Advice needed - should I take this job?

[Nam095]

So I'm in a bit of a dilemma. One of my colleague's has been offered a new job and she is desperate to take me with her; she's been offered a management role and I would have a more junior role, so I'd work alongside her. The new employer has said to my colleague that they are in need of new people and they are desperate themselves to have her working for them.

I can't decide if it's a good idea or not, I'd really appreciate some advice on this! I've mentioned the main points below:

• Take home pay would increase by £600 per month, plus an annual bonus (which I don't get at the moment). I'm currently renting with my OH and not able to save for a house with my current wage so the new salary would allow me to start saving. No children together yet.
• I currently WFH full time so no travel stress or costs, the new job would require travelling to the office in London 2/3 days a week so I'd have to commute for over an hour and would now have to pay travel costs (not sure on the price, probably max £100 month?)
• My OH and I are currently TTC so I would lose some benefits in terms of maternity pay, we would probably put TTC on hold for a year or 2 if I took the job, which I don't particularly want to do. But I have to be working for current employer for minimum 26 weeks to be entitled to maternity pay so probs not an issue if I were to switch jobs and then get pregnant right?
• My current job and the new job are very, very similar in that my daily duties/tasks wouldn't change, I'd be doing the same thing pretty much so would need minimal training
• I have anxiety and also have a stutter so I'd struggle with the interview process and getting to know new colleagues, these issues have gotten worse since I got the job I'm currently in so wasn't much of an issue back then. This is one of the main things putting me off
• I have some (physical) disabilities and at present my current employer is quite accommodating to these so the new employer would also need to be (I'm aware of the Equality Act 2010, however I have still experienced discrimination from previous employers so I worry about this)
• In the current climate in terms of covid, my job is quite secure as it's a Council job so minimal risk of losing my job. The new job is with an agency so not much security, anything could happen in the next year and I could lose the job only a few months after taking it and then I'd be screwed

So pretty much I'm quite comfortable in my current job, although I have been experiencing a lot of stress from the workload past couple months. The new job sounds perfect but like I've highlighted above there are some things that worry me.

Appreciate any kind advice :)

[bloodywhitecat]

The first thing I 'd research would the cost of travel to London, I know that from near me the cost of a season ticket is eye wateringly expensive and a day ticket is £50 at peak times. I think most of the extra pay will be eaten up by travel costs.

[Nam095]

@bloodywhitecat Thanks, I was feeling a bit lazy at the time I posted this so didn’t bother looking up the price 😂 I’m in zone 5 and if travelling max 3 days a week I’d only use an Oyster card. Just searched up the Oyster card price of the journey, in total it would cost £125 for the month for travelling 3x a week to the office

[unmarkedbythat]

My first thought would be the cost of commuting, but you've already accounted for that.

At this time I would not swap a permanent role for an agency role, not even for a quadrupling of take home pay.

Why are they so desperate for people? Do they have retention issues? Have they recently expanded significantly, and if so, how and why given that most employers are laying off rather than taking on?

[andIdidntliketheending]

I would say to her you would be interested - in a year! Let her start the job and see how she gets on with it. You would be mad to give up a local authority job (and pension) in this climate.

[CarrotInATree]

Don’t leave a council job for an agency job when we’re about to enter a massive recession. I wouldn’t even think about any of the other considerations.

[Coughpatrol]

You’d be mad to leave a secure job in this climate unless you could survive financially if you lost the job.

[Nam095]

Thanks everyone for the comments. It’s really opened my eyes. My job is definitely secure and I can survive perfectly fine with the pay I have right now.

Literally as I’ve typed this my colleague has again texted me saying she thinks I’d be perfect for the role and really wants me to work with her!

[Guardsman18]

As poster above - especially as you're ttc. Stay where you are OP!

[Suzi888]

I was going to say go for it, but read some of the other comments so hmmm not sure. Depends what the job is, but for the tasks to be the same and an extra £600 I’d be wary....
You’ll have to travel whilst pregnant too, don’t know if that’s an issue or not. I don’t like the tube so I wouldn’t feel safe....
I think I’d probably stay put due to current climate and TTC.

[roses2]

It's an extra £600 because it is an agency role.

Does it come with a pension benefits, sick pay, maternity etc?

[Quandaries]

You’d be nuts to consider this.

Let her be her own guinea pig.

[SuperEkstra]

Absolutely, categorically do not leave a Council job for an agency. You'd be mad to, honestly.

[Happynow001]

@Nam095

Literally as I’ve typed this my colleague has again texted me saying she thinks I’d be perfect for the role and really wants me to work with her!
Just because she wants you, doesn't mean you have to move if where you are suits you well already. Having you with her would certainly make her life easier but at what cost to you? Sounds like you have a pretty secure job where you are (valuable considering the economic downturn which won't get better any time soon), you have longevity where you are so maternity and redundancy rights, no commuting costs currently etc. Did your colleague have a more senior time to you in your existing location? In which case maybe consider applying for that role and consolidate your position instead. Also, in the new role, is that £600/month after tax/NI deductions? Your travel costs are already making an India's into that figure... And do you really want to add those extra hours commuting if you don't need to? How much overtime would the new job need - factor that into your working day. Is the bonus guaranteed and what is the percentage? What are the pension benefits like in the new role? These are all questions I'd be asking myself in your position. Good luck OP. 🌹

[Happynow001]

Not "India's" but "inroads".

[DoubleDessertPlease]

How long would the commute take? Is it longer hours than your current job, or expect unpaid o/t? Better or worse holidays? If you factor that in, and the extra time for the commute (and cost), would there be any real advantage? I’d agree with the other posters I think, you’re better off staying ftm.

[seayork2020]

I would keep security over the extra pay, if I was you I would stay where I am

[HibiscusNell]

It's not just the cost of the commute it's the time it takes too. It's going to be more than 25 hours a month.

[SkiingIsHeaven]

Do not leave the council job now.

You can always join her in a year or two when things may have settled down a bit.

You would be crazy to leave the council. So may benefits, job security being the most important one at the moment.

Pension, sick pay, holidays, security, maternity benefits all more important then £600 taxed minus train fare.

[JuanNil]

I know it's obviously nothing near, but everything in my mind is saying 'MLM' when I read your post. Your friend may be looking at a great commission for recruiting you.

She's your friend and I'm not going to suggest for a minute that she's untrustworthy, but she's definitely in the throes of an exciting new opportunity and wants you to be there alongside her, which is lovely of her, hopefully she's a good enough friend to understand that it's not the best option for you right now.

[Oblomov20]

Don't take her job. The commuting would kill you energy wise.

[bettsbattenburg]

I wouldn't take it because of the lack of security as well as other reasons.

[ulanbatorismynextstop]

I would stay put, it seems like a risky move in the current climate.

[PhilCornwall1]

Stay where you are. Agency staff are going to get trousered over the next 12 months. We've already binned all agency staff that were on specific projects and won't be taking on anymore for a long time. We had a lot too.

Your are in local government, so stay put, whilst it's never guaranteed security, it's as secure as you'll get right now. The LGPS is reason enough to stay.

Wish your friend luck in her new role, she may well need it.

[Nam095]

@Happynow001 you are so right! Yeah at the moment she’s a senior role but honestly I don’t think they’d want to re-fill the position. Our team were due a pay rise in March but due to Covid that got stopped so I don’t think they’d be open to it. I know effectively her leaving means someone’s entire salary has opened up, but honestly I know my employer and they would not want to deal with the hassle of promoting me as that would require some extra training in other fields etc. My colleague (the one getting the new job) and I are the only ones in our team that do a very important part of our job though; accounts receivable. Once she goes it’s only me. Effectively if we were both to leave my manager would be utterly screwed as no one else is trained for that, so I have the ‘upper hand’ I guess in an attempt to negotiate at least a pay rise or something. I doubt it very much though due to Covid.

I’m definitely not going to move jobs though, I’ve realised now that I have a secure job that I need to hold on to as long as I can. My colleague did say that once she gets settled in she can still try and get me to come over to her new employer in a few months time.

[Happynow001]

I'm glad you are staying put, OP, at least for now. "A bird in the hand ...) and all that.

You are right that your employer is saving a full salary (plus all associated benefits) when your colleague leaves so it really won't hurt you asking for an uplift in your salary as you'll no doubt be expected to increase your own workload. Whether or not you get it, however, beware of being expected to do loads of unpaid overtime once your colleague has departed. Good luck! 🌹