BootsnAll Travel Community

Man, now it's my turn. A bit of advice, just to see what my fellow travellers would do. I am looking for work, usually I do the freelance thing - jobs that last 6-10 months and are easy to leave early with no worries.

Well, I have just been informed of a great possible opening - not freelance - working with some people I worked with a couple of years ago and totally hit it off with. Fabulous, no?

Well, I've been putting together my big oz trip, planning on leaving early 2003. I'm actually doing it, serious. The question is, do I take the job with the cool people and blow them off in 8-10 months or do I tell them off the bat that I am leaving, probably not get the job, and hope for the upcoming freelance gig? (note: I have been looking for 4 months now and no work. Dry as a bone here).

And is 8-10 months far enough in the future for steady work that they won't mind if I take off? Coming from a freelancer, it's hard to judge what the corporate world dictates. I don't need bad work karma do I?

Right then. What to do?

delara

crap on the people when the time comes.....just try to be subtle and polite about it...... unless of course, they can screw you with other clients, then take the job and postpone the trip....Australia will still be there.

I think that it depends on how important these people are to you, both personally and professionally. If you consider them friends, then you might want to go the honesty route, or else find yourself with a few less friends. Likewise, if they can provide you with key contacts, it's probably not a good idea to screw them over...don't shoot yourself in the proverbial foot.

It also really depends on your personality. How important is it to you to be up front? Will guilt eat you up over the next 10 months if you mislead your employer? If yes, then it might not be worth the stress. Guilt is a very unhealthy state to be in.

Best of luck to you!
Stephanie

take the job....you know you want it......then do what you have to do

Yeah, Brandon, easy to say...I probably will just take the job and run with it. For all I know I'll totally suck at it and get layed off anyhow. But I am still hoping for the freelance gig to save me from making a choice. Stupid money.

if YOU don't believe in you, then WHY should anybody else? take the job.....institute a "scorched Earth policy." That's where you do everything your way understanding that you might burn people/bridges, etc. Be a man.....ha.

I hear ya man. I must throw in the dissenting self deprecating remarks so when something good happens (getting a well paying job and the like) I am pleasantly surprised. It's like going to see that much awaited sequel not expecting a good movie and leaving the theatre satisfied you paid the $9 to see it when it doesn't totally suck. You know? Be prepared for the let down.

As for the scorched earth policy...where I live, it's best to keep the bridges in perfect harmony, because you never know when you will need them to hold you up.

Of course, I've never been one to play it safe. Why start now? Decision: take the job if the price is right and will help fuel my travels. After all, that is my ultimate objective.

Clarity is a wonderful thing.

Cheers,
delara

Late last year I was in a similar situation. I was looking for a new job while planning an extended trip starting in Fall 2002. I had to make a decision about whether or not to be upfront with prospective employers.

After spending a couple of days thinking about it, I decided to be honest with any companies I interviewed with. I must say that I do not regret this choice. I interviewed at two companies and both still made me offer's even though they knew about my situation.

I also had friends at both companies where I interviewed and did not want to have to keep "hush-hush" about my trip when I was around them (something that would have been nearly impossible).

While things could turn out differently for you, they have worked out well for me. In fact, my company is now going to list me as "on sabatical" while I'm abroad and, in theory, I will have a job waiting for me when I return.

Certainly my situation is not identical to your's because I was already employeed and simply seeking a different job. I didn't have an urgent need to find work as soon as possable, so I was able to choose the riskier option.

Good luck with whatever choice you make.

Andy