At a crossroads at this point, do'nt know what to do...have 24 hrs to decide!

zfuture · 03-20-2006, 11:51 AM

I have an important decision to make in the next 24 hours. I am my third year of university, majoring in Biochemistry and doing a minor in psychology. At the beginning of the school year, I applied to the internship program. If you get a position, you lose a year in school for work. However, it is a good experience because it is related to school.

A couple of weeks ago, I get an interview for a company that is a pork processing plant. This place slaughters pigs and gets processed (cut up into its portions, packaged etc). The responsibility and title of my job is "quality assurance auditor". Basically, I work in a lab upstairs and examine the meat for its fat content, quality, what bacteria it contains etc etc.

The interview went well, and after it, she gave me a tour of the plant. It was a real eye opener because I saw dead pigs hung up on rails with their intestines hanging out, I saw them get slaughtered, I saw people slice their throats and cut their heads off, I was in the cold room where the parts were cut up, basically I saw everything. The stench in the cold room wasn't bad, but the stench WAS AWFUL in the wamer areas where the pigs were stored, slaughtered, hair taken off etc. The smell was like death, sweath, and blood mixed into one.

If I were to work here, I would have to go down to these areas once in a while to get samples I think.

When it was over, I thanked her for the interview and asked when a decision would be made. She said in a week or two. After I left, I quickly drove onthe highway to get back home for a hot shower to rid the smell.

Fast forward to a week and a half later, which is today, and I get an email from her saying I got the job. My internship counsellor calls me as well to let me know. The duration of this job is 16 months at $13/hr or maybe a little bit more like $13.50, not sure yet. If I take this job I will miss a year of school, just like any other internship job. At the same time, there a few more positions I am going to apply for. Thing is, if I accept this offer of employment, I cannot cancel it. If I do cancel, I fail the internship course. If I do not accept the offer and want other potential positions, I risk not getting anything.

I need some advice on what to do. Someone please help. I am going to speak to family and friends as well, but would like your input too.

Thanks

Donster · 03-20-2006, 11:53 AM

At the end of the day its your decision, eitherway **** usually works itself out in the end...

Get the experience and it will pay dividends in the future....

zfuture · 03-20-2006, 11:58 AM

I will hand out reps to whoever gives me some advice.

Dimster · 03-20-2006, 12:00 PM

I think probably if you will take the job and miss school, you won't get back again... I don't know if you want to finish University or you just want to work. It is really hard to go from a year of no studying back to University(I suspect)

Think about it, it's your choice. I personally think education is more important

HulkHagen · 03-20-2006, 12:03 PM

I'd do it. I'm not sure I completely understood what you wrote, but you'll miss a year of school by doing the internship? I'd do it... it might be the one thing on your resume that puts you over the top compared to other recent graduates when you do graduate. Plus you'll be making 13 bucks an hour, which I'm assuming is halfway decent money unless you have a lot of bills every month. You can put some of that money back that you make and have some spending money when school comes back around.

Look at it this way, you'll have college experience AND on-the-job experience... it doesn't really get any better than that. You could potentially develop some good relationships with people you work with and get some connections to maybe secure a job after you graduate. There's really no reason NOT to do it if you ask me.

It's up to you in the end, but if I were in your shoes I'd do it. You're young, a year is really not gonna matter. It takes a lot of people two years or more just to figure out what they want to major in.

zfuture · 03-20-2006, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dimster

I think probably if you will take the job and miss school, you won't get back again... I don't know if you want to finish University or you just want to work. It is really hard to go from a year of no studying back to University(I suspect)

Think about it, it's your choice. I personally think education is more important

I will be back in school for sure, tahts a given. The internship is only for a year, and the internship program requires that you return to school to finish your degree or it'll all be wasted. Yes it is hard to return to studying after not doing it for a while. But, the internship will give me work experience that will help me land jobs after I graduate.

Donster · 03-20-2006, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zfuture

I will be back in school for sure, tahts a given. The internship is only for a year, and the internship program requires that you return to school to finish your degree or it'll all be wasted. Yes it is hard to return to studying after not doing it for a while. But, the internship will give me work experience that will help me land jobs after I graduate.

I will tell you straight up, take the internship.........having experience in a field of work that you hope to go into is like gold-dust.
Not everyone can go onto a great job without any experience. This experience will hold you in good stead....you will thank me for this advice when you graduate.

Dimster · 03-20-2006, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zfuture

I will be back in school for sure, tahts a given. The internship is only for a year, and the internship program requires that you return to school to finish your degree or it'll all be wasted. Yes it is hard to return to studying after not doing it for a while. But, the internship will give me work experience that will help me land jobs after I graduate.

I agree with you if that's the case, if you are sure you can get back and have a year to spare I'd do it

Blake Austin · 03-20-2006, 12:13 PM

Do the internship. You'll get used to the ugly sights and horrible smells of those poor wittle dead piggies. lol

You'll have the internship and school, which is great. The internship gives you the real world job skills that employers are looking for.

Good luck.

resurrected · 03-20-2006, 01:22 PM

I would take the internship for the practical hand on experience. This is something that is more and more sought after. You can have a degree but without some type of experience many will not hire you.
As for the "gross" stuff, well lets just say I worked for a mortician for a good many years and if you want to talk about smell and gross........... I got used to it in a few days, then it was nothing to do what was needed.

C_Kent · 03-20-2006, 01:50 PM

I would go ahead and do it, a year out of school while doing an internship is the samething. Remember, you get educated in the REAL world, college just helps you prepare for that.

mezazvers · 03-20-2006, 03:16 PM

I would definetley do it. As everyone has said, the experience will be a major positive note wen looking for a real job after graduating. You seem to dislike the whole slaughtering and smell of everyhting. I woudlnt worry about that, youll get used to it, and it wont be as shocking over time.

c-lo · 03-20-2006, 03:37 PM

Yea you'll get used to it...right now I am working a job that I am doing for the experience, but I dont really work in the conditions your are going to be in...But anyways you said that you would be going downstairs to get samples once in a while, so I'm prett I say Jy sure you can man up and do the job, just try and invision yourself somewhere else. Like all jobs, there are always little ways and things you can do to take a little break with out anyone knowing..So JUST DO IT!

oklahoma · 03-20-2006, 03:50 PM

I'd recommend taking the internship, for the reasons that people have said already.

One additional thing, can you do one or two independent study courses while you're doing the internship? This will keep you 'acclimatized' to studying/school, make it that much easier to get back into the routine of school, and take a little time off of the extra year that you are creating.

All in all though, either way it will probably work out, things just seem to do that. Good luck!

Shike · 03-20-2006, 04:03 PM

Personally, I'd say No. I'll explain

1. $13 an hour is not much at all. All internships will pay that or better.
2. If you hate the job you'll be miserable. Sure you *might* get used to it, but you might not either.
3. There are PLENTY of other jobs out there. You could probably get something to help your resume even further than this.
4. BEST thing about an internship is the possibility of getting work at the same company when you graduate. You don't necessarily want to be there when you grad so thats against you also.
5. I'd say graduate on time then spend that year you have at the company you want earning your way up.

zfuture · 03-20-2006, 04:35 PM

Ok, I still have not made my decision because SOMETHING CRAZY just happened a couple hours ago.

The summer job I applied for at a pharmaceutical company emailed me 2 hours ago to set up a 2nd interview. I did a phone interview around a month ago.

Do I take the job that is 100% guaranteed? Or do I forego it, and go for the other company's interview.

By cancelling the offer, I forfeit it. Also, this other pharmaceutical company is more related to what I am learning. However, it is only a summer job.

zfuture · 03-20-2006, 04:39 PM

My apologies to those I didn't give a rep to. I haev maxed out giving reps over a 24 hr period lol.

zfuture · 03-20-2006, 05:31 PM

bump

TheAustrianOak · 03-20-2006, 05:44 PM

take it for sure

i have a similar situation (except my intern is with computers) and i accepted my offer

i make $15/hour and have an awesome boss for it

not to mention that we go out for lunch every friday with some other people in the industry, so it's really good networking

one of them offered me a full time position when i finish my course

bottom line = a bit of cash, experience you can throw on the resume, and good networking oppertunity

Amris · 03-20-2006, 05:52 PM

Listen. Don't take the job out of fear. It sounds to me like you honestly don't want this job. You sincerely believe that you will be unhappy there, and you are disgusted by the whole concept.

You are considering taking it only out of fear, "OMG, what if" I don't get offered something else?!

The problem here is that life has a way of working itself out. If you live your life based on fear, you will be unhappy, because you will do things that you feel forced into, not that you find any pleasure or accomplishment in.

Now, it's not that fear is useless, because it's not. But the kind of fear that we're discussing here is a bit of an unreasonable fear. You might miss out on something... but not something that will genuinely effect you to a point where you will have made a major, life altering decision.

I would refuse, very politely, and realize that there are other internships, there are other jobs. Taking one you'll be miserable at out of fear is an unreasonable response to life.

LittleEnglish · 03-20-2006, 05:52 PM

I wouldn't.

-The pay is way too low for something like that.
-You won't be setting yourself up for something later (job when you graduate)
-You'll have to stay at school a year longer
-Lots of part time jobs pay close to that

HK Connection · 03-20-2006, 06:22 PM

Take the internship. The money should not be a factor at all in this. It is becoming more and more competitive for college graduates these days. Even MBAs don't guarantee a good paying job. The only thing that does is experience. Real experience, not a 3 month gig over the summer. If you hate it that is fine too. You will have learned of one industry you don't want to work in or at least now be connected to the entire agricultural industry at the least.

godemiche · 03-20-2006, 06:49 PM

Try and get that Summer job & stay in school....

Taking a year off of school for a so-so paying job is not a good idea. I know a couple guys that slowly quit school once they were offered a decent paying job and then never graduated.. After a full year off, it's hard to get back to it.. yeah, you need experience, but it's a choice you have to make. I believe this is the best one.

With the medical/healthcare industry the way it is, you should have no problem getting something with a biochemistry degree...

Andrew99 · 03-20-2006, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zfuture

Ok, I still have not made my decision because SOMETHING CRAZY just happened a couple hours ago.

The summer job I applied for at a pharmaceutical company emailed me 2 hours ago to set up a 2nd interview. I did a phone interview around a month ago.

Do I take the job that is 100% guaranteed? Or do I forego it, and go for the other company's interview.

By cancelling the offer, I forfeit it. Also, this other pharmaceutical company is more related to what I am learning. However, it is only a summer job.

Good grief, you're asking us if you should take a job you'll hate because its your only offer? Turn it down and keep looking. If you don't get the internship, stay in school. Experience in crap jobs is not that valuable. If it doesn't relate at all to what you will be doing eventually, its not important. I get resumes from people that had all sorts of retail and waitressing jobs in college. Those jobs mean nothing, but if someone came to us with a short job in a pharmaceutical company, that would be real experience. Then again, I'm in pharmaceutical services.

Slated · 11-24-2008, 09:06 AM

McDonalds College

replicat0r · 11-24-2008, 09:12 AM

heres the break down. i was in a similar situation... work vs school

if your gonna do an internship. MAKE sure its some you enjoy. or atleast LIKES.. cause its gonna be like GOIN to hell every single day if you hate your job. it is good to get some work exp then go back to school man.