Thinking of turning down my first 'real' job offer tomorrow

[Q]

This has been bugging me all weekend.

Interviewed at company, didn't think I'd get offer and I did. Pay is decent for 1st job out of college w/ business degree. Hours suck (2pm - 11pm), 2nd shift. Also have weird vibe / feeling about company. Upon interviews and talking, things seem very unorganized and there are a ton of new (< 1 yr) employees there, even in the high levels. My would be boss was in the interview room with me, at he was hired 2 days prior.

Job sounds somewhat interesting, but I didn't even find out anything of what my job would consist of until I actually called HR after my offer and asked (no kidding). During the period between my interview and offer, I was never told what position I was interviewing for. Company also seems like they either fire people often or people leave all the time. No need to elaborate on that, just takes more space.

I am probably going to decline mainly due to the hours (literally would never see my family/friends until the weekend), and my 'odd' feelings I have described above about the company.

I feel so dumb for declining though, since jobs are hard to find, this pays OK, and it seems bearable / not 100&#37; boring.

Is this a bad decision?

PS. I currently am employed, but for very little pay. I really do enjoy my current job now, and it's somewhat respectable (ie. it's not a Starbucks / retail job). There's no room for advancement really, so it's just a side-job as I search for a career.

 

[slayer202]

what's the company? is it one of these bullshit scam jobs from monster.com?

 

[Jumpem]

It is a bad decision. Accept the job if it pays decent for a starting position out of college.

If you don't like it, keep looking while you gain experience and have an income.

 

[Q]

what's the company? is it one of these bullshit scam jobs from monster.com?

No no, it's a legit company. Supports a large international firm.

 

[Corporate Thug]

It is a bad decision. Accept the job if it pays decent for a starting position out of college.

If you don't like it, keep looking while you gain experience and have an income.

this.

 

[Imp]

Take it, give it a few weeks, then haul ass?

I took my current job, wanted to quit by day 3, and have stuck with it fot over 2 years now. Tearing it down from the inside...

 

[Q]

I think one of the other things is when I was offered the job, I didn't even get excited. It was more of just an 'oh'.

Now if I was offered a position at the company I interned with last summer, I'd be really happy. The fact that I didn't feel this excitement is an indicator to me that it just isn't for me.

Thanks for the replies anyhow; I'm more just venting than anything else.

Oh, and taking it and leaving looks terrible on a resume.

 

[Rudee]

You can tell a lot about a company by looking at the employees vehicles parked in the parking lot. If a lot of employees are driving higher end vehicles, BMW's, Audis, etc, chances are high that you will be taken care of quite well if you work there.

 

[slayer202]

how would the new position look on your resume? if it helps you find something else, you can just leave it off your resume in the future if you think a short stint would look bad

 

[Imp]

Oh, and taking it and leaving looks terrible on a resume.

True. Depends on what your job prospects are (got other interviews, know some people, got viable back-ups?), or how desperate you are. It pays and at least it is a few extra lines on your resume - better something than nothing. If you want to keep your resume pristine, it might serve as a little extra incentive to stick around longer.

 

[randomrogue]

Take the job. Tell them you will work as hard as it takes to get promoted/better hours. Then do it.

Don't you dare turn it down unless you have a better job offer.

 

[Rudee]

My girlfriend who works as a Recruiter for a large HR firm was telling me over dinner on Saturday that they are finding at least one third of the people who are submitting Resumes are lying about having Degrees or Diplomas. Part of her job is to check references, transcripts, Degrees and Diplomas to make sure they check out, before the candidate makes the short list. She says the job situation out there right now is so poor and so competitive that many people are lying about their educational background, getting caught, and losing a new job as a result of a lie, or not even getting the job in the first place because the background and educational checks didn't come through.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Yes, it isn't smart to decline the job if it is your only offer. Take it, collect the pay check and experience, and keep looking.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Oh, and taking it and leaving looks terrible on a resume.

If it happens at every job you have, it will, but not just one or two times. You can easily explain that to someone that is going to hire you down the road. You can say that the new job came along and offered you a great deal more compensation and responsibility and you felt you had to take it to further your career.

 

[Number1]

How are the people who are supporting you feel about this?

 

[AreaCode707]

What exactly are the job duties?

Some jobs you work because you need work, even if you aren't excited about it, and even if the average tenure at the job isn't long. Call centers are often like that.

How long have you been looking, what are your skills and qualifications, and what are you looking for? If we know that, we can probably advise you a bit better whether this is something you would be better off to accept or decline.

 

[BoomerD]

It is a bad decision. Accept the job if it pays decent for a starting position out of college.

If you don't like it, keep looking while you gain experience and have an income.

This...take the job. If it turns out to be as bad as you think...you have the mornings for interviews...no need to take time off to look for a different job...and you're making better money.
Who knows, maybe they're just going through some changes...and once things settle down, it MIGHT become a good job. Second and third shift suck until you get used to them. Swing (second) isn't THAT bad...you can still get stuff done before work, yet you get to sleep at night instead of during the day.(3rd shift)

 

[Imp]

Oh ya, you can leave it off your resume if you really do end up hating it and quitting. Works as long as the field isn't tight knit where everyone knows everyone, and you think that someone will find out on their own somehow.

 

[boomhower]

Take the job. Jobs are hard to come by. Put on your big boy britches and take the job. Earn your way and start supporting yourself. Get some experience and move on to greener pastures. You don't get your dream job straight out of school.

 

[rasczak]

In this economy, you don't pass up jobs. Take the advice given, work it until you find something more in line with your own goals and ideals.

 

[GoodRevrnd]

Do you still have other interviews coming up??

 

[Red Squirrel]

That is awesome hours. you can sleep in and go to bed late. You'd be surprised how much crap you can get done around the house with a shift like that, and when you have erands to do, then just get up earlier and everything is open. I had a 12:30-9:00 job and it was the most awesome thing ever. 8-5 sucks because you have to fight traffic, and when you are done, everything is closed so you can't do any errands, and end up letting them pile up till you get a day off.

I would jump on it tbh. Assuming you don't think there's anything else secure that's pending.

I can't wait to start my new job which will be shift work. The standard 8-5 thing sucks after a while. "abnormal" hours have their advantages.

 

[Capt Caveman]

I think one of the other things is when I was offered the job, I didn't even get excited. It was more of just an 'oh'.

Now if I was offered a position at the company I interned with last summer, I'd be really happy. The fact that I didn't feel this excitement is an indicator to me that it just isn't for me.

Thanks for the replies anyhow; I'm more just venting than anything else.

Oh, and taking it and leaving looks terrible on a resume.

Not sure if you're trolling or not. Sounds like you have asked no questions or done any research of the position or company.

If you don't like the job, find another while you're still looking. No hole in your resume. Have you asked about being able to change shifts after a certain period of time? Have you asked why there are so many new people? Possible, restructuring/reorganization that cleared out the rift-raft?

Not seeing your friends and family til the weekends? Not sure if serious here.

 

[Mr. Lennon]

I'm assuming you graduated last spring. If you have been searching for a real job since May...I think it would be wise to take this offer.

Take this advice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl5vihsERDw

 

[GasX]

Take the job. Tell them you will work as hard as it takes to get promoted/better hours. Then do it.

Don't you dare turn it down unless you have a better job offer.

These are the words of a succesful man