Hi Ho, Hi Ho, to a New Job I Go?

There's been job talk of the Internet of late, discussion of job versus career. It's timely for me as I'm in the midst of a potential switch. I've been meaning to blog about this for a while, but other things have intervened.

Quick background: just before I went on maternity leave, I applied for a promotion within my company. While on leave, I didn't get the job. My pride was very wounded and, to add insult to injury, by not getting the job, my opportunities for growth at my current employer were basically shut down.

Since returning to work after my maternity leave, I've been poking around for job possibilities. My search has been lukewarm for a few reasons:

1. I don't hate my job. I don't love it, but I don't hate it.
2. I make pretty good money.
3. I get to work at home one day a week.
4. Everyone at my work already knows GH is sick and is incredibly supportive.
5. Fifteen minute commute, with parking (in Cambridge!)
6. No overtime, ever.
7. Lots of flexibility to accommodate me pumping, needing to occasionally pick up kids from day care, etc.

Them's some good perks. The problem is that I'm just coasting along at my job. It's just a job. And I'm starting to get bored.

So I've been putting out feelers. Today I had a second interview for a job that sounds ideal. I'd be the Managing Editor at a company that produces French and Spanish textbooks for college and high school. I'd finally get to marry my French background with the career I've built in publishing, and it would be a step up responsibility-wise. In sum, it would be a real career move.

It would also mean:

1. A commute downtown on public transportation, probably about an hour each way.
2. Probably five days a week in the office, although we're not discussing benefits yet.
3. A workplace where no one knows that GH is sick. I find telling people that he's sick incredibly stressful, plus it takes a long time to build up personal relationships with your coworkers.
4. I'm guessing longer hours. My interview tonight was at 5:00. When I left at 6:15, there were an awful lot of people still in the office.
5. Maybe some travel.

I'm not sure how I feel about all that. The job sounds so exciting. At the interview tonight, there was talk about giving me intensive, on-the-job Spanish lessons! I'd love to learn Spanish. The employees are about 1/3 native Spanish speakers, and there are a few native French speakers. The books they produce are gorgeous.

The interviews have gone well, and I think they would like to hire me. The next step is for them to figure out if they need to find someone who has both French and Spanish on their resume or if they keep me busy with French alone. The next call from them is going to be a "we want to offer you a job" or a "sorry, this isn't going to work."

Keep your fingers crossed for me. I think. I'm scared and excited. Change is hard, and with all I've got going on in my life, I'm not sure a change this big is the right move. I'm filled with questions and doubts. What if GH gets sicker and I need to take a leave right after I start? How will we work day care? When will I see the babies? Do I want to be away from them that much (assuming I'd be working longer hours, plus the commute)? Is it better for me to just coast where I am for now rather than add the stress of a job change to my life?

We'll see what happens next. I have to trust that life will give me what I need, but I also need to spend some time figuring out what it is that I really want.