable as well.
On the other hand good money is nice as well.

[sexysilverado45]

if I remember correctly you work at ups?

If yes look around you is anybody that is over 30-35 walking normally or not have some joint or another that bothers them 24/7.

its not worth it in my mind i would quit/ leave that place the instant i received another job offer.

thats just my experience with the place.(I work there also)

[CJM]

Im with Kovatch. Certain things are worth it even if the job doesnt pay as well as you want it too.

I can say Ive been thru it before and thought the grass was greener on the otherside-but found out it wasnt all it was cracked up to be.

Right now I deal with drama, problems (among them a boss who likes to drink ALOT) at work every time I go in-but there are too many upsides to the job to quit right now. So i just suck it up and chug thru it.

find out what the deal is with the other job, how do the benefits stack up vs your current job and such. I will say it would get old very fast working different schedules like that-specially day and night shift.

[HondaRacing83]

Good health insurance is a must for a quad rider.. Hell last year I was taking off my nerf bars, I smashed my pinky finger with a wrench on accident. A few weeks later it was still swollen so I went to the doctor and it turns out I fractured my growth plate in my pinky finger and had to have surgery or my pinky finger would grow sideways the rest of my life as I'm still growing. (I'm 14). My parents had thousands and thousands in medical bills but my dad has really good insurance where he works (General Electric) so they payed practically nothing. I just had to have a full arm cast for 6 weeks because of my pinky finger :/ Its just one of those freak things that could happen. Also from my understanding, once you've made it to a truck driver at UPS you got it set. I guess the truck drivers make really good money. I'm guessing now you just work the counter or something. I'd stay at UPS if its not to terrible and health insurance weighs out. What would you being doing at the new job? If you prefer that then by all means go for it.

[ben300]

Originally posted by Kovatch
You have good health insurance which is worth its weight in gold. Compare how much you are getting paid now, how much your benefits cost you, what your coverages are (90/10, 80/20, etc), deductibles, max out of pocket, etc. Then, once you have all that figured out, you have to find out what the other place offers/pays.

Any 401K opportunities? Does your company match your contributions? If so, up to how much? Will the new company offer similar or better.

You have to look at the WHOLE package. More base pay is great, but if your benies cost more and/or are worse, then you aren't making any more money.

Also, say you get hurt or need an operation (life is unexpected), how much would it cost you to with that new coverage? Is your added pay really worth it with worse health coverage, if the new place has worse coverage?

How much do you value your weekends or having holidays off?? You can't really put a dollar to it, but it is an intrinsic value (personal value) Will having to work flip flop schedules really mess with your social life: girlfriend, racing, hanging out with the boys, golfing, etc

What is the stability of the job at the new company? Is it a large company or small company?

Maybe I am muddying the water, but there are soo many factors to consider when switching jobs, even at 21. If you can net an extra $1000 from the new job with similar health coverage and they offer a better retirement, that's money in the bank.

I've turned down some very high paying jobs because their benefit packages would actually cost me more money in the end!!

Clear as mud right! I tend to over think things, but those are my thoughts on switching jobs

as for advice....end thread now

[Quad18star]

Many things come into effect like mentioned by others. I work shift work ... 11.5 hr shifts with a mix of days and nights ... however I get 4 and 5 days off in a row. Shift work isn't so bad really , just takes a bit of adjusting .

[OldGuyonaQuad]

Originally posted by sexysilverado45
if I remember correctly you work at ups?

If yes look around you is anybody that is over 30-35 walking normally or not have some joint or another that bothers them 24/7.

its not worth it in my mind i would quit/ leave that place the instant i received another job offer.

thats just my experience with the place.(I work there also)

and I have a friend that makes incredible money at his desk where he worked his way up from a drivers position by adding letters to the end of his name & got reimbursed for every cent. They have great careeer opportunities but you have to tough it out in the begining. I know of a couple of people that had to work two jobs in the begining while starting out at UPS or FEDEX.
reminds me of that news paper caveman cartoon (i forget which) it has a sign next to the road that reads "Road to success" then a few hundred yards down that road the next sign reads "prepare to pay tolls" ;)

gl with w/e you decide.

[Tommy Warren]

I couldn't handle shift work.. You never get a good night sleep because your body always thinks you should be waking up. I did shift work when I was 16 for a summer and I was soooo glad to go back to school. now I work 70 hours a week but I'm in bed every night and I wake up at the same time every morning. having a schedule makes your energy level grow so fast. I'm out of bed 5 minutes before my alarm clock comes on now.

[Kovatch]

I must also add that you should NEVER include OT pay into your budget. Granted you may get a lot and the money will be great, but you spend it just as fast as you make it. Rarely do I see a person who stock piles their OT pay. OT pay = toy fund. Never create or live by a budget that includes OT. OT is extra and used for "Oh ****" things.

Once OT is over and you have spent that money, your bills coming faster than paychecks.

G/L. Don't let my advice scare you off. It's just something to consider.

[Ruby Soho]

id stick with your current job. just my opinion. it will obviously pay out more in the long run if i read correctly. stick with what you got now and do side work.

im with some of the other guys too. shift work sucks. i like my 7-330. or 6-230. OT is great i take every minute i can get. ive worked 2nd and 3rd shift before and it sucks. especially at this age (im 20) and when your buddies are getting out of work, your going to work. sucks especially when the moneys not all that great.

[slightlybent47]

Originally posted by Kovatch
I must also add that you should NEVER include OT pay into your budget. Granted you may get a lot and the money will be great, but you spend it just as fast as you make it. Rarely do I see a person who stock piles their OT pay. OT pay = toy fund. Never create or live by a budget that includes OT. OT is extra and used for "Oh ****" things.

Once OT is over and you have spent that money, your bills coming faster than paychecks.

G/L. Don't let my advice scare you off. It's just something to consider.



I agree 100%. Base your living on a maximum of 40 hours a week.

[HondaRacing83]

My dad doesnt mimd 3rd shift for some reason. He worked 2nd for a few months and it was the worse thing ever.

[YFZ-FoFiddy-TC]

Thanks guys. I think I'm going to find another day job to go with UPS. I had a decent one but got laid off after only 2 months because the company lost a huge contract. Your advice has helped guys, thanks.

[dheemstra]

I work for Polaris and make right around 18 bucks an hour and I like my job. Lately I've been having to work weekends, different shifts all the time and I absolutely hate it. I would rather work for $10 an hour than having my outside life be ruined. Just a thought. Im only 20.