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Advice on which job to take - editorial/writing

  • 25-05-2011 5:30pm
    #1
    Scarinae
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 11,362 ✭✭✭✭


    I am looking for career advice as I am torn between jobs at the moment!

    Basically, I did a Science degree and then went on to do an MSc in Science Communication (as I did not want to be a scientist). I mainly went in for the writing and editing side of things, but enjoyed other parts of the course as well. I had a part-time job in a shop while I studied, did a month of work experience for a medical charity and then did a few months of contract writing for them.

    Once that contract was finished, I applied for jobs in science communication. I managed to get a part-time job (two days a week) working on a scientific journal, which I absolutely love, and I have been doing this since January while keeping up my retail job as well. I do mostly copyediting and proofreading, and there is no writing involved, so I have volunteered to write for small publications and newsletters run by the same institution. I really enjoy this particular job – the people are lovely, I work quite independently, and there are many benefits to being part of the institution.

    However, I have got more and more sick of working in retail, and decided to get out. I applied for various other part-time jobs in science communication, with the idea of replacing my retail job but keeping my other one. I got several interviews.

    Meanwhile, a recruiter contacted me on LinkedIn – he had been searching for someone with a background in my particular branch of science that was also interested in writing and editing for an industry magazine. I met him to talk about the job, and he was very impressed and said that he would recommend me for interview. This job is full-time, however, so I would have to leave both of my jobs to take it. My interview is on Tuesday morning, and there is a good chance that I will get it.

    Today I was offered a second part-time job, working for another scientific journal in a similar role to the one I do already, but in a different area of science – if I took this one, it would enable me to keep the job that I already enjoy, but it will not offer much scope for writing either.

    I don’t know whether it would be better to go for a completely new full-time job, or to do the two part-time jobs (between them, it would be five days a week, and it would work out as roughly the same amount of money).

    Advantages of the full-time job – it is full-time, it is a more involved role; I would be writing as well as editing; it would be good experience; there are opportunities for travel; it is more directly related to my first degree; and it would be less complicated in many ways to have one job. There may be opportunity to move up in the company, which publishes several titles (all related to the industry). Another opportunity like this may not come up. It is also related to the industry that my boyfriend works in, so he has been able to advise me somewhat on the area.

    Disadvantages of the full-time job – it is an industry magazine, so the writing is very technical and I’m not 100% sure that I would find it interesting. I am not fully confident that I know enough for the role, as I have forgotten much of the relevant modules that I covered in my degree. It is also a leap into the unknown. I would also feel bad leaving my current part-time job after only four months, as they would have to find someone else and train them to where I am now (I know that I should be selfish, but I do feel guilty).

    Advantages of the two part-time jobs– I already know what I’m doing and enjoy one of them; the two roles are similar but the journals are in different areas so they aren’t in competition; they are both very easy to get to in terms of where I live; in some ways it is a broader experience as I will be working in two places; it may look good that I can manage two jobs at once.

    Disadvantages of the two part-time jobs – it may be more complicated in terms of booking holidays; while both are flexible, there is a possibility of clashes further down the line; neither offers much scope for writing; perhaps I am drawn to this because it feels safer?

    Any advice would be greatly appreciated; my head is wrecked over this!


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