WWYD - relocate or stay?

[Labracadabra]

First post from a long time lurker here....

DH and I live in East Kent with our 1 yr old DD. Whilst I was on maternity leave it was announced that the company I worked for were closing down in the UK and so all staff would be made redundant. I returned to work in my original FT role when DD was 6 mths old but was only there 4 months before being made redundant (as expected) and put onto 3 months employment seeking leave, which ends in early Nov.

Jobs in this area of the country (in my field of work) are non-existent. I have been looking at FT roles in similar (but not exactly the same) fields of work in London/Surrey (with a 3-4hr round commute) but even they are very scarce. I have had a few interviews, often reaching second stage (or even third stage for one role!) with very positive feedback but no offers. Very stressful.

I have now been offered a very interesting FT job with a very good company in Leicestershire. Good salary, pension, BUPA, bonus etc, and a generous relocation package to boot. However, I also have been contacted by my old boss who works for a local company (20 mins drive) to ask if I was interested in doing some consultancy work for them. All good.

This leaves me with a difficult decision because :-

1. Both my family and DH's family live very close to us in Kent. When I was working FT previously my mother looked after DD (paid) as she used to be a nanny. Clearly we have very strong ties to the area.
   
2. The job in Leics is a definite offer of permanent employment with all the benefits (sick, hol, maternity pay etc). The local role is on a consultancy basis so more flexible but also without the security I'm used to. In addition, it's not guaranteed yet as the company are trying to develop a new area of business so it's not confirmed until everything's complete (no time frame but my ex-boss first contacted me 7 weeks ago and we're still not there yet!) so there's a risk it won't actually happen at all.
   

WWYD? Relocate away from family and friends for a good job with security and prospects? Or decline job, stay in Kent near to family and keep fingers crossed that consultancy work comes to fruition? It's a strange field of work that I'm in and not many people do it on a consultancy basis so without the first, big client (ex-boss's company) I wouldn't even consider it.

Either way I would get my redundancy package from old job and we're not destitute as DH has a decent job, but we wouldn't be able to live how we want (i.e. have savings, pensions etc) if I didn't work. Also I really miss my job and the focus it gave me so I'd like to work.

Any wise words?

Thanks!

Lab

[Labracadabra]

Realised I used "very" an awful lot in that post! Very sorry

[An0therName]

just a though will DH be able to get job in Leics? as if not you will be in same position except without family nearby? I would guess unemployment rates are higher in leic than Kent but you would need to check.
I would think but could be wrong that if you have got one job - and interviews for others you have quite a good chance of finding another job nearby

[LillianGish]

I would stay and go for the consultancy work - especially as your dd is only one so having family on hand for childcare is going to quite useful for some years to come (might you have any more dc? In which case even more important). What would dh do in Leic? Strikes me you could be in the same position you are in inKent (one of you working, the other looking) without any of the family support.

[missingmumxox]

If you are talking about the same company as my hubby works for in East Kent I imagine the other posters don't actually understand the Job Market in that part of the world, as in historically one of the highest unemployment rates in the UK, it is a pig of a area to get out of in order to get to North Kent, let alone London, when my hubby was made redudant from his company in the USA I was lucky enough to get a job in Maidstone and we briefly lodged with my Aunt in the Plant took and hour and 1/4 to get to work (I am assuming you are somewhere I think you are and know what the hell I am waffling about :D ) we have moved up the road slightly and it still takes me nearly an hour, I live in the place with the big church now.
it would help with the leicester option to now the sector your DH works in as oddly even thou I am from the Planet, me and Hubby meet in Leic and I bloody loved it, it was a fabulous place to live, and I cried when he got the job back down here, he is from the north so I never imagined we would end up back here.
I lived in a new estate at the time which was slap bang on the M1 M69 to M6 and I chose to live there are it gave me Nottingham, Derby, Coventry, Birmingham, with in a 45 min drive, jobs are a whole heap easier to get to in Leicester due to the number of cities in easy reach also London by train was well in 1999 :) 1 hr and 15mins, I left for London this monday and it took 1 hr 45 to Victoria, we still have friends in Leicester and I still love it, it has the whole world nothing could make me happier when on a miserable Sunday Morning heading into work at 7 to see the Brides and female family in all their beutiful dresses crossing the Mad mile, and the Golden mile was my favourate place to window shop and browse, that said haven't been shopping there since 2002?
I suggest taking a weekend in the area or two as if you can't stand city living, the countryside is really nice (Rutland and more) and also nice small towns, I am sure some will argue but I really like Hinkley, and a lot of the nurses I worked with lived there.

Anyway don't burn your bridges with the EK option as Childcare is priceless, but I never got any CC from family down here, and it costs a fortune but Leics is cheaper on many levels compared to here so it might still be a better option but again go visit, and check out the Childcare options.

[Labracadabra]

Thanks everyone.
My husband's work (he's a vet) means he should find a job fairly easily in the East Midlands and can locum for a while if needed.
I don't underestimate the value of having local family to help out with childcare. Although my mother didn't look after DD FT for free (she would have loved to but simply couldn't afford to) it was so nice knowing DD was with her GM whilst I was at work.
missingmumxox I think we are talking about the same place and yes, there are no jobs round here and the location is terrible as transport links to get anywhere in the country (even London) are hideous, and expensive. I would love to stay in this area (my heart is here!) but I do wonder what my future employment prospects will be. It's unlikely to improve, my employer was the biggest by far and now they've gone it's pretty bleak.
Leicestershire does seem lovely, we'd go rural as we have dogs and love country living.

[An0therName]

in that case given your DH's job - and given where you are in Kent -I think I'd probably take the job -

[xmyboys]

Sounds like the job is the better option! Make the move now so you can find good area and schools for DD. Family will still be close enough for visits! Better long term.
What does hubby think?

[missingmumxox]

leicester! for def!, your hubby a vet! when you start to get into that area you start to get into mixed farming or totally dairy or sheep, as well as the small animal, admittedly farmers know a lot and self treat but they still need vets for the complicated stuff, lots more animal farming in that neck of the woods...well Derbyshire and Staffordshire, but my parents lived near Stafford when I lived in Leic and it took about 1 1/4 to get to Stafford from my house and the roads are better now.

I am a really planet girl I love it, but when I lived in the midlands I really missed family and the beach, but it get easier and down here I miss the proper countryside, and there is nothing to compare to the excitement your children get that gran or gramps are visiting, my MIL is travelling down for half term on Sat and my sons are beside themselves with excitement they haven't seen her for 10 weeks, she will be hero worshipped for a whole week and can do no wrong and also I am very endulgent as in fill your boots gran with the sicky red very bad for them stuff as it isn't every week, I can imagine I would get annoyed if it was all the time.

OH! almost forgot (EKK! don't tell DH!) for 6 months living in Leic before moving to this company, my DH commuted to the planet on a Sunday night, sometimes Mon morning and back Friday 3 PM took about 3 hours but it was about clever timing and he only had a rattly proton :) so it's not the end of the earth to get back home.

I will think of you, as we still have to finish our journey, Dh made redundant in US but back working in the UK for them, just waiting for the axe to drop and this time no redundancy :( but hay ho he has a job for now so keep on smiling :)