Job/College offer both received same time

sneakerbeast1

Hi all,

My brain is melting this week. I know this seems like a rather enviable position to be in and I am thankful that I have a choice but I just don't know what to do next.

After being unemployed since March 2009 I now finally have a job offer on the table. I have been actively seeking a job since I've been unemployed. Last year I applied to go back to college but I wasn't unemployed long enough to qualify for BETA - I had missed all the other funding schemes and couldn't afford to go back without any support.

My background is in sales and the job offer I have is a Business sales role, ie outbound account management and cold calling. However I applied for the same course again this year and I was accepted, and just the other day my BETA acceptance letter arrived too.

I am really interested in the subject I want to study, it's Psychology but it's only a one year FETAC Level 5 with links to an Hons Degree course. So after this first year I would be looking into another 3/4 years study and also the difficult task of getting VEC support or government funding.

I am also 31 years old, the job offer is there - the job would be just a job, ie it probably won't make me happy but it will pay the bills. I don't have too many outgoings at all, and I have survived ok for the last year and a half, but the thoughts of having college for another 4-5 years, which is the least of what it will take should I attempt to gain the qualification I need, makes me very anxious as I'll be broke for the best part of my thirties.

But on the other hand the thoughts of studying a subject I'm so interested in and the personal achievement of getting a degree (I'd be the only one in my family to) is something I've always dreamed about in a way.

I'm leaning towards taking the job, then I at least have the opportunity to pay for college part-time at night. I'm just worried about job security, and if in 6 months time I'm let go I'm back to square one and time isn't exactly on my side.

Has anyone here been in a similar position? What should I do? Go with college or take the job? My heart says learning but my head says take the job. I've gotten as far as writing down the pros/cons of both and still can't decide.

Would really appreciate some advice/opinions/comments from people on here. Has anyone been in a similar position? Did any mature students go back to college and regret it? Am I mad to even consider accepting college when I have a job offer on the table?

Anything at all is much appreciated, thanks for reading.

Long Term Louth

sneakerbeast1 wrote: »

Hi all,

My brain is melting this week. I know this seems like a rather enviable position to be in and I am thankful that I have a choice but I just don't know what to do next.

After being unemployed since March 2009 I now finally have a job offer on the table. I have been actively seeking a job since I've been unemployed. Last year I applied to go back to college but I wasn't unemployed long enough to qualify for BETA - I had missed all the other funding schemes and couldn't afford to go back without any support.

My background is in sales and the job offer I have is a Business sales role, ie outbound account management and cold calling. However I applied for the same course again this year and I was accepted, and just the other day my BETA acceptance letter arrived too.

I am really interested in the subject I want to study, it's Psychology but it's only a one year FETAC Level 5 with links to an Hons Degree course. So after this first year I would be looking into another 3/4 years study and also the difficult task of getting VEC support or government funding.

I am also 31 years old, the job offer is there - the job would be just a job, ie it probably won't make me happy but it will pay the bills. I don't have too many outgoings at all, and I have survived ok for the last year and a half, but the thoughts of having college for another 4-5 years, which is the least of what it will take should I attempt to gain the qualification I need, makes me very anxious as I'll be broke for the best part of my thirties.

But on the other hand the thoughts of studying a subject I'm so interested in and the personal achievement of getting a degree (I'd be the only one in my family to) is something I've always dreamed about in a way.

I'm leaning towards taking the job, then I at least have the opportunity to pay for college part-time at night. I'm just worried about job security, and if in 6 months time I'm let go I'm back to square one and time isn't exactly on my side.

Has anyone here been in a similar position? What should I do? Go with college or take the job? My heart says learning but my head says take the job. I've gotten as far as writing down the pros/cons of both and still can't decide.

Would really appreciate some advice/opinions/comments from people on here. Has anyone been in a similar position? Did any mature students go back to college and regret it? Am I mad to even consider accepting college when I have a job offer on the table?

Anything at all is much appreciated, thanks for reading.

I found myself in a similar situation and I have decided to further my education. At 43 I have decided to quit working in any job for the sake of it and instead pursue something of interest to me. There will always be sales jobs if you are good at that type of thing, but if you dont like it you have to consider, do you want to do it for the rest of your life?

I know money can be a concern and may dictate your decision but I would just go with my heart and look forward whatever the decision.

Rocky_Dennis

sneakerbeast1 wrote: »

Hi all,

My brain is melting this week. I know this seems like a rather enviable position to be in and I am thankful that I have a choice but I just don't know what to do next.

After being unemployed since March 2009 I now finally have a job offer on the table. I have been actively seeking a job since I've been unemployed. Last year I applied to go back to college but I wasn't unemployed long enough to qualify for BETA - I had missed all the other funding schemes and couldn't afford to go back without any support.

My background is in sales and the job offer I have is a Business sales role, ie outbound account management and cold calling. However I applied for the same course again this year and I was accepted, and just the other day my BETA acceptance letter arrived too.

I am really interested in the subject I want to study, it's Psychology but it's only a one year FETAC Level 5 with links to an Hons Degree course. So after this first year I would be looking into another 3/4 years study and also the difficult task of getting VEC support or government funding.

I am also 31 years old, the job offer is there - the job would be just a job, ie it probably won't make me happy but it will pay the bills. I don't have too many outgoings at all, and I have survived ok for the last year and a half, but the thoughts of having college for another 4-5 years, which is the least of what it will take should I attempt to gain the qualification I need, makes me very anxious as I'll be broke for the best part of my thirties.

But on the other hand the thoughts of studying a subject I'm so interested in and the personal achievement of getting a degree (I'd be the only one in my family to) is something I've always dreamed about in a way.

I'm leaning towards taking the job, then I at least have the opportunity to pay for college part-time at night. I'm just worried about job security, and if in 6 months time I'm let go I'm back to square one and time isn't exactly on my side.

Has anyone here been in a similar position? What should I do? Go with college or take the job? My heart says learning but my head says take the job. I've gotten as far as writing down the pros/cons of both and still can't decide.

Would really appreciate some advice/opinions/comments from people on here. Has anyone been in a similar position? Did any mature students go back to college and regret it? Am I mad to even consider accepting college when I have a job offer on the table?

Anything at all is much appreciated, thanks for reading.

Hi, i had a similar situation this time last year. Had all the doubts you have, trying to weigh up the pros and cons of both. The course that was offered to me, i had alot of interest in it and could picture myself in this line of work, saying that, after been out of work for 18months, the thoughts of earning a bit of money was really appealing to me too, having been broke for so long and been able to survive, i decided to go back to college, i am delighted this is the choice i took, my 1st year flew by in college and its a whole different experience, dont get me wrong, its tough going at times but its a whole new challenge, like yourself, i will be the first in my family to get a degree(fingers crossed i do get it) and the thoughts of this gives me alot of satisfaction. You will know yourself what you should do, this was my choice and its not to say it should be every1s choice. All the best in what u decide to do. Im a mature student too by the way.

Caoimh37

sneakerbeast1 wrote: »

Hi all,


Would really appreciate some advice/opinions/comments from people on here. Has anyone been in a similar position? Did any mature students go back to college and regret it? Am I mad to even consider accepting college when I have a job offer on the table?

Anything at all is much appreciated, thanks for reading.

Go back to college!! if it's something you know you like, you'd be mad to refuse the opportunity, when someone has a genuine interest in an area ambition and enthusiasm the heights they can reach are endless, especially when you now have the BTEA to help you!

just picture yourself in that sales role, day in and day out, same story as before, an alright job but isn't really where you'd like to be....... I think you know the answer already. Those jobs will always be there (not taking away from the role) and plus if you upskill the time the next recession comes round (and it will) you'll be in a far better position......Goodluck with your choice:D

fionav3

Hi Op, I'm 29 and going back to study psychology this september. I have no job offer but if I did, I'd still pick college over the job because I'm starting on the road to fullfill my dream. I'd rather be broke and happy than have money and be miserable. You say you'll spend most of your thirties broke but so what? Did you spend most of your twenties in the same boat? I know I did! I think people feel that it's okay to be broke in your twenties but not your thirties because you're supposed to be 'settling down' and becoming a 'proper adult.' (I'm putting in quotation marks here not to be sarcastic but because that's what I've been told :rolleyes:). It's like people think that life somehow ends after your thirties and if you haven't done it all by then, you never will. But OP, life is long, you could live to be 80. Would you rather spend the rest of your life in jobs you hate or take a few years out in your thirties to follow your dreams? My advice would be go to college, you'll never regret it.

Whatever you choose to do, the best of luck!

Long Term Louth

fionav3 wrote: »

Hi Op, I'm 29 and going back to study psychology this september. I have no job offer but if I did, I'd still pick college over the job because I'm starting on the road to fullfill my dream. I'd rather be broke and happy than have money and be miserable. You say you'll spend most of your thirties broke but so what? Did you spend most of your twenties in the same boat? I know I did! I think people feel that it's okay to be broke in your twenties but not your thirties because you're supposed to be 'settling down' and becoming a 'proper adult.' (I'm putting in quotation marks here not to be sarcastic but because that's what I've been told :rolleyes:). It's like people think that life somehow ends after your thirties and if you haven't done it all by then, you never will. But OP, life is long, you could live to be 80. Would you rather spend the rest of your life in jobs you hate or take a few years out in your thirties to follow your dreams? My advice would be go to college, you'll never regret it.



Whatever you choose to do, the best of luck!

Also Fiona you can earn lots of money in your thirties and realise that you are a "proper adult" however your mind will still ponder on what you should/could have acheived with the attainment of further education, regardless of your monetary situation. So having earned a good salary in my thirties its now back to college at 43 to find out what "could have been " and hopefully will be. So OP go for it forget about that job you dont appear to be keen on, as I stated in earlier post "Dont work at something you dont enjoy" instead enjoy something you work at.

Micilin Muc

If money is the only barrier to what you want to do then you'll have to find some way to pay for it, whatever it takes.

MagicMarker

If it was a dream job I'd take it, but it's just a crappy call centre job.

Imagine this time next year, would you like to be sitting in that call centre, miserable, making no progress in your life, earning the same crappy wage?

Or would you like to be going into the first year of your psychology degree?

nellocono

Hi,

Money is always a worrying thing even for a lot of people who have lots of it...Try to get into the mind frame that life continues and not everything revolves around having lots of cash. You can live the best life in the world without any money but it is always down to the persons life style.

I agree though, call centre jobs can be the most depressing jobs of any at times...Go live the student life at least for a year...you'll live it and will feel much more gratified that your doing something with YOUR life that YOU want to do and not just making money for some corporation full of bast***s...

Its your call...

Annasopra

I would recommend taking the college place - It's an opportunity to do something more personally fulfilling then a **** call centre job

KeithTS

Go with the course, it'll lead to so much more than the job will.

If you are on btea you are able to work as many hoours in a week as you like so is there any way you can arrange a contract with your prospective employer to work your hours around the course or get a part-time contract? If so you get he bst of both worlds.

the_syco

sneakerbeast1 wrote: »

My background is in sales and the job offer I have is a Business sales role, ie outbound account management and cold calling.

A cold calling sales job will be no job unless you keep the targets, and in a recession, that'll be hard to do. Do the course, IMO.

DrFroggies

Hi sneakerbeast1,

I think you should seriously consider the fact that pretty much everyone here is suggesting the college option.

Of course its your own choice and we all have our circumstances but your situation is a common one of heart over head. The job, the money (the security???????) or doing something you really want to do. Also you won't necessarily be broke on the BTEA as from what i can see you can take part-time work while on that.

I'm currently only finding out all this stuff myself and having left school at 15 (i'm now in my early 30s) its a weird and wonderful world, to see what real opportunities are out there - i'm running around now at the last minute doing interviews, hoping that i'll be eligible for VTOS or BTEA (i fit the criteria but who knows) and i've left it very late - if i was already accepted into a course and had BTEA i'd be a very happy man.

The thing is this...maybe you should take a longer term view of who you want to be in life: someone who just took whatever job came along for that perceived security or someone who pursued a path in life that meant something to them and broadened their view and life experience.

And besides with it looking increasingly likely that the retirement age will be extended by the time your eligible for retirement the age will probably be 75...so in theory you're in the same position as a 21 year old in the past...ie you've still around 40 years of working life ahead when you finish college:p

Good luck with whatever choice you make and i hope its the right one for you!

DrF

sneakerbeast1

Hi all,

I really really appreciate all of the responses & excellent opinions and advice. Some really excellent points made and it's always good to hear from people who are or have been in the same position.

Anybody I have ever spoke to about going back to college as a mature student has NEVER regretted it. And it's super just to get objective viewpoints from people here, it's been really encouraging to read them.

I'm going to do the college thing now and I'm really excited. Even just typing that puts a big smile on my face

Thank you all again for the advice and good wishes!

fionav3

That's great news sneakerbeast! The best of luck with it, I hope it all turns out well for you and I know you'll never regret it.

sneakerbeast1

Thanks Fiona