Need advice before I screw up my career
Ok, I'm in a predicament and I'm not entirely sure what to do because I'm too stressed to think clearly. I don't know who to speak with about this, so please if you can help I'd value it.
I'm a third year analyst at my second company. I left my first company on good terms, and my new job has been a horrible fit. Also, my family member is terminally ill so I've been working during the week and traveling on the weekends to take care of my family member. I don't want to stay at my current job, but obviously I can't change jobs right now. I am now in a position where I need to take care of family matters daily. I have three choices:
1) Keep working and splitting time taking care of my family member
This is what I've been doing and it's not sustainable. It will turn me into an obese, stress-filled blob.
2) Use time off (FMLA) and take care of my family member
I'd like to do this because it'd be easier to explain in an interview. But, it requires me to loan up since FMLA isn't paid and I need to cover hefty medical expenses. Also, I'm not so sure I trust my current company with reinstating me when I come back. My performance review was average this year due to my stress and they keep moving me around as more people quit.
3) Give my notice and start working for a close friend's well-known investment blog until I can start job hunting again
Not my ideal job at all, but the hours would be better. I could take care of family matters while working. The problem here is worrying about how hard it would be to get back into a good firm once I'm able to start recruiting again. Three different jobs in three years doesn't look appealing, and explaining why I left my current job will raise some eyebrows. I'll be forced to explain that it wasn't a fit, and a rebuttal could be "why didn't you just use FMLA or ask the company to take time off?"
As you can see, I need to take time for family but I don't know which way is safest in terms of my career. I get this is my decision to make, but I'm just looking to see what you guys would do in my shoes. It was a trek for me to get to where I am now, as I'm sure it has been for all of you, so I don't want to potentially screw myself here.
I may not be in a good position to give career advice, since I'm neither a recruiter nor work on wall street. But here is what I think. You are your story. The fact is you change a few companies in a few years. But you get to tell your version of the story. I don't see anything wrong with leaving the firm to take care of family. I do think it's stressful to work 3 years on a job knowing it's not a good fit. If you continue this job, it's sounds like a safe career choice but is it really? Doing something you are not fit to do is a good career choice? Working on your friend's blog is a cool idea, but you said it's not ideal. What I hear is a little discrepancy between an ideal job and a suitable job. Is the job not ideal because of the pay? or because what you will be doing? If it's merely about pay and you like working on the blog. I'll say why the hell not.... It's an experience. In short, it's not safe continue your job, it's also not safe to work on a blog. But it's time to think what do you really want in life, because that's really what you are asking. It's not only about family matter.
Hope this helps. Let me know.
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