Work or not to work

My plan, once we had settled, was to find a job where I could work just three days a week, preferably Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

I had seen a bookkeeping position advertised for quite some time, at least since January. The company were looking for someone with just basic bookkeeping skills and about three years of experience. As it was a full-time position I kept passing it by. I got to thinking about it and thought I could probably do the job in three days each week. I decided that I would offer my services but for three days a week. I felt I had more experience than they were looking for and was sure I could do the work in less time. Knowing that the industry they were in would not really have very much work in the winter.

I phoned the company, went for an initial interview. It sounded like they would be willing to make the position part-time. I left the interview feeling very confident, they wanted to check my references before proceeding any further.

I received a phone call the following week asking me to come back to discuss the position and wages. He had spoken to my previous employers and said that to his enquiry they informed him I had left very good manuals for that position. At once bells began to ring. Why would he want to know if I left manuals on how to do my job? What bearing did that have on the position he was offering?

Anyway I went to chat with him again, this time he had me write a test. I was not impressed but took his test. After checking my answers we talked again about the position.

This is what he finally offered me. For $15 an hour he would want me to complete the previous years Financial Statements and clean up the mess that had been left by the previous person. She had left in July and their year end was November. He expected me to complete this in three weeks. He wanted me to write a manual for the position with a completion deadline of five maybe six months. Plus keep the everyday work up to date. All for the grand wage of $15.00 an hour. If I meet his deadlines he would bonus me back $5 an hour for the first deadline and then maybe another $3 or $4 an hour after the next deadline.

None of this sat well with me. There was no safeguard for me, he could utilize all my abilities and not like what I do or put other hurdles in the way. There was no guarantee that he would actually pay me a final wage of $23 or $24 an hour. Not only did I feel completely insulted by his offer but felt his intent was to use me. Once he had what he needed that would be the end of the position for me. Of course he did mention other perks such as cost plus 10% on any stock items I purchased; and the company gas credit card once in a while if I used my car for company business. Both of these items I would expect.

He kept telling me he had been burned in the past and did not intend to have that happen again. He also told me he had another person he was thinking of hiring but she would take more training than I would and was looking for full-time work. I told him I don't have to work I was just looking to get out of the house for a few days each week.

My final decision was; thank you but no thank you. I told him $15 an hour was far too low even with the possible bonuses.

I was not putting myself it that sort of position where he held all the cards. As for the other person who he was considering hiring, obviously a fabrication, in the week-end paper was an advert for the bookkeeping position. I'm not so desperate for work that I would take a position that paid me almost $10 an hour under what I believe I'm worth.