you know I work all day to get you money to buy you things

A song by probably the world's most famous band of all time. For those of you who like your music I won't have to tell you this, but for anybody who doesn't know that's from 'A Hard Day's Night' by The Beatles. I was picking between that and '9 to 5' by Dolly Parton. Ironically those are representative of the 2 jobs I now need to pick between.

A quick summary for anyone who hasn't read my blog yet (or who has forgotten my job history because it's been that long since I stopped writing): After leaving uni I started working behind the bar in Capone's, the Showbar of Haven's flagship park. By the end of season I would say I was an important and dare I say loved member of that team. I'm currently doing admin work as work experience for another holiday company; a small, almost family, business for dancing holidays. It has the memorable name Holidays4Dancers.

My headache is this - Both have offered me a job, but realistically I can only accept one, certainly on a full time basis. Admittedly it's a good headache to have but it does need to be resolved.

So let's start with the hard day's night, being behind the bar. I absolutely loved it behind the bar. I was working with great people, there was a great atmosphere created by the staff, the customers and the acts, it's an interesting job that doesn't have 2 days the same and I could work a lot of hours. My best for a week was 50.25 but people were doing 70+ through extra hours and I'd like to have a few weeks the same if I go back.

However there are definitely some cons too. It's not ideal working the hours I was. I would regularly finish at 1-2am and not get home until 5. It's less a problem for me, who enjoys that time, than my parents. It's also seasonal, so I'd be out of a job again in November. Finally it's a big company, it's going to be hard to get promotions. I reckon if this year goes well I could be a team leader next year. Then it'd be at least a couple of years until I was a venue manager. So it'd be at least 3 years until I was in any sort of secure job.

A final point of note, I could use this year to gain the experience I need to have an advantage applying for similar jobs at companies, both in Britain and abroad. I know of a company called Siblu that is basically Haven in Europe. My dual language skills would benefit me there.

And then we have the other hand, the 9 to 5. For the last 4 weeks I've been doing admin work, for only my jobseeker's allowance, at Holidays4Dancers. I've been offered the job and if I take it I would still be on minimum wage, same as at Devon Cliffs.

It's pretty much the opposite of the bar job. I'd have sociable hours, although not as many. It'd also be a permanent job in the sense that it's not seasonal. I'd have a 6 months contract to start with, then 2 years and then it would be taken from there. With the direction the company, and it's sister, are going there's scope for quick promotions too.

But the job doesn't interest me as much. Sure I get to play around doing the website stuff but otherwise it's boring paperwork and taking phonecalls and adding files to the database. Yesterday I was in the office by myself and just couldn't concentrate on doing my job. I ended up on facebook playing games, and that's not a good direction to go in.

So I think in principle in boils down to this: Do I want a job that will keep me happy and might get me a few rungs up the career ladder or do I want a job that will probably send me flying up it but off the wall?

Advices please?

I leave you with the 2 songs that represent my choices. Don't judge the choice on the song.
Hard Day's Night - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlDdcCzKjsc
9 to 5 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpKAA2VxWY8