Should I go for this interview or not?

[jumpinghoops]

Help please- I am in such a quandry about this...

I currently teach 3 days/week, have handed my notice in and due to finish at the end of term (will be paid until the end of August). I know that long term teaching is not for me so I am looking to get back into education-based project work which was what I was doing before teaching.

I have an interview for a job on Thursday. If I got the job I would start at the end of July- but the job is 3 different days to the days I currently work and nursery wouldn't be able to change the days my child goes there (have spoken to them about possible change to see). So- I would have to find a new childcare arrangement and she is really settled where she is. Should I just cancel my interview and try and find something that is the right days? I am finding it so hard to find the right kind of job on right days at right salary to make it worth it, but I guess I have a couple of months of pay left so maybe should hang on and look for something else?

Any advice?

[tribpot]

I think one step at a time. Go for the interview, and if you get the job, see whether there is any short (or even long) term flexibility about which days it covers. Have nursery just said a flat-out no? Is there a waiting list for the days you would need? How much cross-over is there between your current days and the new days, as a short-term measure could you leave her current arrangement in place and bolt on an extra day or two somewhere else?

Without knowing your sector, I would have thought part-time work that happens to correspond precisely with existing childcare arrangements could be hard to come by. Personally I would be sympathetic to a new employee who came and explained the situation, and certainly willing to compromise for a few months (if not permanently) to get the right candidate in post. Of course, if the role is a job share that does present a rather different challenge.

From what you know of the role so far, are there likely to be reasons for the specific days advertised?

I can understand your reluctance to mess with childcare once your dd is settled. How old is she? Before you know it she'll be in school and then a whole host of other childcare issues raise their head instead :) But if you think this is the right role for you, it's worth seeing how you make it work best for your family as a whole. Good luck!

[jumpinghoops]

Thank you so much tribpot for answering so thoroughly- the role is an already established job-share and it's an 11 month contract for maternity cover so I couldn't imagine there is much room for manouvere.

My daughter is 13 months old- she has been at nursery since 8 months and loves the staff.The nursery have said 2 of the days not possible until October. 1 of the days is a day I send her already.

I think if the job were one that wasn't a job-share I would be more inclined to go for it and try and negotiate with the employer.

I have applied for quite a few jobs so far and this is my only interview. Part-time jobs do come up in this sector (higher education project/admin type work) but I think competition is probably quite fierce and I am aware I haven't got recent relevant experience on my CV.

[LoveBeingAbleToNamechange]

Defo go for the interview you can always turn the job down later. Keep looking in the meantime.

[jumpinghoops]

manoeuvre even :)

[MrsGuyOfGisbourne]

Go for the interview anyway - good practice, and as others have said, you can always turn it down, but if they they really like you, maybe htere is some some compromise. Coud you keep your DD there for the one day she has that fits, and temporarily get a childminder for the other days, until the right days become available at the nursery? It will help your CV for the next job etc and so give you more options for the future.

[jumpinghoops]

Righto, will go, I have prepared a 10 minute presentation on something I previously knew nothing about so I suppose it would be a waste not to at least present it to someone!

Thank you all for your advice.