Know-How Exchange : Career/Training

I have a job dilemma I could really use some help with. This is my first time posting and I would like to thank everyone ahead of time for your help.

Shortly after graduating college I got a full time job as an Interactive Communications Manager at the local branch of a national non profit. My job responsibilities included blogging, monitoring all our social media, writing solicitation letters, photographing our events, etc. Though I loved the environment and had great benefits I did not feel challenged there day to day – often times I would spend half the day sitting with no work to do. I just did not feel like I was really learning too much. Though I was pretty content and not looking for a new job.

My long term goal is to work at an Integrated Marketing Firm/ Ad agency – either in social media, design, or PR.

After being with the non profit for 6 months I was approached by a friend working at a small marketing firm for a graphic design/social media specialist position. I ended up taking the job with a small pay cut and loss of benefits and left the non profit on good terms. (I took the job because I thought it could further my career being in a marketing firm and they promised to teach me design, etc.)

I have now been at the firm for about two months and I am very unhappy. I enjoy the actual work I’m doing but I’m not getting nearly enough work to do (and when I don’t have work I feel like someone is constantly looking over my shoulder disapprovingly) and the environment is very unprofessional. (There is no HR department so basically anything goes.) I don’t feel like the position is a good fit for me – I am learning but not as much as I thought I would be, and the environment itself is just stressing me out.

My question is – will this position really help advance my career or could the position at the non profit have helped just as much? Every time I see a posting for a marketing firm I always see “agency experience required” which is why I felt like I had to take this job. My old position has not been filled and I am debating asking for it back but don’t know if it would be a good career move. I am going back to graduate school in August and both positions have told me I could work part time through school and go back to full time after so I don’t think I want to try to get a new job all together. I am worried that if I leave then when I am looking for a job at a marketing firm in the area in a few years that this firm will give me a bad recommendation for leaving so quickly. (They work with many of the larger firms in the area.)

What do I do – do I try to get my old job back, or stick it out here, possibly through grad school? (2-3 years.)