Having doubts about career decision

[cleo1]

I am having difficulty getting a job in My speciality- as a nurse, i have been on 2 years extended maternity leave.
Due to fnancila pressure i took a lower band job in nursing- band 5, but only 3 weeks in i feel i should have stuck to applying for jobs in my speciality. Thing is, if i do not practice by febuary my qualification will expire as i need to practice within 3 years.

I feel quite down about this job as i feel i have let myself down and demoted myself. i feel i should keep fighting for my higher level specilaity job.

If i'm having doubts, i feel i should mention to my current manager i will not be staying and will be applying for jobs in my speciality. This came up at my intervew and i said i wanted to practice this type of nursing - current job.(suppose i was convincing myself)

Should i keep working and applied for jobs quitely, or should i come clean and tell my boss i might not stay. i will need to make excuses to attend interviews.

Any thoughts will be appreciated.

[cleo1]

bump.

[rookiemum]

I'm afraid I don't know anything about nursing but generally I would always keep quiet about applying for other jobs, once bosses figure out that you might not be staying they mentally write you off and may make life difficult for you.Plus I couldn't quite understand but it sounds as if by having this job you will keep your qualification ?

You have a child so you have a good excuse for taking off time at short notice if required (ahem).

[Katymac]

Could you do some secondment to keep your hand in (so to speak)

[maisym]

sounds better to have a foot in the door - would keep your job but apply for the job you really want.

[nooka]

How friendly is your manager? I would talk to her about it. I wouldn't be surprised if she/he might not expect you to be looking for more senior roles, and will be aware of your qualifications issues. However bear in mind that most managers hate recruiting (it takes a lot of organising and faffing around with HR) and would be fairly pissed off to have to do it again within such a short timespan. I wouldn't recomend trying subterfuge, as you will need to give your current manager as your reference, so you won't be able to keep it quiet for very long, and unless you have the good fortune of getting the first job you are interviewed for she/he will know soon enough anyway. Is your specialty available in the trust that you work for now? If so you might find it useful to have a chat with someone senior in that department - it's often easier to move within trusts than it is externally. The other thing that might be worth checking is the precise requirements of your qualification. Sometimes you can do a course or just some sessions to keep them happy, which would take the pressure off a bit.

[smurfgirl]

I am in a slightly different position - I qualify next September. Uni have said that with the current job situations wards are not expecting newly qualified nurses to stay for ages because they know that really they are just taking the first job they are offered and applying for everthing they can. Maybe the same applied for more senior staff?

So I would carry on hunting and not say anything.

Or can you go on the bank - keep your registration but not tied down.

[cleo1]

rookiemum - yeah, that is right,i do have kids so i suppose i could use that to take time off at short notice,

Katymac , maisyum - i will keep applying for jobs in my speciality as i do not want to lose my qualification in that speciality, even though i will still have my general nursing qualification.

Nooka - i was hoping not to use my current manager as reference and use reference from before. i could do bank job, however due to NHS deficit financially, there ain't any bank jobs available in local PCT.
smurfgirl,
I came second in the last interview that i went to, and person interviewing said, she will put my name forward if anything comes up later, but that was 5 months ago, she actually advised me not to go for something lower. Dilemma was there was no job in that speciality, financial pressures- so went for current job.

Will apply on the quite, current manager will not be happy if i leave, as unit short of staff as it is,recruitment etc.However if i do get a job by end of August, will have to leave. Feel awful, then again i might be stuck in a job i consider second best.

[nooka]

Cleo, you will be expected to use your current manager as a reference - in fact it is a requirement on most NHS application forms. If your last job was over two years ago and you list your current position on your application it will look very odd not to give a reference from it. However you can say that you don't want any prospective employer to take up references prior to interview. That way they will only ask your manager if they want to give you the job, so you won't bother him/her unless there is a real prospect of a new role (and you can tell them then, and ask for the reference). I would advise against using childcare as a short notice way of attending interviews, you will use up your carers allowance, and some trusts ask about carers leave on their reference forms. Better to use A/L, or try for flexible working (can you occasionally work from home for example, and make up the time?). Out of intereste what branch of nursing is your specialism, and what is your current role?

[cleo1]

nooka,specilaity is public health nursing.

i'm thinking of going to see manager and tell her honestly there is a good chance i might not stay, especially as the post is a training post. i wonder if she will let me go immediately as no point training me further.

might do a refresher to get back to old job, course commences september begining.