Following in the footsteps of Tax... NOW what ?!

[Ariannda Kusanagi]

So to catch up those non facebook friends I figured I would come here as I always do when I am in need of some advice, both good and sad

So 9 months ago i got my Phlebotomy job.I was hired for weekends only, and I did full time training for 3 months, then I went to my weekends only. Then i was asked to come in twice a week to "help out" so i was working Wednesday and Thursdays from 1-6p. I have gotten called in for morning draws, evenings shifts and even a couple of overnights. Being a .4 employee I am supposed to be asked before I am put on the schedule for any shifts that I wasn't hired for, but since I have stipulated my demands (I wont work on Fridays, so that no matter what weekends my ex has the kids, or what weekends we decide to change up at possibly the last minute it never matters) and they have been very accommodating on this. When they add me to the schedule because someone has taken vacation they never put me on a Friday. Well Thursday was my last day in the middle of the week, I'm now back to weekends only. Here's the thing, i can't survive on weekend only pay. Now there have been full time openings that have come about, but i wont take them because of the hours that have been offered (they've all been morning draw, some 4-1a and some 4a-12p) and I need to get my kids off to the bus in the morning, plus i actually make more money working weekends only then i would working 5 days of 4a-8a.

This isn't the problem however, the problem is that all my kids will be in school this year. My youngest is starting Pre-K, and I've never really had to worry about "now what" because... well i always had another baby lol. I re-joined the Fire Department, and I'm trying to figure out what i should be doing with myself exactly. Part of the reason I have put off college is i have no idea what i "want to be" so I didn't want to waste time or money on classes that may or may not do me any good. I'm considering various ideas now though. I can look for another part time job (i'm actually talking to the department attached to mine about cross training so at the very least i could be called in if they needed someone), I can retake a Nursing Aide course (which the hospital will reimburse me for), and then take a bridge to EMT course (which the Fire Department will pay for) in order to work in the ER as a Tech, I can go back to school for Respiratory or Radiology (again, to be reimbursed by the hospital), or start on Paramedic or Nursing. Or I can simply ride it out for awhile, since this is pretty much my new life with the kids in school.

My other option is to look for another job entirely. I assume this is where the questions about what i really want to do, or see myself doing come into play but honestly I dont know. I'm just bouncing some stuff around and I figured i'd come here and see if i received any brilliant pieces of advice =)

[Freecare Spiritwise]

I'm really proud of you. Buying a beautiful house, working your ass off, being there for your kids, and balancing that all as a single mom. The world is your oyster, and hopefully you're starting to understand that.

Really the only issue I see is that you're doing a little of this and a little of that because you won't sit down and pick a career. Just like I don't really believe in soul mates, I feel the same about careers. We all have a bunch of careers that we'd be well suited to, but just like mates, we can't choose them all. It's ok to play the field but you're going to have a better life if you pick one and settle into some sort of groove.

So make a table of pros and cons. Look at pay, hours, career path, working environment and whatever factors you want ... and then fucking pick one. But don't look to much at the short term. It's like the classic job interview question: Where do you want to be in 5 years? You have to answer that. You're not going to advance any farther until you do, and nobody can answer that question except you.

[Ariannda Kusanagi]

Well i'm really in a position to be able TO pick something and decide, I love my job but i dont view it as a career, i view it as a career MOVE or at least a stepping stone. If i had my CNA and my EMT i may not NEED the skills but if i had to then i could do the jobs, know what i mean ? Like it never hurts to have more skills to add to your resume, especially when you can get everything paid for and done in a very short amount of time (1 month for CNA, 6 weeks for bridge to EMT)

I like the list idea, thanks Free !

As for the house.... man did you read what i did to my bathroom ?! lol Product NOT as advertised !

[Freecare Spiritwise]

Didn't catch that escapade. I've been following your new house and your ever growing list of handyman skills with the teeny tiny amount of time I get out of my day to devote to facebook. I have a few friends with new houses and what's funny is that it seems like the girls are the handymen for all of them. My sister owns a bunch of houses and she's a better handyman than me so GO GIRLFRIEND *snap* *snap* lol.

But seriously, I was going to say that you can never have too much knowledge, skills and certificates but it seems like you're bouncing all over the map. Which ones are vital to being where you want to be in 5 years, and which ones aren't?

One of my favorite quotes sums it up:

"Take what is useful, discard what is not" ~ Bruce Lee

[Ariannda Kusanagi]

They all sort of fit together. To work as a tech in the ER i have to have my CNA license, and my EMS experience helps as well. To be come a Paramedic they put you through the EMT course, so if i had EMT that puts me a step closer. and by having the CNA i can bridge to the EMT, so it all starts with the CNA. Also my phlebotomy helps in both Paramedic AND as an ER tech (they're the ones who start the IVs on people here)

[Turaylon Soulshadow]

I thought with the title of this thread it was going to be about blowjobs. ZING! <3

[Ddrak]

When your youngest starts middle school, which of the careers you have in your mind sounds like the one you could most imagine yourself in?

Dd

[Harlowe]

[Partha]

It's fairly obvious you don't hate what you do now, so go get the CNA.

[Embar Angylwrath]

Glad shes in front of it and not behind it

[Ariannda Kusanagi]

True fact Embar

I think i'm going to CNA to EMT-B to EMT-P. It will give me something to work on, i dont have to have Paramedic finished within a certain amount of time (unlike EMT-B which is a set course or semester) and there are other classes i can take part time.

My magic 8 ball is broken, otherwise i wouldn't have asked =D

[Harlowe]

No Magic 8 ball??? Shiiiiit, well damn.....here are some other options:




And NEW & IMPROVED....

[Ariannda Kusanagi]

HOLY FUCKING SHIT !

Man dont mess with Zoltar ! Didn't you see what happened to Tom Hanks ?!