A New Job?

[Crankin]

Some of you know that I recently quit my job after 30 years of teaching (thankfully, not all in the same place!). This was not official retirement in the usual sense of the word, since I moved between different states, took my $ out of my pension in AZ when I was younger and needed it, so I am mulling over what to do with my pension money accumulated in the last 16 years here in MA. Anyway, my plan was to enjoy the summer, take a vacation in September for the first time in my life and then do some tutoring, which would give me some good pocket cash for bike shwag. My husband has a very successful career and for the first time in my life, I don't need to work. Of course, I would have a lot more time for riding and maybe doing some volunteer work.
I think the whole "idea" of this is catching up with me. I've spent most of the first part of the summer with various "ailments" which are nothing new to me, but usually associated with stress. I have been riding a lot, but not more than I normally would in the summer. I have learned that my body needs rest days.
Anyway, last week, I saw an ad for a job that intrigued me. It is for being a counselor at a medical weight loss company. The job entails doing lifestyle coaching for "healthy living." There were no particular degree requirements, except that it asked for experience in education, health, or nutrition. In addition to being a teacher, I also worked in health clubs as an instructor for 10 years, and am now a bike trip leader for AMC. I have had a lot of informal lifestyle coaching experience. The job is full time, but the hours look to be flexible, so the commute might not be horrendous (the job is in a suburb right next to Boston, while not that far away, the traffic would be terrible at rush hour). So, I redid my resume and sent it off yesterday. Now I am having second thoughts. I don't know if I want to give up my Friday and sometimes Wednesday group rides. On the other hand, I am afraid I will become bored. I know I can stay busy, but this whole thing is very new to me. I have always worked, went back to work when my kids were 6 weeks old and never had any issues with that. I never could have stayed home then. I guess I have mellowed considerably on that point. My kids are grown and successful and my husband says "Do whatever you want."

What do you think?

[Tuckervill]

I think that kind of job is going to require some evenings and weekends? Most of those weight loss places are open hours convenient for people who work regular jobs, I think. Working nights and weekends would be deal breaker for me.

The other thing I thought while reading your story...textbook companies hire teachers to show other teachers how to use their new texts. I have a teacher friend who did that for a while after she quit teaching. Part time with travel, but in an urban area the travel might be minimal. She was recruited and didn't have to find the job herself. But that's an idea. There should be lots of opportunities for former teachers--lots of transferable skills.

After 30 years if you really don't want to work full time I'd think there would be plenty of options for part time. This is coming from someone who quit working full time when her last child was born (13 years ago). Over the years I've worked for pay only part-time when we needed the cash, but I don't want to work at all--unless it is something I absolutely love. I love volunteering so that's what I do instead of working--but I set my own hours in that.

You're in an enviable position of being able to be very choosy about what you do with your time (as am I, but you have a more desirable/marketable skill set than I do). Don't rush into something that might quickly feel like the old grind.

Karen

[Mr. Bloom]

I agree with Karen...you're in an eviable position.

Explore the job option...if it seems that it will be fun, fulfilling and rewarding, then consider jiggling your other schedule. If not, your investment of time in pursuing it is minimal at best.

In the end, only you know whether this new thing feels right.

[Crankin]

The job does require evening hours, but no weekends. I do agree with what both of you said; I will only pursue this if it seems "fun," and not too stressful. At one point I thought about the textbook company route, but I generally was one of those anti- "prescribed" curriculum teachers and I left the job before my last one because they were going to force me to use an anthology to teach English. Unlike other states, Massachusetts does not adopt textbook series as a state and there is complete freedom for districts to write their own curriculum based on our state frameworks.
I think I have in the back of my mind that if I could convince this company to agree to a 4 (or 3) day work week, it would seem more "perfect."
Geez, I have 1,000 posts??? Maybe I better start working again!

[CycleChic06]

Robyn,
I think it sounds exciting. You have this incredible freedom right now to go in any direction you want. I say if they ask you in for an interview, go in and see what it's about. You'll know right away if it's the right direction for you. And it sounds really interesting, you can come on TE and post all sorts of interesting tips and facts about weightloss .

I recently made a career change myself a few months ago. It was more of a risk for myself as I have no other source of income. You are in a great position where you can take a risk and if it doesn't work out, you can always quit and try something different!

Good luck and let us know how it turns out!

E

[Zen]

That sounds like the job for me! What else can I do with a degree in Health and Phys. Ed. (the answer is "not much") But I don't want to work full time either.
Another possibility for you is a job at a place like Sylvan Learning Center (though that may be what you meant when you said tutoring)

[Starfish]

Only you can know. But, the one thing that strikes me is: don't rush into anything until you have really adjusted to the freedom and changes coming your way. Speaking from my own experience, as well as from training to assist people through a variety of transitions, it is a common thing for people to feel uncomfortable with new freedom and not wait long enough to really decide what they want now, as opposed to what keeps them feeling comfortable and in a familiar routine.

This might or might not apply to you...just my .02 for what it's worth!

[Crankin]

Thanks, Starfish. I think this does apply to me. Even though my husband makes a ton of $, I am uncomfortable still at "depending" on him. It is all me, he is happy with whatever I do. My whole life I have been very vocal about women not depending on men and I could have never considered not working when I was younger, even if we could have afforded it. Money is power, but no matter what career I change to, I am not going to make what I did last year (unless I go back to school, which I don't really want to do). I think that I am able to envision the freedom you describe a little better now, especially as we are planning our September vacation.
The tutoring I probably will do is private tutoring, not working for a place like Sylvan, which pay their teachers like $25.00 an hour. I can make $75-100 an hour tutoring kids in my home, so I was thinking of just getting maybe 5 students. That will be enough $ for me to put away for whatever I want and it will not overwhelm me with the preparation. I also have all of the materials to study for the ACE personal trainer exam, but some of the subject matter is overwhelming to me. I have put it off for a year, so maybe I will start. I was certified as a group exercise instructor, but I let that lapse. The personal trainer exam is much more in depth, as it should be, but I am not sure if I can learn this all in a home study course and one weekend review course.
Just talking about this with people on TE has put things in better perspective!

[tygab]

Robyn if you are serious about a Personal Trainer cert... I want to get mine also. We could do it together and study etc. I feel the same way. A weekend is a short time to assimilate the materials with any quality, and having a study partner would be of great interest to me.

Just food for thought. I can sign up for a weekend cert class for the fall (basically after prime bicycle season is over), if that'd work. I don't know what is being offered near term...

[Zen]

Aaaah, you can read the book over a weekend and pass that test. You need to know muscles and articulation, basic stuff like the Karvonen formula, difference between biceps brachii and biceps femoris, stuff like that. You'd probably be given a fictional client and have you give an exercise rx depending on age, medical history,goals, etc. I bet you already know it, or most of it.That's for the written test. then you do your little internship, then a practical and badabingbadaboom there you go bobs your uncle.
The really hard part of being a pt is selling yourself. that's my big problem.

[Mr. Bloom]

Money is power,

That's partially true, but I've also found that happy people are more powerful for no other reason than:

• people are jealous of happiness
• happy people find it easy to say "no" to things they don't want or need.

[Zen]

I used to think I was a pretty happy person until I lost my job, meager as it was.
Right now, money would make me a much happier person.

[Mr. Bloom]

I used to think I was a pretty happy person until I lost my job, meager as it was.
Right now, money would make me a much happier person.

well, I can't argue with that. Hang in there though.

[margo49]

I really agree with what Starfish said (from personal exp of having had gaps in my employment history thru illness, injury, firing).
It takes quite a while to see and feel the value of what you do outside the framework of "paid full-time employment" and to get used to the self-motivation required. To "do whatever you want" is actually quite difficult if you have a Strong Work Ethic. One thing I do in Big Decision-Makes is to ask myself: What would a woman not tangled up with all my "funny ideas" and endless self-examining conscience do in a similar situation? " It's usually a very clear answer; she would take the opportunity before you could say Jacqueline Robinson!
I hear what you are saying about the depending on the DH for money. I always said critically to myself (and others) that I was a prostitute!

Best of luck!