Should I take this job? I'm feeling very conflicted.
November 30, 2015 11:30 AM Subscribe
I'm 23, currently living at home with my mum close to London. I've got a good degree but in a subject I'm no longer interested in pursuing. I've just been offered a QA job in Bristol which I originally applied for in September. They really liked me in the interview stage, but I was turned down because they found someone more experience. Today I received an email from them with a job offer, I'm really torn whether I should take the job or not because there's a lot of pros and cons.
Pros:
- Slightly better pay.
- Living in a nicer city with interesting things to do/people/experiences etc.
- A chance to move out of home.
- Getting away from my current job.
Cons:
- Will likely affect my medical treatment.
- The job might be repetitive and boring.
- Mediocre pay.
- Moving far away (3 hours by train) from home, friends and family.
The job title is Junior Quality Assurance Analyst and from my research online it's a career path with not so great future prospects that people often get pigeonholed into. The actual job itself seems okay, although possibly boring since it's a lot of repetitive testing of things like websites, apps and software. I'm quite an analytical person who enjoys working with computers, and a bit of perfectionist so it does appeal to my personality.The company seems nice enough with a few good benefits, but overall the starting salary is pretty mediocre, only £16,000 a year with a review after six months. After a quick search just now, I found a very similar job (same experience) in the same area for £18,000 a year. A positive is that there is a three-month probationary period where I can quit anytime if I really hated it.
The company I'm at is really mediocre and I feel really underpaid and undervalued for the job I do. I've made the best of the job I can but I've been there for nearly a year and a half now and definitely didn't want to stay there that long. There's not really any room for progression within the company and everything feels incredibly unprofessional.
A big problem is that I'm undergoing treatment and referrals for several long-term health conditions (bruxism/TMJD/lower back pain/voice pain/chronic depression) and I'm afraid if I move away from home it's going to mess this up. I've already got a few appointments booked for January, near to where I live and this is the time when I'd be moving if I accept the job. I'd suspect they won't be very keen on their new employee to be taking time off for appointments. I'm already pretty much having to go to one doctor's/hospital appointment each week. Equally I don't want to be defined by these conditions and let them affect my life choices but I'm aware that my depression may flare up again. I suppose I could get re-referred when I'm there, but it's a very lengthy process.
Due to working full time, and having chronic low mood, I've found it very hard to find the motivation to apply for jobs and this is the only one now I've successfully applied for. I feel that if I don't take this job and wait a bit longer to find something better, that I might not find the motivation again to do it although I might do.
The reason I picked a city originally was that I don't want to be stuck living at home in my small, very boring town. I was thinking of London but from what I've heard it's incredibly expensive to live there. I do mostly get along with my mum (not so much my brother) but equally I want to live more like an adult, somewhere with a buzz and stuff to actually do and like minded people to hang around with, my current social group is very limited and I barely see my friends that often. I do find the idea in a way very exciting. On the negative side, it will mean moving very far away from the safety and comfort of home and potentially losing my support network. There is one person I know in the city though which does make me feel a little better.
Pros:
- Slightly better pay.
- Living in a nicer city with interesting things to do/people/experiences etc.
- A chance to move out of home.
- Getting away from my current job.
Cons:
- Will likely affect my medical treatment.
- The job might be repetitive and boring.
- Mediocre pay.
- Moving far away (3 hours by train) from home, friends and family.
The job title is Junior Quality Assurance Analyst and from my research online it's a career path with not so great future prospects that people often get pigeonholed into. The actual job itself seems okay, although possibly boring since it's a lot of repetitive testing of things like websites, apps and software. I'm quite an analytical person who enjoys working with computers, and a bit of perfectionist so it does appeal to my personality.The company seems nice enough with a few good benefits, but overall the starting salary is pretty mediocre, only £16,000 a year with a review after six months. After a quick search just now, I found a very similar job (same experience) in the same area for £18,000 a year. A positive is that there is a three-month probationary period where I can quit anytime if I really hated it.
The company I'm at is really mediocre and I feel really underpaid and undervalued for the job I do. I've made the best of the job I can but I've been there for nearly a year and a half now and definitely didn't want to stay there that long. There's not really any room for progression within the company and everything feels incredibly unprofessional.
A big problem is that I'm undergoing treatment and referrals for several long-term health conditions (bruxism/TMJD/lower back pain/voice pain/chronic depression) and I'm afraid if I move away from home it's going to mess this up. I've already got a few appointments booked for January, near to where I live and this is the time when I'd be moving if I accept the job. I'd suspect they won't be very keen on their new employee to be taking time off for appointments. I'm already pretty much having to go to one doctor's/hospital appointment each week. Equally I don't want to be defined by these conditions and let them affect my life choices but I'm aware that my depression may flare up again. I suppose I could get re-referred when I'm there, but it's a very lengthy process.
Due to working full time, and having chronic low mood, I've found it very hard to find the motivation to apply for jobs and this is the only one now I've successfully applied for. I feel that if I don't take this job and wait a bit longer to find something better, that I might not find the motivation again to do it although I might do.
The reason I picked a city originally was that I don't want to be stuck living at home in my small, very boring town. I was thinking of London but from what I've heard it's incredibly expensive to live there. I do mostly get along with my mum (not so much my brother) but equally I want to live more like an adult, somewhere with a buzz and stuff to actually do and like minded people to hang around with, my current social group is very limited and I barely see my friends that often. I do find the idea in a way very exciting. On the negative side, it will mean moving very far away from the safety and comfort of home and potentially losing my support network. There is one person I know in the city though which does make me feel a little better.
Unless a job is fantastic, for better money and better situation, don't jump ship.
If you want a different job, but in your local area so you can be near friends, family and your medical stuff, just start applying.
I've done QA, and it is boring, and if you're working for jerks (and given that the person they hired over you has already left...do the math,) it's intolerable.
You can get a QA job any time, anywhere, I wouldn't go for this one.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:41 AM on November 30, 2015 [3 favorites]
If you want a different job, but in your local area so you can be near friends, family and your medical stuff, just start applying.
I've done QA, and it is boring, and if you're working for jerks (and given that the person they hired over you has already left...do the math,) it's intolerable.
You can get a QA job any time, anywhere, I wouldn't go for this one.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:41 AM on November 30, 2015 [3 favorites]
Junior QA jobs tend to be brutal and poorly-paid and it does not sound like this one pays enough for a person to live on their own in London (it certainly wouldn't be enough in Los Angeles, which as far as I can tell is still a better market than London).
Keep looking for jobs, something with a brighter future, and continue focusing on your health now so you don't have that as such a dramatically limiting factor later.
posted by Lyn Never at 11:55 AM on November 30, 2015
Keep looking for jobs, something with a brighter future, and continue focusing on your health now so you don't have that as such a dramatically limiting factor later.
posted by Lyn Never at 11:55 AM on November 30, 2015
Best answer: Are you getting treatment for the depression? Because if you can get that under control, everything else will seem clearer and easier.
Looking the whole thing over, my advice would be to wait another six months and then apply for other jobs in Bristol. I say this because:
1/ You already know there are other similar jobs for more money in Bristol;
2/ Bristol is kind of great and is pretty affordable;
3/ Let the current job you don't much like anyway suck up the hospital appointment days;
4/ 6 - 12 months (which I do get probably feels like a really long time when you are 23...) is not putting your life on hold forever, but is giving the NHS time to grind through the necessary gears, for mood disorders to get under control, referrals to get scheduled etc.
posted by DarlingBri at 11:57 AM on November 30, 2015 [5 favorites]
Looking the whole thing over, my advice would be to wait another six months and then apply for other jobs in Bristol. I say this because:
1/ You already know there are other similar jobs for more money in Bristol;
2/ Bristol is kind of great and is pretty affordable;
3/ Let the current job you don't much like anyway suck up the hospital appointment days;
4/ 6 - 12 months (which I do get probably feels like a really long time when you are 23...) is not putting your life on hold forever, but is giving the NHS time to grind through the necessary gears, for mood disorders to get under control, referrals to get scheduled etc.
posted by DarlingBri at 11:57 AM on November 30, 2015 [5 favorites]
I have been in your situation at your age whilst living in London. My psychiatrist suggested that, if possible, I avoid making life-changing decisions while depressed. This advice has worked well for me. I made the decision 11 months later and do not regret it. Also, living in London on £16,000 a year (even less after tax) is challenging even for completely healthy people, especially if you'd be making frequent train trips home.
posted by frantumaglia at 12:54 PM on November 30, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by frantumaglia at 12:54 PM on November 30, 2015 [3 favorites]
I don't know enough about Bristol or your medical conditions to give you great advice on your specific question. However, I would urge you not to dismiss QA as a dead end and dull job. Manual testing is not a great place to be in, but automated testers do much more metaprogramming work and good ones are increasingly sought after. A good automation oriented QA person also has excellent career paths into things like DevOps, security or performance testing, and project/product management.
posted by Candleman at 12:57 PM on November 30, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Candleman at 12:57 PM on November 30, 2015 [2 favorites]
Yeah, I'd give yourself some time to care for your health, then aim for a job in Bristol. I don't think London's worth it on a junior salary like that unless you want lots of roommates. Bristol is fairly tech-y so you'll have a wider range of opportunities, more chance of getting competing offers you can bump up your salary with, and a chance to quit and get another job if whichever one you start with doesn't work out -- things I'm guessing aren't in great supply where you live right now?
It sucks to move away from your family if that's something that's important to you, but 3 hours on a train isn't all that much (I know it is for the UK, but having lived in the US and Australia, it's not much at all) and I'm guessing Bristol has more opportunity for you than where you currently live. Unless you have already identified other options locally, I'd take this current offer as evidence you can be in demand for a particular job, which DOES have a career path and progression attached to it if you so choose, and look for similar things in a few months.
posted by olinerd at 1:06 PM on November 30, 2015
It sucks to move away from your family if that's something that's important to you, but 3 hours on a train isn't all that much (I know it is for the UK, but having lived in the US and Australia, it's not much at all) and I'm guessing Bristol has more opportunity for you than where you currently live. Unless you have already identified other options locally, I'd take this current offer as evidence you can be in demand for a particular job, which DOES have a career path and progression attached to it if you so choose, and look for similar things in a few months.
posted by olinerd at 1:06 PM on November 30, 2015
To counter the folks above, I have a friend who loves the analytical parts of being a QA person, excels at it, and has recently returned to it after a long and successful (and thoroughly stressful) turn in marketing analytics that grew out of a QA job. So I agree with others that you may want to hold off on this job offer, but QA could still be a fine option for you later.
posted by ldthomps at 1:26 PM on November 30, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by ldthomps at 1:26 PM on November 30, 2015 [2 favorites]
If you don't want to move, that's a valid reason for not taking a job. It sounds like you would rather live at home. Especially if you are undergoing medical treatment that would be disrupted if you moved.
Can you commute to London? If so, I'd suggest you look for jobs there. I'm sure there'll be plenty, it's just a numbers game and you are going to get rejection after rejection until suddenly you don't. Discouragement is inevitable, but it's just a feeling.
posted by tel3path at 1:52 PM on November 30, 2015
Can you commute to London? If so, I'd suggest you look for jobs there. I'm sure there'll be plenty, it's just a numbers game and you are going to get rejection after rejection until suddenly you don't. Discouragement is inevitable, but it's just a feeling.
posted by tel3path at 1:52 PM on November 30, 2015
Software tester here. If you work at a shop that encourages you to think critically and find your own learning path, testing can be a very good career. If the place insists that you follow canned scripts all the time (or, worse, write them for others to follow), it's a crap testing job.
Ask them to clarify their approach. Are they familiar with context driven testing concepts? What about exploratory testing? Do they think all testing should be automated? If you can get answers to those questions, feel free to Memail me and I can give you a more specific take.
You're in a good place to find out more about about software testing if you want to. There are a lot of good testing meetups in the UK. Find the Software Testing Club online, join, and introduce yourself. Google "Weekend Testers Europe" and attend sone of their online sessions.
posted by Sheydem-tants at 6:02 PM on November 30, 2015 [3 favorites]
Ask them to clarify their approach. Are they familiar with context driven testing concepts? What about exploratory testing? Do they think all testing should be automated? If you can get answers to those questions, feel free to Memail me and I can give you a more specific take.
You're in a good place to find out more about about software testing if you want to. There are a lot of good testing meetups in the UK. Find the Software Testing Club online, join, and introduce yourself. Google "Weekend Testers Europe" and attend sone of their online sessions.
posted by Sheydem-tants at 6:02 PM on November 30, 2015 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Thank you everyone, I've decided not to take the job and to focus on improving my mental and physical health for the time being.
I'm going to reapply for jobs in Bristol in a few months when I'm feeling better.
posted by fallingleaves at 2:06 PM on December 2, 2015 [2 favorites]
I'm going to reapply for jobs in Bristol in a few months when I'm feeling better.
posted by fallingleaves at 2:06 PM on December 2, 2015 [2 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Kalmya at 11:35 AM on November 30, 2015 [2 favorites]