What course of action do I take now?

[CrashRG]

About a week ago, I posted a thread about me being laid off from my job and the bullshit involved and so on. Since being notified of the lay-off, I've been job searching, and checking some possible resources.

First:
My father in laws boss has offered to pay me cash to work in the warehouse of his business. This is good because then I can still collect my measely $346 unemployment pay, and add my weekly paid cash to it. ($10 an hour, 40hours a week + unemployment pay = $746 a week....not bad since I was making $691 / wk before taxes) PLUS i would be working for an FFL dealer. GUNS. LOTS OF THEM. I've already worked there the past two saturdays and theres enough guns and ammo there to hold off ensuing hordes of the undead......The owner of the company likes to treat his employees to "fun with firearms" days at his farm, and I like me some guns......and being an employee, I could probably get the AR15 I want half price.......woot.

Second:
I had already filled out an application at Interstate Battery as a Route Manager, another job notified to me by another in-law who works there. This would be payroll + commission. Don't know exactly what it pays, but given the nature of my in law that works there, if a job isnt good money, he walks away from it.

Third:
Tonite at the meeting for the laid off employees, we were also notified that if we chose to go back to school, the state would pay for our schooling up to a 2 year degree, plus still pay us our unemployment check. We also would not have to search for a job as long as we hold student status. This obviously is overturned if we quit school or achieve a 2 year degree in something.

Weighing the pros and cons, my first option is good money, and a job until/if I get called back (i have 18 months worth of callback rights)

The second choice sounds like a good change of pace, I won't get all dirty at work, I'll be my own boss for most of the day, I'll have to get a CDL to drive the trucks, but that wont be hard.

The third choice, should I take it, has the possibility of me finding a way better job in the long run, but seems to me the most uncertain route right now, seeing that I've already dropped out of college before, due to lack of interest.

All current and possible options have me being home in the evenings and on weekends (aside from the route manager job, I would have to work one overnight a week out of town, 4 hour saturday shifts optional, home by 5pm everynight) , and that is a plus because I hate working 2nd shift (2pm-10pm) and with my wife working 8am - 5pm, I hardly get to see her during the week, and that puts a strain on things.

I've got more options to check into soon, but these are the three that I'm now staring dead in the face. I'm just looking for a little guidance and encouragement from my brothers here. I really don't know which route to take. All include chances for good, and chances for failure. Arg, man. Arg.

[SteveDendura]

If you chose the 3rd option, what would you be getting a degree in?

Maybe you could go to college, collect unemployment and work part time in your father-in-law's boss's warehouse?

Nice to know you got options anyway

good luck!

[Harry]

As for the first option, dude, you've just been laid off, and even if you can get the gun at half price, you seriously do not need to buy a ....ing gun if you've just been laid off. I think you can spend your money on something a little more....well, important don't you think?

[1349sevengal]

well in my opinion since you have 18 months of callback to get through i think the first option would work best for you. once those rights expire though i would look into getting a two year degree and working part time at your in-laws gun business. good luck

[AK DRAGON]

Originally Posted by 1349sevengal

well in my opinion since you have 18 months of callback to get through i think the first option would work best for you. once those rights expire though i would look into getting a two year degree and working part time at your in-laws gun business. good luck

+1

[MFB]

Option #1 seems to be the best of the bunch right now, and Harry is right, you don't need a gun right now if you've been laid off - there's more important things at hand. My dad was getting his CDL and the training for it now is rigorous. The final test to get the actual license is one of the hardest in the world.

[Harry]

Yeah, I too think skip the CDL thing.
If option 1 can get you food on the table each day and gives you something do to 40 hours a week, that's fantastic, go for it.

[poopyalligator]

option 1 or 3

[CrashRG]

Thanks for the ideas guys, I'm waiting to hear back more about the warehouse job, I think I may go that route, as it will also save me money on gas in the long run, because for the most part I would be riding to work with my father in law, on top of the fact that I already helped out over there the past two saturdays, so I already know some of the job.......my father in law had also said something about me being able to move into a sales position there if I wanted to someday (obviously would have to get hired on for that)

I did receive a call from Interstate Battery, and they want to interview me saturday morning, so obviously I'm not turning that down. I don't think the CDL test would be that hard, the trucks I'll be driving aren't huge, and I've seen some of the guys that live around me that theyve given CDL's to

I'm also waiting to hear back from Hollister-Whitney elevator corp. I had applied there a week before I applied at Knapheide (where i just got laid off from), their plant manager called me a week into 2008 and wanted to give me a job, and I told him that it was nice, but I was going to stay put and see what happened. He told me that he would quote "keep the application in his desk" and he "didn't care if it was a year from now, if you need a job, come out here and ask for me directly" so maybe ill have some luck there.

options options options.

[vampiregenocide]

Option #1. Don't worry about guns, we aren't due a zombie horde for 3 years.

[silentrage]

I would take an education myself, knowledge is power.

[EliNoPants]

yeah, i'd go with option 3 in a landslide while working part time too if you can

and if you think you can't handle school and work, i'm gonna point out that i used to live with the most average human being ever (i can't begin to describe this guy well enough here for you to understand HOW average he was,so you'll just have to take my word for it), and he managed to work 50+ hours a week while taking 18cr hours at school, plus he had a band at the time, and still managed to spend time dicking off and getting wasted with the rest of us in the house

[estabon37]

The only problem I can see is #1 essentially being casual work. Granted, I've only ever worked casual (9 years) and somehow held onto a sense of job security over three jobs in that time. Would there be job security at #1 or would you likely be dropped after a month or two?

That aside, it seems like three solid options. Not everyone has those these days. Good luck dude!