Thought for Thursdays - I don't really like interviews...

As promised, I'm giving you all (my 2 or 3 loyal readers) an update on my J.O.B. interview:

The interview was okay. It's really hard to tell with these things, especially since it was one of those group things where they have 4 of their key people and they ask you some questions in a kind of round robin. Really, it's sort of a hot seat thing. They started off asking me to pick 3 adjectives to describe myself and explain why I picked them (ugh, I hate those kind of questions). Then they wanted me to repeat my whole resume with details (obviously they didn't put it that way). Then they described the job I'm already doing (remember, I'm applying to keep the job I already have, but get paid less for it) and asked me how that sounded (um, like the job I'm already doing?). In answering a question about working with diverse groups (mainly of the ethnic differences variety) I digressed once into describing the independent project I did in grad school, but I think that may or may not be seen as a good thing depending on how they took it (which is hard to say...dealing with a group).

Overall, I think I answered things fine. I pretty much have an edge since I'm already in the position they're filling and they actually plan to hire two people to cover everything that I was mostly doing on my own. The key will be how much they offer me pay wise and if they'll let me work the north half of the region we cover. Based on the salary schedule, I can get up to 12 years of credit when worked in the last 14 years. So, going back to the 94-95 school year that's 10 years. If they count the years regardless of whether I was full time or part time, then I think my salary would be around $55k. I think I'll make close to $50 an hour factoring in the benefits and taxes paid by the district, etc. That would be fine, but of course I'd be working a lot more than I've been doing for the last few years and also right now I make $60 an hour. The trade off is a more disciplined schedule. I think I might also get more mileage refunded than I get right now, so that can make up a few bucks.

My thinking right now is that if they give me 10 years experience credit and they give me a mostly north end of town assignment I would try it out for a year and see how it goes. If it stays fun then I could make it a career. I think I need to work about 14 years more years to qualify for a monthly pension (I think I have like 6 or 7 years of pension credit already). I have to have 21 years at 59 to retire get a 52.5% of my 3 highest years average income. So, if I retired making $85k, that would pay me about $44K or about half of what I'd need in order to maintain my standard of living if I don't have my house paid off by then. But of course, I would have my condo paid off by then or have most of the house I plan to build on "My Land" (because Yenbar wants to know what I call my land) paid off.

That means my finance business still needs to bring in some money. I think if I make $15k a year I can save a third of it and use the rest to cover business expenses, taxes and pay down business debt first, then the car loan, school loans and mortgages. I guess if they offer me the job at the pay I think I should get, I'll take it and then run my financial analysis program with new numbers and start my acceleration plan. Worse case scenario, if I can't stand the full time J.O.B. after a year or two I can move on to the next great idea and do it with a lot more savings and a lot less debt! And that's the whole point. Oh yeah, and I still have a couple months off every summer either way!