Dilemma Decided

Remember my last post on my dilemmas about where I wanted to take my career? Well, today I officially ended my dilemma. And by that I mean I signed an offer letter for a job.

I had my interview with the asylum office and it went really well. There were really good things about the position, mostly it's potential to move up. But I was not excited about the position I'd start out doing. At all. It would be sitting behind a window waiting for people to show up for their appointments and answering inquires. I also wouldn't find out if I got it for probably another month, and I know people who have had offers for govt positions, and now with the shutdown, their offers are not secured.

I looked at the two jobs as, the one I've been temping in, I would continue to gain lots of admin experience, it has so many opportunities for new experience, and the asylum job didn't really seem like I'd gain too much new experience, but I could probably work in government for the rest of my life. So I felt like that line in the Robert Frost poem, "Two Roads Diverged in a Wood" and I had to choose which one I wanted more.

So I went back to work after the asylum interview even more torn.

Two hours later I got a call. The temp job was offering me a full position, and offering me even more than I was asking for in salary.

I asked for time to talk to my husband about the position. I made another pros/cons list.

I knew I just needed to talk out all of my fears and  ideas with Hal and I would feel better, feel clear enough to make a decision. And it worked.

I was afraid that I was giving up on my opportunity to work for an organization like this, even though the job description wasn't something I wanted. After talking to Hal I realized I'm gaining so many skills here that in the future I can bring to a non-profit or something that does just as much good.

I was afraid that because the temping position was much more challenging that something would come up, and I just flat out wouldn't be able to do. Essentially that I wasn't adequate.

But Hal has taught me one thing in our 5 years together. Never base your decisions on fear.

So I didn't. I realized this opportunity for what it was. An opportunity of a lifetime. It's such an amazing opportunity that I got because I was in the right place at the right time. I honestly don't think I would have been picked to interview for this position just off of my resume, but because I was available to temp, they were able to see me work, and that's what led me to get the offer.

So I accepted.

I signed my offer letter.

And I'll be staying in DC. It's not at all what I expected when I moved out here, and it leads to some scary things to come, but I wouldn't do it if it wasn't an amazing opportunity, wasn't going to be such a benefit to mine and Hal's future, and if I didn't think it was the right thing to do.

So in other words, dilemma decided.