Day of Reckoning

I have some huge decisions to make in the next few days. Opinions, input and feedback are welcome!

I've been offered a position as Project Manager with a small company that does content lifecycle management. This means that they develop things like marketing communications, product documentation and various other ways of delivering content to users (web sites, brochures, white papers, CDs, online help files, etc.). The content they work with is NOT focused on kids, families, education, or health (my specialty areas), but there's a chance that it might (big might) be in the future.

I talked to the CEO of the company for just under an hour two days ago (that was the day I was asked whether I qualify for the senior discount) and left without ever being introduced to the staff or having a tour of the tiny, bunch-of-tables-in-one-room office (which probably would have been "look left and look right -- that's our office"). I was not asked to supply any references.

Today the CEO called me and offered me the position.

Because the team on which I work and a "cultural fit" within the team and the office environment are so important to me, I requested that I come back to meet the staff. The CEO offered to set up phone calls with staff members, but I specified that I'd rather meet them face-to-face to talk casually with each of them about their work and about working at this company. It seems to me that this meeting would be well worth everyone's time. He'll apparently get back to me on that.

I also suggested the possibility of a freelance arrangement to begin our relationship, telling him very honestly that I have been seriously considering "hanging my own shingle" in the field of educational content development and consulting, and that if I do go the employee route it has to be the right job and a real "fit," not only for me but presumably for the company as well. And I blatantly told him that I won't know how I feel about the position until I know more -- until I've met the staff, know some of the projects, and until I'm sure that I could be satisfied working with content that is, for the most part, highly technical and has nothing to do with kids, education or health.

It's only fair and right, I think, that we both be happy. Right??

That said, this could well be a dream job. I just don't know right now. I feel kinda like the Indian girl whose parents tell her, upon arranging her marriage, "Be patient; you might come to love him over time." This isn't the position I've had in mind (that'd be Leapfrog --no-go on the EP position there, by the way... sigh -- or Dreambox Learning or Simply Fun), but it does sound like it has other things I'm looking for -- close and cohesive client relationships and the opportunity for growth (though I do want to know why the Director of Product Development is leaving).

And THAT said, some really great freelance opportunities are coming down the pike. I'll be writing an ongoing guest column for a company that provides financial aid information for college-bound students and I've had some very interesting conversations about possible writing, design, and educational consulting gigs with other companies and local and national organizations. But none of those, even combined, would bring in the regular income that this job offer that's on the table could bring me. And really, shouldn't my priority now be getting these kids through college?

Help me, Mr. Wizard! (<-- That's as religious as I get, though at times like this I wish I could just let go and trust that some higher force will guide me in the right direction!)