Ugh. Why now?

[textualdeviance]

So, the job I've sort of been waiting for just came up.

On paper, I'm definitely qualified for it. I have everything they want in terms of knowledge, experience, technical skills, etc. The only thing I don't quite have is enough leadership experience, since I've only done the bossing-people-around thing a little bit here and there. Still, I'd definitely be one of their top candidates, I expect, and a little bit of interview magic would probably get me in, unless someone else is just miles better.

But, some problems:

1. I don't want to work right now. I'm enjoying my sabbatical, and really, really need the downtime for mental health reasons. Related, getting this job now would get in the way of my DragonCon travel plans. Which is another mental health thing.

2. I'm sort of in an anti-journalism mindset at the moment. I'm so disgusted by the NOTW thing and so burned out after three years of working on stuff that occasionally got creepy that I'm in a mental palate-cleansing phase. I'll be back in the game again eventually. Just don't want to be caught up in the news cycle for now.

3. We're probably going to be starting the adoption process in September (currently waiting on numbers for M's annual review to budget for it.) The process itself wouldn't require me not to be working, but once the kid shows up, I'm planning to take at least a year off. Getting a job now would mean only being in it for a year, tops.

4. The above issues mean I'd have a hard time selling myself. My resume would get me an interview, I'm pretty sure of that. But I'm not sure I'd pass the interview itself because I don't think I could fake enthusiasm for the company/job well enough to do so.

Meh.

If this job came up three months from now, I'd probably jump on it. But I just don't want it right at this moment, and since my paycheck isn't essential, I don't need it, either.

Thing is, I'm wondering if I'm shooting myself in the foot on a long-term career basis by not going for this right now. A job like this is so rare that it's not going to come up again anytime soon. If I turn it down now, it'll be years before something similar comes around. This is absolutely the kind of job I want to be in 2-3 years from now, and something I'd be comfortable doing for years beyond that. I just don't want it right now.

Dangit. I don't know what to do. :(

Comments

[van.livejournal.com]

I say do it and see where it goes. You'll forever regret not at least applying, and if circumstances work out that you don't get it, at least you tried. Also, pretty sure you can get "maternity leave" even if you're not pregnant, right? So, you could still get paid time off, even if not a year, and who knows when the adoption will actually happen even once you get all the paper work done.

And... they might still give you time off for D*C (it's over a weekend anyway, right?) and extra spending money never hurts?

[noipeh.livejournal.com]

If the opportunity comes around, I would think that you should hop on it. For one thing, adoption (at least for the couples that I've seen go through it) rarely happens that quickly. Unless you're Angelina Jolie or Madonna. In fact, all but one of the couples I know, and they've been with a variety of agencies, had several experiences with babies falling through for various reasons. Don't miss out on this job on the off chance that you'll have a baby in your arms in a year, it's not a given.

[flippet.livejournal.com]

I'd go for it. If it's something that, leisure life aside, you would actually want - you should probably give it a shot. Something I'm finally learning about life is that no matter how you try to set it all up exactly the way you want it to be - you can't control timing.

So the timing isn't perfect. It never is, for anything lasting, it seems. So go for it.

The above posters are right - adoptions are rarely smooth, and almost never fast. If you're planning on working at all while the kid is still a kid - you might as well start now. It works out. If you manage to get a less-than-12-month-old, I would think that taking a regular family leave, plus perhaps a flex-type schedule afterwards would probably be okay. An older child might require a longer amount of time off, due to any issues they may have. But you cross that bridge if and when you come to it.

This is the bridge you're at now - cross it.

[pottsfanatic.livejournal.com]

I agree with those above in that you should at least apply. Down the road you may regret not doing at least that. This opportunity might not happen 2-3 years from now. What does M think?