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Saturday, November 04, 2006

Reality check

An editor from a Washington paper called me this week for a telephone interview. No warning. Just answer the phone and I was "on." He seemed like a nice enough Joe. But here are the drawbacks:

It's a night city editor job -- which means I work nights. I'm a very social MORNING person. But I guess I could do this for a while.

A MALE friend had spoken to same editor a couple of weeks ago about the job. My friend lives in Seattle and decided the one-hour commute was too much for him to handle every day, so he declined. But before he declined said editor quoted him a salary.

He quoted me a much lower salary. Red flag. Same basic qualifications, and the guy gets a higher monetary offer. Hmmm.

Another red flag. He called one of my references at a former paper, and my reference called me afterward asking if everything was ok. Apparently, said editor, was more interested in WHY I left the paper than how I performed while I was there. Weird.

I hate looking for a job. And I don't think that hubby, or son in Washington understand how much I really don't want to move. I'm in the "middle" of stuff here. Excited about the NAHJ Region V conference that I'm helping to plan. Excited about the 2007 Gridiron show that I'm helping to write.

True, I hate my job. True, I really need to change that job.

The ONLY reason I want to move to Washington is because I miss my son, daughter-in-law and granddaughters terribly. But everyone one else is HERE or within driving distance of HERE. And if you recall from my February trip to Seattle, I wasn't that impressed.

That's it. They need to move closer. Don't you wish life's decisions were easy?

4 comments:

Gina said...

This doesn't sound good, C. Lower salary for the same job? Turning your personal schedule upside down? Moving so far away when your life is obviously in Oklahoma City? Moving at all, for that matter? I think you've already made your decision. You see all the red flags, professionally and personally.

Maybe Brian and his family *will* move closer someday. In the meantime, you have some great things going in Oklahoma. If it ain't broke... ;)

Carmel said...

G - Thanks. But the job here sucks. And I desperately miss writing for a newspaper. So professionally, I need to make a move. But you're right. This isn't the right one. Oh, and I let him know that I KNEW the salary could be higher. There's not a chance in heck I'd take the lower salary. Now, I'm getting mad. What a jerk.

Gina said...

I'm amazed and appalled that the salary thing still happens. If women quit newspapers in one fell swoop, they wouldn't be able to function. And yet there are still papers that pull this stuff. Unbelievable.

It makes me mad, too.

Unknown said...

C, I'd pass. There are two red flags: the lower salary, and the questions about *why* you left.

Makes you wonder if people leave a lot, no?

I hear you on the job hunt. I'm having the same frustrations. I just hate, hate, hate it.