Work Experience vs. Having a Paid Job (1 Viewer)

[shimmy&shine]

Recently I started work experience. It's a complete full day from 8am to around 7pm, and I love every moment of it and would love to continue with it. It has been a fantastic experience, that would be greatly greatly be valuable for future job opportunities in the field I'm interested in. I'm establishing very important contacts, etc, and doing exciting jobs, all for free - but that's cool, because I'm there for work experience.

So my dilemma is this.

I don't have much money, and I do have a ordinary job open for me at a place where I would get average pay, but that would mean i have to sacrifice work experience. So what's more important, getting my foot in the door of an industry that i want to work in in the future, or spending these holidays in a paid job? I'm not sure i could juggle both, as i want to show the company where I'm having work experience that I'm very eager, enthusiastic and committed towards learning as much as i can from them, which i truly am.

it'll be a great help if you guys could comment and tell me your opinions. Thanks!

xoxo

 

[ur_inner_child]

How long are you doing work experience for?

 

[shimmy&shine]

I've finished one week, and they said i can come back in again, espeically since it is the festive season and atm they are short-staffed, so there are more jobs for me. Jobs I would pay to do though.

 

[Tulipa]

What field is the work experience in?

 

[ur_inner_child]

I doubt that it would be so ongoing so you'll have time to get a part time job during the holidays to catch up with your expenses, particularly if you've had work experience for an extended period of time.

If its going to be ongoing work experience, I'd say talk to your employer about it, just be honest and say that you love doing this work and that you feel divided about going for actual paid work and you were asking for some advice. Just make sure you let them know that you want to work as much as possible with them. They'd probably let you know when they might not need you, or you can organise less hours for you, or they might even offer you a bit of pay!

A simple "are there any paid positions available that I could look into for the holidays? I love working here so much but I'm getting into a bit of financial trouble". Or something like that

But other than that, are you sure you couldn't handle weekend work?

 

[shimmy&shine]

thanks for that ur_inner_child !

that was really helpful advice. It's me who's actually hopeful of making this work experience on-going, and they said that when I want to come in, not to hesitate in calling. I have a contact there, who said she'll also help arrange another work experience at another company to experience what that is like. Both companies are in the same field. I doubt they have any paid positions for me though, not even as a copy girl. there will be too many people willing to do it on their knees just for free!

Doing weekend work would also mean that I have a flat-out week, and I actually want to have some sort of 'break'.

I guess the fundamental thing is the importance of the work experience.

What field is the work experience in?

I want to be a journalist (investigative/health) areas, but my interests are broad, with experience in telelvision and newspapers.