[CS-FSLUG] Prayer request

[Nathan T.]

Hello fellow listfolk

I've got an interesting dilemma I'd appreciate you all praying about.

I got two important replies from all my job applications, one from a
computer store and one from an office supply store.

The computer store has a "Microsoft Certified Partner" flag hung
inside the store in plain view, they're *the* computer store in town
with businesses and government offices as their customers. The woman
they had give me the interview was one of the managers, and she was
too smart for me: the interview started out normal enough, but she
discretely went from talking as if I was a potential employee to
talking as if I had already accepted and I was none the wiser until I
was most of the way home after the interview. The wage I'd be earning
completely surprised me, I tried my best to keep a straight face, but
when I heard the amount I was so surprised I spent the next few
minutes trying to remember where I was. There's a catch though, I have
to get A+ certification from Microsoft, and from there work my way up
to getting a handful of others so they can move me from working the
cash register to working in support. I was given a strict set of
rules, until I got my certificates I wouldn't be allowed to answer
questions on the phone, I couldn't even make recommendations, as I
understood it I could just tell people what there is in stock, the
prices and how many units. The computer store really does seem very
uptight, they don't actually seem to have point of sale software
either, their rules are stricter than Staples, and they expect me to
get certifications while they might only be paying for the first
certification exam if I pass and from there on expect me to pay for
the rest of them.

The office supply store was a smaller operation, in fact it was the
next best thing to a family run business. The manager I spoke to was a
nice older man, he wasn't discrete at all and the interview was more
of an informal conversation. I would be making almost as much at the
office supply store, the benefits package is virtually identical. I
would get two days off a week (ie: week end, but not necessarily on
the week end), I would get two weeks paid vacation a year in addition
to stat holidays and the option of unpaid RTO. It was a lot more
relaxed in there, in fact it felt a lot more comfortable than my last
job at Staples. Even though the pay was a little less I really did
feel that was the place I'd rather work, and best of all there were no
certification exams.

As far as I understand it the computer store is going to call Monday,
although whether it's to tell me what time to show up for work or
where to go for a second interview is beyond me. I won't do anything
to burn my bridges with these folks, but if I can I want to politely
turn down the job so that I can work at the office supply store
instead.

As many of you know I'm socially awkward, this is actually quite
difficult for me. I could use your prayers and advice as fellow
Christians and as fellow geeks.