Job Question

As you can see in my profile, teaching English wasn't my first job choice. Well, now I face an important decision: where do I go from here?

A couple months ago, my friend Bobby recommended something I hadn't thought of before: joining in the Army. With all the monetary bonuses, I must admit enlisting was pretty appealing. $20,000 for a quick-ship bonus¹, $8000 and E-4 rank because of my college degree, and another $12,000 for a five-year commitment. In addition, they would repay all $55,000 of my Stafford loan student debt.

With the MOS that I'd wanted (cryptologic linguist), I'd get a top secret clearance and a year's worth of language training. And after three years, I could apply to become an officer. It sounded really good.

But that required a six year commitment, and I didn't want to do that. Within three years, I'd hoped to become a Foreign Service Officer. And with SY being pregnant, there are too many issues, including immigration stuff.

So I'd decided to go with an offer by Korea Exchange Bank (외환은행) to work with their external relations group. In spite of questions about a buyout by HSBC (Source), the chance to work with a Korean business seemed like a great experience. They were offering a $5000 signing bonus, $45000 annual salary, plus all the regular benefits that go to normal employees.

However, there's a problem with that idea -- according to my contract I have to provide 45 days notice to CDI if I'm going to quit. The only way to make that shorter is to proverbially "burn a bridge" -- and out of fear for a future security clearance I'm not willing to do that.

Though I'd warned KEB about that during my interview process, I told them in my final negotiation that I could be available after two weeks. That was August 30. Then, after receiving notice that KEB's human resources department had gotten final approval, I spoke to CDI on Wednesday September 5.

Unfortunately, the head instructor at my school just put in her own notice recently, so there's no way I can get out of the 45 days clause. I told CDI that I'd get back to them on Monday whether my notice would be official or if I would just stick out my contract.

Then, on Saturday, a new development unfolded: CDI offered me the head instructor position. It means more money and greater responsibility (which is nice), plus a chance to stay in the same apartment.

Together with my morning job tutoring PWC partners, I'd make way more money staying where I'm at right now, and I'd still be working less than 40 hours a week. I figured it out the other day -- it would take about $80,000 a year in the U.S. to equal what I'd be making as tutor and head instructor.

Big decisions to be made..... And it all gets decided this week