What to do? Options

[Taxiwardance]

I need some opinions. I started my current job about 4 months ago making “ok” money and working 9am-6pm, 40 hours a week. This was a step down from my carpet cleaning days making quite a bit more but working anywhere from 50-70 hours a week. I have been just squeezing by with the lower salary but I get to see my family more. Now I’m faced with a dilemma. I have a job offer waiting where I could pretty much double my current salary doing nothing but driving around delivering crap door to door. Now there’s 2 catches. Number 1 - I would have to work 5 or 6 (optional) days a week from 9am to around 10pm so the hours are going to suck. Number 2 - after a month my “guaranteed pay” goes to strictly commission so I will never know exactly what I will make the next week. But even with the lowest I would probably ever make I will still never bring home less than 100-150$ more per week than my current job.
Now if you were in this situation what would you do? My old lady just had our daughter on the 23rd and I have a 6 year old son, so things are a bit more screwed up right now than normal. Every time I make a decision I convince myself otherwise and I’m just kind of wondering what anyone else might think. Also the job I am currently working at has spent the last 4 months training me to replace the “old fart” that works there now. And although I don’t have much of a heart I would feel like a real dick to tell them there SOL, but at best I could get a 2$ an hour raise which would still put me 5k below what I made last year!

[99Spyder]

The type of service that you are describing sounds somewhat food related... Being on the subscription side of a similar service in the past I saw a lot of turn-over. I assume their is a reason for that. If you are not making ends meet, then I would do what you have to do. If things are fine financially I would keep looking.

Feels weird possibly playing a little part in sculpting someones life... The ultimate decision is yours

[Taxiwardance]

Spending time with the little ones is important. That is a lot of hours, and that is during their awake period. Strickly commissions is a tough road. I know ATS is hiring for all sorts of positions.

I've done commission jobs before and was top 2 in sales for my first and 2nd year at Stanley Steemer, but this is a bit of a different game. I went to the last ATS job fair but I don’t have a degree or any college experience, and was pretty much referred to a maintenance type position that would only pay 10.00 or 11.00 an hour. Maybe I just talked to the wrong people?

The type of service that you are describing sounds somewhat food related... Being on the subscription side of a similar service in the past I saw a lot of turn-over. I assume their is a reason for that. If you are not making ends meet, then I would do what you have to do. If things are fine financially I would keep looking.

Yeah, actually I’m looking at driving for Schwans in Pekin and the turnover rate is ridiculous, but looks to be about the same as when I was scrubbing rug. The hours claim many employees.

[Taxiwardance]

Hey Spyder what is it that you did previously, and any insight if it relates to my situation.

EDIT - Didnt notice the "subscription side" note there. But i noticed from customers that i went to on a ride along last week they pretty much all said the same thing.

[99Spyder]

Hey Spyder what is it that you did previously, and any insight if it relates to my situation.

From the description I was thinking Schwan's. I did not work for them but did partake in their services for a couple of years. Seems like the longest anyone stuck to the route was three months. I am sure that some people rotated routes but I think most quit because of the hours.

I did hear stories of nice gifts for winning sales contests and something about delivering to a nudist colony near Chicago, but that guy seemed like a story teller.

[Taxiwardance]

Yeah one of the employees just got back from a 5 night stay in Vegas for winning a sales contest. Nudist Colony???….. Hmmm with my luck it would be a retirement village nudist colony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . But maybe I’m just enough messed up to get my kicks from something like that

[turbohcar]

Honestly, I hate commission style jobs. I was in sales my last job and it was OK. The pay wasn't great, but it payed the bills and gave me a little extra that I could save. The job I'm in now is straight commission with a draw. The draw (or guaranteed pay) is lower than what I made before. I cleared draw for this month (about $75 over) but it's still not enough to match the job I had before. The job is better here, less stress and a better/cleaner work environment with more rewards for doing well, but the hours are long (12hrs a day sometimes).

I guess my point is that unless you need an "in-between-jobs job" it would be in your best interest to start looking for a career. Who cares if you don't have a degree. Show interest in going back to college and if they ask you why you haven't gone back yet, tell them that you don't have the money to go back yet but if you secure a position with their company, you would definitely be able to go back to school. If they ask you what you would be studying tell them that it would be a subject that would be work related and help further yourself in the company. It's going to be hard getting a job without a college education. Believe me, I've tried. So far, I've applied for five different openings with State Farm over the course of two years that I've qualified for. So far only two of those have taken me to a second interview. I have a second interview in the coming weeks doing a shipping and recieving job. Despite my computer skills and the extensive resume I've built up, I'm willing to do this job with confidence. Not because I'm a kiss-A$$ (which I can be sometimes) but because it's a foot in the door. Once you get in and get your probation period over, you can go anywhere in the company you qualify for. They will pay for your college if you get a B or higher in the class. They give you discounts when you buy a new car. Benefits start the same day you start. All kinds of crap like that, and all you have to do is work there. And let me tell you, they're no slouch when it comes to paying well either.

Don't ever stop trying. Try CAT. Try State Farm. Try any big corporation, stay there as long as you can, and who knows you may make it a career. Even if you have to start out sweeping floors or unloading trucks, people start from those positions all the time and some of them make it to the top if they work hard. All you have to do is try.