SurvivingInfidelity.com^®

I need opinions asap, because decision making time is up and I am still stuck on the fence.

Backstory- ive been broke since my divorce. I work 3 jobs now to be barely comfortable. Jobs 2 and 3 I plan to keep as they are both ~ 10 hours a week and i LOVE them ......

Job 1 (my full time job)- is getting questioned right now. I've been offered another job (I'll go into that in a sec) and they definitely both have their pros and cons

CURRENT JOB:

is walking distance from my house (and they are building sidewalks finally!!), I'm REALLY good at what I do, very little competition in my field so its easy to excel. The pay is crap- and while Ive been promised a bonus plan, i have yet to see any details. much less in writing. but there is invisible "potential" to make a lot of money (like 10x what I am making now if I stay in this field) the big thing that makes this job a keeper is that I have GREAT benefits. incredible health/dental/vacation/401k... problem is its a very stressful and unstable environment. I was let go in september with no notice (and without cause... just downsizing was the excuse). they let 2 other managers go too, but my boss called me back a month later and told me he made a mistake and they needed me back. While that's validating--it doesnt leave a lot of confidence that something like that wont happen again.

but in a nutshell---great benefits- pay is not good but i can virtually come and go as i please, with unlimited overtime. no gas budget or commute time. (and i can come home for lunch every day to walk my dog and clean my house)

POTENTIAL JOB- I applied for during my layoff. (and was recently offered) it's at the college here in town. it offers almost 100% job security and tons of room for eventual advancement (but not right away). everyone who starts working there retires from there. pay is a little better than what i make currently (per hour). but hours are set in stone and can range from 10-30 per week each semester. the increased pay rate does not offset the hours (and especially OT i would lose from my current job) and the kicker--- no health insurance or paid time off unless and until i find a different job within the college that is full time. there is also a ~3o minute commute (one way). I WOULD receive one free class per semester.

I have priced insurance privately and for medical alone (no dental or vision which i need) would be double what I'm paying now (for everything). thats the CHEAPEST I found. and my plan now is WAAAAY better.

the only other factor is that working part time for the college- i would have more time to put into my part time jobs. and time for some freelance work on the side (that i love but i just dont have time for right now).

honestly it just boils down to financial security, location and insurance versus job security and more free time

opinions?

Based on what you've posted, I'd say stay with the current job.

My experience has been that there is no such thing as job security anymore.

You have great benefits now and given the price you'd pay on the open market, what little pay increase you'd get at a new job would probably be eaten up plus some by the higher premiums for the inferior coverage.

I trust that you'll make the best decision for you and your kids. That's just the way I'd go but I don't have kids to consider anymore.

Stay where you are but keep applying - but only for jobs that would be a step up, no more lateral applications.

Since neither choice is optimal, it may be time to go a bit further outside the box.

Take a pretty deep look at Liz Ryan's website - humanworkplace.com for a different view of finding work. (I have no connection with Liz or her website.) Liz is in business, but she offers a lot of free info and advice.

Note: I'm biased against universities, because they tend to pay everyone except the starts abysmally.

If it were me - I'd keep the existing job.

I agree with keeping your existing job.