I am most likely leaving my field of work within the next year and plan to attend graduate school (switching from a nonprofit career to a medical career.) My boss is aware that I can work for them for 1 more year before going back to graduate school and he is supportive of this (I talked with him about it a few weeks ago and the conversation went well.)
My original plan was to stick with my job for 1 more year while applying to graduate programs. However, I'm really not that happy with my job and my organization is experience significant employee turnover (around 40% of staff is leaving.)
Recently, I've been contacted by a friend who is in the same line of work that I'm currently in. She is interviewing me this week for a position she has (my boss does not know.) The job would be significantly less stressful than my current job, yet also would pay about $5K less, and I have about $5K of debt I want to pay off before I return to graduate school.
Any advice on what to do here?
Re: Should I stay or should I go?
My first thought was something snarky like, grad school will be more stressful than you imagine, so practice being patient and organized in your current job now. Learn to let it all go!
Only you know if that's the better course of action. Yes, learning to let stress go and getting 5K are good benefits. A break from the stress might be worth it too. Good luck with grad programs.
Personally, I'd stay put.
If your friend is potentially getting you a job or pushingfor you to be employed there by putting in a good recommendation, you could make him/her look bad in front of her/his employer if you take a job and then leave in a year. By getting you that interview your friend is sticking his/her neck out for you...leaving isn't really a good way to repay that kind favor.
I agree. If you plan on leaving that new job in a year anyway I would keep the current job, pay your debt, and leave it behind when you go back to school.
This. I would stay put. You only have one more year before you were leaving anyways to go back to school.
TTC since June 2012
I agree with the others - I wouldn't take a new job, make the employer go through training/benefits/processing if I knew that I planned on leaving anyways. You'll be applying for grad programs sooner than you think, and giving notice as soon as you get in. I'd finish out my time at the current employer, pay down some debt, and leave on a high note knowing that I made it through. Good luck! Grad school is awesome, but definitely a lot of work!