If I were in tour shoes I would stay at UPS and become a driver. I truly believe its the best job in the company for the money they pay us. You could go into sales, but I wouldn't. I may be ignorant to their job, pay and benefits but I have some assumptions.
First is, I'm not sure they pay very well at least to start. Second, once you're in management they can assign you anywhere and any place outside ( or inside) of sales and if you want to be promoted you have to accept the assignment.
One good thing I've noticed about the sales reps is that many have been around a while so the job can't be THAT bad. I must say though sales is not for me and never will be. I'm just not good at it and don't want any part of it. Perhaps you are VERY good at it and have a passion for it. Also, you might be able to find a better position outside the company but I wouldn't recommend it especially with economy about to go into another recession in which we haven't recovered from the first one yet.
This is why I say stay at UPS. My uncle once said the funeral business is recession proof and I believe UPS is almost as well off. You might get laid off as a driver a UPS but will still have a job inside making good money doing a job that starts at $8.50/hour.
This is why my opinion is you should stay working at UPS PT until you can become a FT driver. I don't know what every driver is whining about? $31/hour and $0 for health insurance to deliver packages? Yes its hard work but anywhere else that any of us could find jobs would pay us a lot less to work a lot harder and have to pay for benefits.
This is why I think you should become a driver even if offered a position at another company behind a desk. At this other company you will be at the bottom and subjected to lay-offs that will eventually happen and could be likely even if the economy was healthy.
Just think about the driver job. No worries about lay-offs (worse case scenario you are kicked back to the HUB but never out of a job), make $31/hour with at least 5(closer to 7) hours/week of OT at $46/hour, no boss up your butt once you leave the center (you're free to work without a person over your shoulder once you leave the gates), you're outside and on your own, and get to make contacts all day long with people you deliver to. I know a ton of people just from being a cover driver and then having a route in the same area. These come in handy when they are policeman, fireman, mechanics, wealthy business owners, insurance agents, town selectman, doctors, dentists, etc. Point being you can take care of all of your appointments during your lunch hour once you know all these people.
I would be very upset if I ever lost my job at UPS. If I lost my job at another company I would not be even close to as upset if I lost my UPS job. Its the security I value the most. I would also plan better for the future if I could switch places with you because if you plan well you have it made once you leave at a healthy older age.
You take your paycheck and live a life that is below your means but is still very comfortable because you gross $1,500-$1,700/ week. Put 10% into your 401k that becomes 150-170 (probably contribute more like 15%), buy some UPS stock at a 5% discount even though it probably will never go above $80/share but you're getting 5% right off the bat with a dividend, put another $100/week in savings. You're still looking at having $600-$700/ week to live your life with. You could even save more because $600/week is probably 2X what many of the people I deliver to are taking home. Plan well and you could be a millionaire by the age of 55 or sooner.
Lastly, the greatest thing and savings is the health insurance. I was talking to a man who runs a small business out of his home and only employs himself. He is giving me crap the I pay $0 for me and my family for insurance when it costs him around $1000-$1500 to cover him and his wife. So, I think we have it pretty good and I want to stay in my position.
PS, this guy complaining about his health ins. cost drives a $80,000 car and lives in a $700,000 home so I really wanted to tell him to save his gripe or ask him if he would like to switch lively hoods. He would throw up on his pants if he actually had to WORK to earn his money, LOL.
