As a few of you might know, I've been pseudo-unemployed since June of last year, when my previous school declined to give me a long-term contract.
Since then, I've been hunting for jobs, in addition to running my currently--totally unprofitable, as I have yet to have my flagship product released by my publisher--RPG company.
In January, I was hired by Kaplan as an SAT/ACT prep coach, but only on a part-time basis. My first (and only class) with them was cancelled, leaving me high and dry for both hours and pay. In fairly dire straights, I applied at a local Donato's Pizza as a delivery driver and was hired. I started there this week.
However, today, I was tendered an offer by another local school district as a long-term substitute teacher. I accepted the offer and would start on March 2nd.
The issue comes in what I do next. Between my few Kaplan hours and my subbing, we'll be fine financially through the rest of the school year. However, come June, I'll lose my primary method of employment, even if the district picks me up for the vacancy I'm subbing for (the prior teacher is retiring, so there's definitely a vacancy, for which I'll have the inside track). There's no way that I could potentially keep all three jobs, as Donato's has me primarily closing (which means being at the store until 1am most nights, making it unsuitable when I have to wake up at 6am to go teach). However, if I drop the Donato's job, I may be high and dry come June.
Thoughts? Ideas? Advice? I'll be working at Donato's tomorrow, so I will talk to them then, but what do I even say in this situation?
The Donato's job sounds like one where it wouldn't be hard to find one just like it if/when the time came in June that you needed it. Is that the case, or are there not a lot of alternatives in your area for that level of a job?
I've known a few teachers that did seasonal work during the summer. Things like lifeguaurding, caddying, working at a movie theater or retail. Basically any summer job that a college or high school student would do. You may want to try that. I remember my manager at a pool I lifeguarded at used to say she loved the employees that were teachers working for the summer because they were WAY more mature than the high schoolers. Good luck.
Following with Torian's post, local YMCAs and similar groups often hire off-season for summer camp positions, things like that. They love getting teachers!
I think I'm going to talk with my manager at Donato's and see if they'd be willing to allow me to come back in June, once the teaching year is over.
Under normal circumstances, I'd be willing to work weekends for them, but I had already planned--and notified them--that I'd need to take off several weekends to demo my own game at various conventions across the Miami Valley. As such, it's not really feasible. I'd be taking off more often than I'd be working.
So, I talked to my Donato's manager when my shift started today: they're being more than flexible with my messed-up schedule for the coming months. After this coming week, I'll be delivering on weekends only, aside from the weekends that I'm demoing my game at conventions. Come June, I'll be able to take up more hours with Donato's, since I won't be teaching then.
In the meanwhile, I'll be teaching high school during the week, delivering pizzas on the weekends, and doing Kaplan prep (and freelance writing/editing, and prepping my own company's stuff) in my off-hours. Busy busy busy!