3 Job Offers Pros and Cons

I have 3 job offers on the tables. Here's the pros and cons:

Job 1:

Pro: Full-time
Pro: Industry I want to work in
Con: $21/hr = $40K
Con: requires a bus pass or purchase of a monthly parking permit b/c downtown

Job 2:

Pro: Full-time
Pro: Industry I want to work in
Pro: $25/hr = $48K
Con: No promotions or career growth so will be boxed in to the same role
Con: a bus pass or purchase of a monthly parking permit b/c downtown
Con: Healthcare benefits package is horrific (super expensive for crappy benefits package, can't opt out, also 401K can't opt out)

Job 3:

Con: Applied to full-time job posting
Con: Recruiter submitted me for same job as a "temp" not "temp to hire"
Pro: $25/hr = $48K if hired full-time
Pro: Located in suburbs so no need for monthly parking pass or bus pass

Not sure why you can’t opt out of 401k. Never heard of it. Why can’t they let people opt out? Is it legal to make it mandatory? Do they match your contributions? How much?

I’d certainly not take option 3. I’d not do temp jobs. If I have other options .

Is option 1 offering good benefits? Health care? Lower pay but better benefits might be a good option. What’s monthly premiums and deductibles at both jobs 1 and 2?

If #1 health insurance iis better than #2, I’d take #1. #3 is not a long term improvement.

I agree with your assessment that Job #3 would be a waste of my time, talent, and intelligence. Knowing that I applied for the admin role posting on Indeed and yet my recruiter submitted me as a temp to the same role. They won't hire me permanently if they can keep me as a temp, until they hire someone else. I've been on that rollercoaster too many times to count and it's wearing on my soul. I HATE being a temp job that I applied for the full-time position for, knowing that they rejected my full-time application yet are ok with me as their temp istead and then they hire someone else. Horrible.

In my state, you can't opt out of 401K's. I've tried. I tried to end my 401K when I stopped substitute teaching and couldn't. I still can't end it. It's a retirement 401K so they REFUSE to let me end that 401K although I have proof that I don't work for any district as a substitute teacher. It's infuriating. I have another 401K from a previous teaching job that ended in 2005 that I can't get the funds for, either since the human resources person at the community college left their role and I don't have the access code etc. or the name of the company that has that 401K either.

I hate 401Ks b/c I'm in my 50s so all it will do is take a huge CHUNK of money every month out of my paycheck that I need, and wont' be able to earn any interest on. If I were in my 20s and had a 401K for 30 years that would be different. 401K's are a money scam in my opinion. I can't retire on pennies. I'll be on public assistance for the rest of my life anyway.

Job #1 and Job #2's insurance plans are another money evil. As a single person, I will likely pay $7-10K over the year for the 80/20 coverage, out of my bi-monthly paychecks. I'll never be able to quit rideshare driving with a salary under $50K for that reason.

So, if I take Job #1, I will be more financially poor than I am now being on state and county healthcare and food support. That $40K salary with the 401K that I can't opt out of since its a retirement fund, and the company's health insurance plan that I also can't refuse (my $40K will exceed income guidelines for the state and county healthcare and food support programs, so I'll lose those two supports), will make my finances worse, esp. now that I have student loans, a car payment, car insurance, rent, utilities, food, gas, kitten food/litter expense and kitten healthcare (free clinics for the time being) not to mention the cost of transportation to/from that job since its located downtown: bus pass is $96 a year and a car parking lot permit is $300 a month.

While it may offer a better career path on the surface, I would be a fool to accept that lowball offer of $40K for Job #1.

Job #2 may be a a boring job with no career path, but the pay is better. I still face the same dilemma though; either $96/year bus pass or $300/month car parking lot permit, rent, car payment, car insurance, utilities, food, gas, kittens food/litter and kitten healthcare, student loan repayment. Deduct the retirement 401K, the monthly health insurance plan premium, and my life is financially ruined despite the $48K salary.

To keep my head about water, I either continue temping and receive state and county food and healthcare benefits for free, or I only accept job offers of $50K minimum.

It's so painful but that's something I have to address. I rideshare drive to make ends meet without the salary, while I temp. After I spend a tank of gas to fill up on gas every day, I rideshare drive 6-8 hours and net less than $180 (deducting the cost of what I spent to fill up my gas tank).

So, while I could technically rideshare drive every weekend and collectively at 12 months of doing that, have saved close to $11K, it's still wear and tear on my car. I put 20K miles on my car since July rideshare driving.

So, a $50K salary is what would help me. If I'm being financially wise. I don't qualify for loans either (I have student loan debt and a very low credit score). I tried applying for a loan and was rejected. So that option is out.

There are gov't grants I can apply for, but each of those has their own "boxes" that I'd need to "fit." And I don't.

I will have to ask Job #1 and Job #2 about their health insurance plans. As of right now, their human resources person is waiting for me to accept the job offers. I probably won't know the monthly premiums unless I first accept the offer.

I just assume from what I know about my current healthcare plan, if I were to pay for it as a single person, the monthly premium minimum is around $200 and the deductible is really high like $5,000. But health insurance companies intentionally do that: they attach HIGH deductibles to low monthly premiums, to make it impossible for the person to pay for services on their 80/20 plans.

I let the recruiter know just this morning to withdraw me from the temp job since I already applied through Indeed as a full-time job applicant. I am sure she's mad but I don't care. There's a million temp agencies I can sign up with to to continue to temp.
Or, I can rideshare drive 6-8 hours a day and try to make ends meet that way while I still apply on Indeed for full-time jobs.

I'm in a pickle. Oh well. I'll find my way out. Lots of people are in my situation. So, I won't berate myself. I'm not a loser.

Omg 5000 deductible. Might as well not have insurance. Wow.

Well I don’t think 401k is a waste honestly. If they have a rep to talk to, you could discuss your options and maybe they would withdraw a very minimum. But I had years when I absolutely couldn’t afford to have any retirement withdrawals so I wouldn’t sign up for 401k.

You can roll your old 401k into new plans or combine those two together. It’s all a pain. Finances are a pain

Yep that’s why many people work two jobs. It’s not manageable otherwise. What’s your Masters degree in (don’t have to answer), can it lead to a potentially better employment? Although I understand no matter what degrees one has, some fields are just not well paid, period

I edited my post because my numbering was wrong. I like #1 if health insurance is better and for long term growth

I have a Blue Cross 90/10 plan, pay $240/mo which includes dental, vision and my deductible is $500/yr. This year I had cancer and had to have a hysterectomy, so it came in handy. My portion of the surgery was $1,780.

I just checked and I understand what you were saying. I had no idea that some states mandate participation in 401k or whatever they have 403b. Omg. I had no idea. What if someone has other retirement plans like big inheritance coming or what not. How could they mandate participation in retirement plan. My state doesn’t mandate it. I’ve learned something new today

I am sorry to hear about your cancer. I hope your recovery is going ok.

I have the same deductible as you but a bit higher premium. After deductible, my insurance covers everything 100% though. But when you think of a higher premium I think it evens out. Like you owe almost 2k after surgery. I’d owe nothing BUT those 2k (or a bit less) is distributed in my premiums throughout the year.

Some insurances look better than others but when you analyze what’s happening, it’s all the same thing! The only difference i think is when you have high deductible. That’s not manageable

Thank you, it was uterine cancer caught very early, my organs, pelvic fluids and lymph nodes showed nothing residual, so no further treatment. I’ll be monitored for the next 5 years closely.

Glad to hear that your uterine cancer was caught early. Healthcare in our country is such a financial trap. I read an article online that described insurance companies are distributors; that health insurance companies 'distribute' our benefits when THEY DEEM you acceptable (per their underwriters) .They distribute out what doctors, procedures and hospitals are 'in network' and tell us each how much our health is worth to them, via how much they charge us to pay them to distribute these services to us. It's so infuriating.

I will probably accept Job #1 or Job #2 by next week. I asked them to give me until Monday of next week. If another candidate accepts the job before me, oh well. I know that companies don't just offer jobs to one candidate anymore. So, I realize I'm jeopardizing myself by postponing my decision. But i need to think this through.

Exactly. My state mandates 401Ks. We aren't given an option to opt out of one when the employer includes it. That's a human resources decision (it's more money for the company to force employees to take 401Ks).

The IRS doesn't require companies to match 401K contributions. But employers take massive tax benefits PLUS they can hold your 401K hostage indefinitely (it's legal) b/c they collect tax benefits on it.

That's why they make it impossible for terminated or layed off employees to liquidate their own 401K plans. Why would a company let go of a continual stream of income from a previous employee? They won't because that 401K is a money maker for them.

That's my whole point. The only entity who makes money from the 401K is the company who is the 401K company, and the employer who collects tax benefits off of it in interest, like a bank collects interest on a loan. It doesn't benefit the person who has the 401K because they will NEVER see the money back deducted from their paycheck. That's all taken out under the guise of "fees" and "taxes." What the 401K does give is pennies on the dollar. It's worthless in my opinion.

Job 1: I have a final interview (for the job offer) with the people I'd support next week now.

Job 2: I waited too long to accept the job and received an email rejection today that they filled the role.

Job #3: Recruiter/Temp employer wouldn't accommodate my temp job schedule; they demanded that I accept the job and start next week on the last day of my current temp job. The HR woman finally emailed me that they are interviewing others STILL and that a job offer to me was preliminary (a mistake).

None of this turned out the way I thought it would.

Motts, I’m so sorry to hear that things didn’t work out for you. I know that you’ll find the right job for you soon. You’re smart & you have experience too.

It seems like most employers try to get away with hiring people for the least amount of pay & benefits as they can. Looking for work is hard work & it sucks!

I had to accept a seasonal retail job at a nearby department store recently because I’m desperate for a job. They’re only going to pay me $16 which is minimum wage here. It’s a joke as I have lots of retail experience.

I think it might just be a seasonal job, but hopefully I can manage to find a permanent position there.

Thank goodness that I only got interviewed over the phone. Thankfully they only asked me about my availability. I suck at answering most questions.

I hope that I won’t be working on Black Friday, but with my crappy luck, I’ll probably be working that day as a newbie & we’ll probably be short staffed too.

Update: I took Job #1 and enjoy the work and the people I support. The learning curve is steep but I’m making progress. I’ve been there one month. The pay is terrible so I continue to rideshare drive. I am 2 months behind on my car payments and missed the time cutoff on the credit union website (it cuts you off at 7 p.m. and your online payments are pushed out to the next day as a resut - so dumb). I won’t tell the people at my job about my car situation. That’s none of their business.

@jesyka congrats on the job. I agree with you that $16/hr is low pay. However, we both need jobs right? So, let’s support each other through our career transition. I am going to do everything I can to keep this job because it’s always easier to find another job when you are already employed. We can do it, Jesyka. We can find our idea job with the pay we want. We just have to do what it takes to make ends meet until that happens. Grit. Perseverance. Hope. I’m not going to give up.

Hey Motts, sorry to hear about your job. At least you like the a actual job. I don’t like mine. There is way to much to remember m. I’m overwhelmed.

I forgot most of what I was taught. I feel stupid. I’m can tell the two women who trained me are irritated with me.

I can tell they don’t like me. They both rudely looked ar my body. One did it teive. I dress nice, so I don’t understand why they’d do that. I ignored them.

Another one kept touching me. i’ll tell her to not touch me please next time i recoiled at her touch & made a fwce but she still kept touching me, ugh!

Weirdo!!! I did meet two nice older women there.

Hopefully I won’t be trained by those two weirdos again.

Sorry to hear about your car payments too. Hopefully you’ll find a better job soon. You can PM me if you’d like to be t about work.