Lifes crossroads...

[Lacey_106]

Ever get to that point in your life when either your personal life or your career can go one of two ways but it feels almost impossible to make a decision?

I'm there now. Currently work as a staff nurse. Work pretty rubbish shifts dislike my ward and speciality. But the pay is good I get a decent bonus for unsociable hours.

An opportunity has arisen to go back to Uni and become a health visitor. I've worked with HV's before and the job is great. Nice sociable hours, a different kind of stress.

Basically this course would mean that I would have to take approximately a 4k pay cut for a year. But after which i would skip a whole pay scale and would be on at least 5k more than my salary right now.

Personally I don't have anything holding me back, but it seems like a massive decision that I need to make in the next few days.

Anyone been in a similar situation? What did you do?

[tillygti6]

ive missed out a few times for various reasons, but youl always be thinking about it, if you dont take the opportunity.

[holdawayt]

Always give way to your right on crossroads. Thank me later.

But seriously, if it wasn't for my current relationship I'd probably be preparing to work in the Olympic village by now then I'd be heading off to Australia. I've made the decision to stay with my friends and girlfriend instead. I'll go one day, but not yet.

[Lacey_106]

Always give way to your right on crossroads. Thank me later.

But seriously, if it wasn't for my current relationship I'd probably be preparing to work in the Olympic village by now then I'd be heading off to Australia. I've made the decision to stay with my friends and girlfriend instead. I'll go one day, but not yet.

The application form is on my right :detective:

Do you not sometimes feel like you are resentful because of the fact you can't have both? Or that one is stopping you from the other?

[holdawayt]

I dropped out of uni because I preferred fayes company. So that was why I'm not working in the olympics. And I would be teaching sports in aus if it wasnt for her. But these were all my choices. I blame her occasionally and I suppose i do resent it. But I'm happy.

[Carl-h]

Take away anything to do with pay and which would you rather do? If you can afford to, then take that job. There's much more to a job than what you earn.

[sharpy24]

You gotta balance the fact you will be loosing a few grand for 12 months against the pay rise you will get from jumping im guessing from band 5 to 6, and the fact you had less for a year will be made better by the fact you have worked to improve yourself and will improve your future prospects as employers will see you as someone who wants to better themselves and their cpd

Go for it I say, yeah you are going to have to make some cutbacks for 12 months but after that you can reap the rewards. You could always do bank work if you got desperate for the money during the 12 months

Even if you change your mind at the end of it, its still something good to have on your cv. In the grand scheme of your life 12 months isnt long :)

[0rang3peel]

After qualifying and becoming a HV would you be financially better off than you are now & also is it deemed to be a 'step up' from your current role?

if so then definitely go back

edit - didn't read your whole post before.... have had chance now... deffo go back imo

[nicole_]

i LOVE my health visitor, i think its such a great job. obviously im not a nurse, but id easily choose that over it, i think youre so much more valued.

[smiith]

Go back to uni, do it while you can, then if all goes wrong, you can fall back into the old career :)

[Mochachino]

I had one, well two I guess.

First one was when I was 17 I got excluded from school for a fight, wasn't allowed to complete my AS level into an A level. Still got B's. But I had an interview to be an apprentice mortgage broker, shit wage to start off with like £100 a week or something daft, I did a day or 2 there before I quit. My option was to either carry on this office job and eventually be earning around 60k a year or the option I went for, quit the job and focus on moving to Spain to be with the girl I wanted to live my life with.

Second one was quitting my job and selling my assets in England to move to spain or stay in England. Alot of people have been in this one I guess with the amount of people that go to Oz these days.

My mate is in a similar position, hes a tree surgeon and has the opportunity to go to oz for forever how long he likes and per annum earn the equivalent to 38k of UK money. He asked me what he should do, stay here work on his own business or go to OZ for 6 months at a minimum and then come back with saved dollar. I told him to go OZ for the experience mainly, and the financial gain.

If I was in your position I would take the 4k and do this course, if you will enjoy it more afterwards. I guess the only thing on your mind is losing the money for the duration of this course? I cant see anything else that would hold you back?

[Mochachino]

I dropped out of uni because I preferred fayes company. So that was why I'm not working in the olympics. And I would be teaching sports in aus if it wasnt for her. But these were all my choices. I blame her occasionally and I suppose i do resent it. But I'm happy.

The stuff us guys do for girls. We follow our hearts rather than brains lol

[KamRacing]

quality of life is far better than a few £k in the bank.

[ha_x3]

I personaly would go for it, you may regret it later on in life otherwise :n:

[smiith]

The stuff us guys do for girls. We follow our hearts rather than brains lol

I follow my cock, like a real man.

[Carl-h]

If you can afford to take the cut, I honestly wouldn't look at the money side at all. I really think the job your doing and how much you enjoy it is worth twice as much as the money you earn.

I'd rather look forward to work and earn 20k than dread work and earn 30k. I even turn down overtime at work to detail a friends car for £50. Loosing out money wise but I enjoy doing it much more.

[lyndon]

I'm there myself at the moment. Just follow your heart. You're good at your job and you're liked by your peers so you'll always have a back up plan if it doesn't work out.

[Lacey_106]

You gotta balance the fact you will be loosing a few grand for 12 months against the pay rise you will get from jumping im guessing from band 5 to 6, and the fact you had less for a year will be made better by the fact you have worked to improve yourself and will improve your future prospects as employers will see you as someone who wants to better themselves and their cpd

Go for it I say, yeah you are going to have to make some cutbacks for 12 months but after that you can reap the rewards. You could always do bank work if you got desperate for the money during the 12 months

Even if you change your mind at the end of it, its still something good to have on your cv. In the grand scheme of your life 12 months isnt long :)
Yeah that's it. I'd drop to the bottom of band 5 for 12 months September to September. So I have a bit of time to crack on with saving some cash. Yeah I'd definitely have to subsidise with some bank shifts to afford to do it. I think I'd do bank shifts anyway on a ward just to keep my skills up.

After qualifying and becoming a HV would you be financially better off than you are now & also is it deemed to be a 'step up' from your current role?

if so then definitely go back

edit - didn't read your whole post before.... have had chance now... deffo go back imo
Back to Uni... God this is depressing! I has hoped it would be a few years til I had to go back.

i LOVE my health visitor, i think its such a great job. obviously im not a nurse, but id easily choose that over it, i think youre so much more valued.
Ahhh that's lovely. Yeah it's a really nice job. I'd want to focus more on young mums as I did when I was doing my training, I think it's a bit easier to talk to someone your own age. Just made me so broody that's the only thing!
Go back to uni, do it while you can, then if all goes wrong, you can fall back into the old career :)
Yeah, basically it's 2 days a week Uni, 2 days placement and 1 day 'personal study' it could be viable to just throw in a night shift on an acute ward every couple of weeks to make sure I can pay all my bills.

The stuff us guys do for girls. We follow our hearts rather than brains lol
And what girls do for guys!!

You lot are all soppy bastards anyway ;)

[Lacey_106]

If you can afford to take the cut, I honestly wouldn't look at the money side at all. I really think the job your doing and how much you enjoy it is worth twice as much as the money you earn.

I'd rather look forward to work and earn 20k than dread work and earn 30k. I even turn down overtime at work to detail a friends car for £50. Loosing out money wise but I enjoy doing it much more.

Yeah I mean I made a decision like this before, I took a massive pay cut (about 15k) to be a nurse. I struggled like mad, but it was the best decision I've ever made.

It's not all about the money but I've got myself back to a position where I can treat myself occassionally, I'm just worried I'll struggle to afford London living 4k down.

[lyndon]

You just need to make a few lifestyle changes. I'm gonna be doing it on 16k a year. Working on Oxford street. I've priced up and it's do-able. Go for it. You'll only wonder 'what if' for the forseeable future and that's worse than risking it for a biscuit. Could be the best decision you ever make.

[Mochachino]

And what girls do for guys!!

You lot are all soppy bastards anyway ;)

Girls spend our money for us and play the guilt trip for us! haha

[Lacey_106]

You just need to make a few lifestyle changes. I'm gonna be doing it on 16k a year. Working on Oxford street. I've priced up and it's do-able. Go for it. You'll only wonder 'what if' for the forseeable future and that's worse than risking it for a biscuit. Could be the best decision you ever make.

Bloody hell. You sure that's manageable when you were looking at 1100 PCM flats? :S

I know I need to stop pissing my money up the wall. Tbh, this could be the kick in the arse I need to start being sensible.

[lyndon]

Bloody hell. You sure that's manageable when you were looking at 1100 PCM flats? :S

I know I need to stop pissing my money up the wall. Tbh, this could be the kick in the arse I need to start being sensible.

I didn't say become sensible. Just think more :p I'm looking at rooms on easy room mate now. £400 including bills. Bosh.

[Lacey_106]

Girls spend our money for us and play the guilt trip for us! haha

Not all of us!

[Mr_X]

Honestly, do it.

I changed slightly and had to re-study, was totally worth it.

You will regret it forever if you dont.

[Yates]

ive only really had the one, when i applied for navy had finished with our lass, signed up and then got a date to join, got back with ex, waved good bye to her when on train, got texts straight away saying miss you and all that, got to london, some fucker had stole my bag, had no contact numbers for where i was going, went to police station waited around 4 hours for them to sort the mess out, whilst there could see the train to darlington sat waiting, would of been so easy to just go back to my normal life, back to the comfort zone, but stuck it out, doesnt seem like a tough choice but at the time it was

id say go for it

[Ryan]

Go back to uni of you feel long term you will be happier in life.

More money and less shit shifts sounds better long term to me.

4k isn't a huge pay cut, heck you can get a credit card with a 4k limit with 12 months interest free if the shit hits the an and pay it back when you are back working on the higher pay scale again.

[Lacey_106]

Go back to uni of you feel long term you will be happier in life.

More money and less shit shifts sounds better long term to me.

4k isn't a huge pay cut, heck you can get a credit card with a 4k limit with 12 months interest free if the shit hits the an and pay it back when you are back working on the higher pay scale again.

I think you're right. Been thinking about it loads today. I think you're right £300 odd quid a month is money I could do with but it's not money I can't live without. That can easily be made up with two bank shifts.

Ultimately, it will mean that I have another qualification even if I choose to carry on nursing.

[Sam]

Not read though all the replied so not sure if you have made you mind up but I have just been in a similar situation:

I finished my engineering apprenticeship on a tidy wage that meant I could afford a house and a basic lifestyle to go with it. Then I was offered a job that nearly doubled my wage BUT the job is 200miles away from the house I bought 5 days before. But I would work alot less house due to being on shift.

To be honest it was a really hard choice, the job in Scotland would lead me onto a well paid job closer to home in the next couple of years. So i took the plunge and went for the job in Scotland.

Now I have a career path that will give me and the misses a good lifestyle but have to work away for a couple of years.

I would advise doing the course and taking the paycut having a better outcome. If you dont enjoy Uni then you can always go back to Nursing.

[K17NEY]

Ive had a few, And tough ones too. I always look at it as, I never want to be able to say "what if id taken the chance?"
You say you're not happy, You have the chance to do something about it so do it, Not everyone is lucky enough to have the opportunity.
I know it's quite a flippant way of looking at things but its the only way imo..

Fuck it...

[Viper]

Ive had a few, And tough ones too. I always look at it as, I never want to be able to say "what if id taken the chance?"
You say you're not happy, You have the chance to do something about it so do it, Not everyone is lucky enough to have the opportunity.
I know it's quite a flippant way of looking at things but its the only way imo..

Fuck it...

That was my thought too.

You have the chance to make it all better, why even stop to think about it??

[Lacey_106]

That was my thought too.

You have the chance to make it all better, why even stop to think about it??

Because I enjoy hands on nursing. I'm not sure how I'd feel about that being taken away from me everyday. Also, I'm dreading having to cope with how broody being a health visitor will make me. :S

:wacko:

[Gareth_R]

Sounds like you arent too keen on your current job. If you pass up this opportunity you will hate it even more, no question

[JoeHindle]

Because I enjoy hands on nursing. I'm not sure how I'd feel about that being taken away from me everyday. Also, I'm dreading having to cope with how broody being a health visitor will make me. :S

:wacko:

If I got offered a decent job tomorrow, with a good wage but I had to move or something- I'd do it, it'd be broadening my horizions. The way I see it you only live once, so fuck it!