Jobs?

[MOWGLI]

Having your cake, and eating it too. You must be a solid individual. Good things tend to come to people who do the right thing.

Have a great hike!

[tom_alan]

So the president of my company (my boss) asked me into his office to speak with me about working full time. In a surprise turn, and one of the kindest gestures I've ever received, he told me to hike.

He went on to explain how he grew up without parents, paid for his own education by working full time during school and has worked ever since. He told me he regretted that he never had time to do anything the likes of what I have been planning and that he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he pulled me away from my dream to work full time.

The position that I was offered will be given to someone else, however, he told me that when I return from my hike, he'll find another job for me there.

Because the company would pay for me to go to graduate school, I'll be able to hike and then return to Connecticut with a job and education waiting.

I am f***ing thrilled.

Thanks for all your advice and see some of you on the trail in March! WOOOO!

Sounds like you and your boss have a great relationship. I am glad things worked out for you! Enjoy!

[mudhead]

You would be very wise to send this employer an occasional post card from the trail. Not an e-mail. People like that deserve good treatment.

Congrats on you!

[A-Train]

You would be very wise to send this employer an occasional post card from the trail. Not an e-mail. People like that deserve good treatment.

Congrats on you!

How true. A hand-written letter goes a long way these days with some people.

[BearII]

You would be very wise to send this employer an occasional post card from the trail. Not an e-mail. People like that deserve good treatment.

Congrats on you!

This is an excellent idea!

Crash - before your post about the conversation with the boss I was going to say that if you really have a heart for the trail you should hike. As my tag line says, "there is always a way". Fortunately for you things worked out perfectly.

I have three kids, 25, 24, 22, with each one I've emphasized that they should not rush into college/jobs. They have their WHOLE life to work. The oldest has ended up traveling around the world, went to college, graduated 4.0 and has his dream job. The middle one did an internship at her favorite charity and traveled all over South America, just finishing up with a 4.0 in secondary ed as a math major. The youngest decided college wasn't for her yet went to work at a job she loves and now is studying to be a dive master and is getting ready to go to the Carribean!!

This career concept is bogus. I'm on 3rd "career" wildly successful at all of them and starting my 4th career, semi retirement. I've got several trips planned, including the AT next year. After playing for 4 or 5 years I'm planning to settle down again somewhere at whatever work strikes my fancy in my journeys.

Who knows, but you only have one life to live. Remember not to forsake your dreams. I'm a firm believer that we can either make life what we want it to be or live like everyone else, just drifting along getting sucked into the "normal" life. Life YOUR life, no one elses!!!

Best of luck and hopefully we'll see you out on the trail.

[NICKTHEGREEK]

So the president of my company (my boss) asked me into his office to speak with me about working full time. In a surprise turn, and one of the kindest gestures I've ever received, he told me to hike.

He went on to explain how he grew up without parents, paid for his own education by working full time during school and has worked ever since. He told me he regretted that he never had time to do anything the likes of what I have been planning and that he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he pulled me away from my dream to work full time.

The position that I was offered will be given to someone else, however, he told me that when I return from my hike, he'll find another job for me there.

Because the company would pay for me to go to graduate school, I'll be able to hike and then return to Connecticut with a job and education waiting.

I am f***ing thrilled.

Thanks for all your advice and see some of you on the trail in March! WOOOO!

Dude, that's the old management school number 7. "Talk the guy out of taking the job because your wife is bustin on you for not hiring your worthless nephew and you're stuck legally so you're life sucks unless you can convince the guy to join the priesthood or French Foreign Legion or go hiking".
Enjoy!!

[Rockhound]

work is highly over rated. i quit in 2003 and have been happier ever since

[bigboots]

Way to go, that is awesome! I will see you on the trail!

[Lilred]

My doctor is a backpacker. Said he would write me a prescription to hike the AT to lower my cholesterol. My principal just told me last week that the board of education would honor it as a medical leave. My job would be waiting for me when I got back. Now I just have to come up with the money. LOLOL That's the tricky part for me.

Congrats on how this all worked out. Frankly, if I were 25 again and faced with that decision, I'd go hiking. You're only young once. Kudos to the boss.

[BlindMoose]

I am 49 and am going to spend my 50th B-Day thru-hiking the AT. I have had numerous jobs - but my goal in life is not to get enough accumulated to retire some day, it is to see things and experience things - not get thins. I have siblings who are so tied to their 'career' that they can't even take a weeks vacation without stressing out over being away from their security blanket. I have had jobs that i thought were 'the one' only to realize that there is no security or loyalty when it comes to business.
It all comes down to what is important to you in life- which of course has no guarantees (not even tomorrow). Do you want experience, security, or try to get both. Some do get both - but the recent economic situation shows how fragile 'security' really is. Be loyal to yourself. If hiking the AT is on your 'bucket list" then take the opportunity to cross that one off and then head for the next.
Thats my opinion

[BearII]

I am 49 and am going to spend my 50th B-Day thru-hiking the AT. I have had numerous jobs - but my goal in life is not to get enough accumulated to retire some day, it is to see things and experience things - not get thins. I have siblings who are so tied to their 'career' that they can't even take a weeks vacation without stressing out over being away from their security blanket. I have had jobs that i thought were 'the one' only to realize that there is no security or loyalty when it comes to business.
It all comes down to what is important to you in life- which of course has no guarantees (not even tomorrow). Do you want experience, security, or try to get both. Some do get both - but the recent economic situation shows how fragile 'security' really is. Be loyal to yourself. If hiking the AT is on your 'bucket list" then take the opportunity to cross that one off and then head for the next.
Thats my opinion

+1 well said Moose, well said!

[chief]

So I've been planning an '09 NOBO thru for the best part of 6 or 7 months now, buying my gear and saving money with a temp position at a respectable company (I just graduated from college in May, so I decided to hike before getting a "real job"). Today, however, the company I work for offered me a very decent job that I would start full time next month.

Given the economy, I'm a little worried about not accepting this position, going for a six month hike (that I might not even finish) and coming back to a bleak job market with no money. But it's hard to just give up on an adventure that I've been looking forward to and planning for so much.

Is anyone else in a similar position / time in your life? What are your plans?

I'm not in a similar position nor time in my life, but at the risk of being off topic...

(1) It's good that you graduated.
(2) It's good that you are working to fund your hike.
(3) It's good that your employer thinks enough of you to offer a permanent position.
(4) It's MOST good that you're 22!

Dude, you have the world by the nads! Go hiking or take the job!

If you hike, the goodness will still be around when you finish, IF YOU WANT IT TO BE! Even in bleak times, losers are losers and winners are winners.

[canoehead]

I own Tekoa Mountain Outdoors. www.tekoamountainoutdoors.com
Today I was doing an Environmental Ed class with 5th graders, turning over logs checking out decompsoer bugs and leraning about adaptations. I was back home for noon. Great day. My point is if you have to work then do what you love to do, or you'll be changing that job soon.
I have hired 3 thru hikers and the reason for that is simple.
Commitment to see something through. As an employer thats hard to find these days. Do your hike, enjoy your hike, learn from your hike. Then apply it to the world

[mudhead]

I'm not in a similar position nor time in my life, but at the risk of being off topic...

(1) It's good that you graduated.
(2) It's good that you are working to fund your hike.
(3) It's good that your employer thinks enough of you to offer a permanent position.
(4) It's MOST good that you're 22!

Dude, you have the world by the nads!

I agree. Next thing you know, he will see a smiling face that will stop him in his tracks.

[Sloth71]

Opinions are like bunbgholes. Everyone's got 'em. Your heart and head will tell you if this is the job for you or if you should go be a Rolling Stone. Listen to people's advice, it's your life and only you are responsible to yourself.