What are some jobs where you can choose your own hours?

Deciding between two jobs?

• I am trying to decide between two jobs and need your opinions. Job 1. I just got this job a few weeks ago. It's in a call center doing outbound sales. I am slowly getting the hang of it. The job is full time and they have incentives if you get sales. I don't experience much stress from this job, just some boredom at times. I get 40 hours per week and have the option for overtime almost anytime I would like to do it. However if I begin to struggle with the job they may decide to let me go, but there are people who work with me that have been there 3 months and are doing the same amount of sales per day as I am. Job 2. It's retail and it pays more then the call center but it has no added incentive like the call center does and it is part time. I have a lot of experience in retail and at this particular store. I know everyone there as well, and many of them are great friends who I hang with outside of work. The job is a position in the store I have been interested in but at the same time that position in tails following a lot of policies and making sure you do everything right as it's considered a high risk department. This job however I can easily keep. I do like both jobs, and considering the pay difference I would get paid more at the call center. I can't do both jobs either as they both require open availability, and the hours would definitely overlap. So what would you choose? Familiarity or money?

• Answer:

  In my experience, as well as my friends, call center jobs are almost always temporary. They keep you a year or two, and then start cycling in new staff. You can never be comfortable there. Another thing, if you are not making sales you will be replaced. Plus you think going into the job you will get amazing commission bonuses, but you really don't. With retail you have more room to grow. You can advance from part time to full time, and even to management after a while. I wouldn't worry about the strict policies, the thing I would worry about is working with friends. I have seen many times, people who get jobs working with friends and it doesn't end pretty. You get there and you love working with them. But when it comes to a job, no one will stick their neck out to help you, and most likely it will ruin your friendship and may cost you your job. People tend to get territorial and will do anything to stay on top. It's a tough decision, but ultimately I would take the retail job. It's a little more controllable.