a difficult decision

posted Monday, Feb 13, 9:04am

I received a call from the company, and they told me I got the job. I was supposed to be happy upon hearing that, but I wasn't. I was confused. Yes, the nature of the job is good, and I think I will enjoy doing what I will be doing. But the salary offered is way too low for my qualifications, and the perks aren't that great either. To make things worse, the location of the job is very far. I have to invest an additional 2 hours of my time just to travel to the job location, both ways. SO, I didn't know what to do. I was given 2 days to think it over, and stupid me didn't fully utilise both days. Instead, after consulting 2 people and arguing with mom, who's not fully supportive of me taking the job btw, I called the woman. Asked her what the employment package entails, and then told her I was interested after all. Asked her a bunch of employment-related things and she told me she had to consult her HR since she had never employed a foreign worker before. So I said okay, are you going to call me. And she said she would, once she receive news from them. That's rather ambiguous I must say. So then I pondered over it somemore, talked to more people, talked some more with mom (this time with a much calmer tone) and decided that I would take the job, provided I get the clarification I need regarding the job. So I emailed her, asking her things like whether the job has a contract during the 6-month probation period, if the salary will be reviewed, the number of days for leave be increased, and if they would mind my inability to stay for OT 3 out of the 5 days, due to the night course I will be taking. I know that's a lot of questions. But hey, I do need to know more about the job before deciding to spend at least a year of my life there! After all, the salary isn't great, the prospects are not great, the company's small, the location's far etc etc. The only thing to look forward to is the nature of the job which I like, and the freedom I will have to work, since I will be the only concept writer in the company. So, I figure, the least I should do is to make sure I know exactly what I'm getting into. Should they have a problem with me, thinking that I am asking too many questions prematurely, then I know they are out to take advantage of me. And if they then decide not to employ me, so be it. But at this point in time, all I can do is wait and then probably give them another call on Wednesday to get a clearer confirmation. After all, I'd need to "tender" my resignation so they can go on with processing my employment pass and all that. Sigh, we'll see. Life is so difficult. There's always a problem that comes your way. When you're unemployed, you feel that life is meaningless and without a clear direction. Yet when you ARE employed, you worry about the remuneration you are getting, and all the other problems the job might come with.