<p>To preface this: I'm a nursing student.</p>
<p>...I have a job dilemma: </p>
<p>There's a summer job that I've wanted for almost 3 years now...a "city host" position with a Christian organization (CSM) doing missions work in the inner city...and then there's camp nursing, a job that I've always thought I would apply for/take the summer after my junior year in college (I'm a sophomore), mostly because I didn't know that camps hired students... </p>
<p>So, I'm pretty far into the process with CSM...I've filled out the application, done the phone interview, and am trying to schedule the last part, the site visit, and I've also applied at various summer camps that hire students, and have a bite from one...a BIG BITE!...as in, less than a week has passed since I put my profile on a site for camp nurses, and this camp has already emailed me, called me, and said that "maybe we could tie this up in the next couple of days." </p>
<p>I can't do both, as they're both summer long positions...but I don't know which I'd prefer because they both have their pros and cons. CSM doesn't make their decision til around March...but if I get an offer from the camp within the next couple of weeks, I'll have to make a decision without knowing about CSM...</p>
<p>CSM Pros: </p>
<ul>
<li>Organization does great work </li>
<li>Good experience in community (I want to do community health nursing or pediatrics) </li>
<li>Get to live in a city for the summer, hopefully LA </li>
</ul>
<p>CSM Cons: </p>
<ul>
<li>Long days </li>
<li>Shared residence </li>
<li>Gone for the entire summer </li>
<li>Much less pay than the camp</li>
</ul>
<p>Camp Pros: </p>
<ul>
<li>Nursing experience </li>
<li>Some independence </li>
<li>Get to work with kids full time </li>
<li>Only 2 months of the summer </li>
<li>Amazing pay</li>
</ul>
<p>Camp Cons: </p>
<ul>
<li>Limited experience </li>
<li>Stuck at camp all summer </li>
<li>Would be a major minority there (I'm black and a Christian, and most people who attend the camp, and even work there are Jews) </li>
</ul>
<p>I feel like I can make a really good argument for either job, though as of right now, it's easier to say why I should take the camp job...</p>
<p>Camp job argument:</p>
<p>It's pretty much in the bag, it's much better pay (more money for less weeks worked, and probably less hours worked per week as well), it starts later in the summer so I could have a real vacation beforehand, it'll give me experience in nursing (and in peds which is great because I'm thinking about that as a career, and my peds class is next year), networking (I'll be working with one other nurse -- 3 if you count the two nurses at the other camp that's connected, and 4 doctors), I love working with kids, it would be closer to home, and summer camp is fun!</p>
<p>However...my argument for CSM goes something like this:</p>
<p>It's a job I've wanted for years, this is the only year it really makes sense (next year I'll be a graduate nurse and will be taking the NCLEX during the summer and will be able to work either as a GN or RN, and the year after that, I'll be done with college and needing to find a permanent job), I'm almost guaranteed to love it, I'll never get bored, I'll be in a city, I'll get leadership and community experience, networking for community organizations (I also have an interest in community health)...</p>
<p>Help me out here, please.</p>
(Of course this only applies if CSM actually offers you a job. Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched!)</p>