u/Evening_Practice8821

I’m a new grad and accepted a job offer a few weeks ago because I was stressed about finding something after graduation. At the time, I thought it was a solid opportunity and I was excited to finally have something lined up. The organization has really good benefits, which was honestly a big factor in why I accepted in the first place. But after accepting, I’m realizing the actual work is not really what I want to be doing career-wise. The more I think about it, the more I’m worried I accepted out of fear and stability.

I don’t start for another month, and now I’m wondering if I should keep applying to other jobs in the meantime. Part of me feels guilty because I already accepted the offer, but another part of me feels like I shouldn’t lock myself into something I already have doubts about before I even start.

Has anyone else been in this situation? Would it be terrible to back out before starting if I got a better offer that aligned more with what I actually want?

I’m about to start my first job as a therapist in CMH, and I found out today that even though I’m salaried, I’m required to take an unpaid lunch break. Because of that, I have to be scheduled for 45 hours a week. I’m also expected to work two evenings past 5pm and see 28 clients per week.

I’m feeling pretty anxious about the possibility of burnout, especially as someone just starting out, but I also don’t want to go into the job with a negative mindset before I’ve even started. Does this sound typical, and do you have any advice for managing the workload and avoiding burnout?

I’m about to start my first job after grad school, and I’ll be doing therapy with kids ages 5-17. During my internship, I mainly worked with preteens/teens and adults, so I don’t have much experience working therapeutically with younger children yet.

I’d love to hear any advice, tips, resources, or things you wish you knew before working with younger kids for the first time. Thanks in advance!

If you were deciding between these two job offers, which would you choose and why?

For context, I'm a new MSW grad.

Job A pays $10,000 more per year. It’s in an intensive outpatient program, so it involves working with individuals who have more significant and complex mental health needs. The schedule is roughly 8-5 with no evenings or weekends. It also includes 4 hours per month of free clinical supervision (minimum of 4 hours per month are required in my state). The health insurance is better than Job B’s and costs about half as much.

Job B is based in a school, working typical school hours (8-3) with no evenings or weekends. The role is lighter in the summer (part-time), but the salary is spread out so you’re paid evenly year-round. However, it does not include clinical supervision, which I would need to pay for on my own.