Money vs. experience?

[CanPsychGirl]

Hi all Sorry for the long story...

I've accepted an offer at a great child clinical MA/PhD program for the fall. I've been working for a research funding agency for about a year (full-time last summer, part-time during this past year because of school), and a month ago, I signed a contract to work for them this summer as well. It's pretty great pay (government rates ) and I get along well with my colleagues, but the work is less than stimulating . While it does have to do with research in general, I'm basically just evaluating research by crunching numbers (nothing to do with psych, really).

So today, the lab where I did my honours thesis offered me full-time summer work for slightly less per hour than my current job . (Why can't people be hiring before the end of April!?) I'm not sure the work would be any more stimulating, since it's basically just coding video-taped interactions all day, every day. I didn't actually apply to any RA positions once I'd been accepted, because my reasoning was "I've already been accepted; my first priority now is making a lot of money to cover any expenses that my stipend doesn't cover". So now I have to choose (quickly!) whether I value that coding experience over a few more dollars per hour (probably works out to a little more than $1,000 over the entire summer).

What would you do? Money or experience? And also, if you would choose experience, how would you approach your current boss to get out of your contract? Keep in mind that I started working full-time again this morning.

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[PsychMode]

Given that you have already been accepted to a Ph.D. program, you get paid more at your current job, and you are under contract with your current job, it does not sound like a good idea to jump ship now. From what you described, the experience you would gain in your former lab does not justify abandoning your current job (by trying to break a contract). Are there other motivations for leaving your current job? Does coding videotaped behavior represent new experience that you will need to function well in the program to which you have been admitted for the fall?

 

[Ollie123]

Its been awhile since I've taken business law, but I BELIEVE that no contract can "force" you to stay at a job if you want to quit, although a number of financial incentives can be attached to keep you there and there can be other requirements though most of them are probably irrelevant (i.e. non-compete clauses). So I don't think that should be a barrier.

That said, unless there is a very specific reason you need that video coding experience, I'd stay put in your current job. If this involves getting trained in a very particular style of coding (i.e. FACS) and you want it before going to grad school because you want to do it for your thesis and the lab you applied to doesn't do it so you have no other way to learn....then maybe think about it. Barring that, I don't see ANY reason to leave your current job. If this is just plain coding of basic behavior that anyone can be trained to do in a few hours/days, don't waste your time. Its a pretty negligible skill compared to what you will be learning in a few months and not worth worrying about, especially given you were already accepted. When you graduate from the program, I can guarantee no one will make a hiring decision based off whether or not you coded those tapes

 

[PsychMode]

Its been awhile since I've taken business law, but I BELIEVE that no contract can "force" you to stay at a job if you want to quit, although a number of financial incentives can be attached to keep you there and there can be other requirements though most of them are probably irrelevant (i.e. non-compete clauses). So I don't think that should be a barrier.

That said, unless there is a very specific reason you need that video coding experience, I'd stay put in your current job. If this involves getting trained in a very particular style of coding (i.e. FACS) and you want it before going to grad school because you want to do it for your thesis and the lab you applied to doesn't do it so you have no other way to learn....then maybe think about it. Barring that, I don't see ANY reason to leave your current job. If this is just plain coding of basic behavior that anyone can be trained to do in a few hours/days, don't waste your time. Its a pretty negligible skill compared to what you will be learning in a few months and not worth worrying about, especially given you were already accepted. When you graduate from the program, I can guarantee no one will make a hiring decision based off whether or not you coded those tapes

It makes sense to me that noone can be forced to stay in a job. Totally agree. My biggest concern regarding the contract is this: Why burn bridges when you don't have to? Plus, there is a bigger paycheck with there current job, and there is minimal/negligible gain from the leaving the job. By declining the lab job, it does not seem like you will burn any bridges at all. You already have a job, and you have already been accepted.

 

[Ollie123]

It makes sense to me that noone can be forced to stay in a job. Totally agree. My biggest concern regarding the contract is this: Why burn bridges when you don't have to? Plus, there is a bigger paycheck with there current job, and there is minimal/negligible gain from the leaving the job. By declining the lab job, it does not seem like you will burn any bridges at all. You already have a job, and you have already been accepted.

Agreed. If there was an excellent reason to leave the job, I don't think the contract should deter him/her. These contracts are often a "formality" as a function of government hiring and not designed to rope people in the same way other contracts are - I signed one at a research job I worked too, and its largely for legal/HR purposes rather than an expectation that you will stay for the duration of the contract. However, even ignoring the contract it sounds like staying is the better decision in this case.

 

[CanPsychGirl]

Thanks everyone! I did decide to stay with my current job; I'm sure next year an extra $1,000 will seem a lot more important that it does now

And coding is really not required for next year, so... oh, look; spreading of alternatives has kicked in already