Which job would you choose?

[Redcliff]

A few months ago I had a two job interviews on the same day - one where I was working (on a fixed term contract which was coming to an end) and a more local role. Got offered the local one and just missed out on the other. Have been in the local one for 3 months and its a bit dull - nothing particularly challenging but its permanent, I can walk home in 20 minutes and do slightly compressed hours so I can pick my son up from school.

Just had an e-mail from my old work saying candidate dropped out and they would love to have me. Its fixed term but an extra £10k, 10 days extra holiday and a really interesting role that would look great on my CV and very flexible in terms of you get back any extra hours you work.

Any thought? What would you do? What sort of things would you consider?

Should say I can pick my son up one day a week!

They now need you. Push to be able to pick up son one extra day a week and go for it. Good luck.

How old is your son and what after school options are available to you?

I have recently changed jobs as i was ready for a challenge. But its been very unsettling as my children needed to go with a childminder ( no after school club). It hasn't been easy as they hate going to the childminder and its a constant battle 😒

I am super lucky in that my DH is at home so can all school pick ups - I just like to pick my son up ( who is 4) one day a week. I could probably work at home on a Wednesday at other job and still do pick up but might have some weeks (meeting heavy ones) where I might not be able to have that flexibility.

I think I'd go for the new job. It is the temporary nature that would make me wobble - I suppose it depends how likely other jobs are to come up at the end of the fixed term. You spend a lot of time at work - if it is dull that is a LOT of hours you will be metaphorically twiddling your thumbs. The fact it pays £10K more is a massive plus. Who wouldn't appreciate and extra £650+ in their account every month ?

However, as the company have gone out of their way to contact you specifically, then maybe you could negotiate something around the hours or days worked, to suit you better?

It’s £10k more!! Take it.

Ooh, that’s a real dilemma and there probably isn’t a right answer.

Companies who only offer fixed term contracts which they don’t make permanent are usually doing that to get around employment laws, which IMO is unethical and would put me off working for them. Also, you know you weren’t their first choice - does that matter to you?

The one that pays more. But see if you can negotiate to pick up son 1 day per week as it is important to you.

Just done some caculations and would be about £300 a month better off as in my current role I walk to work and old place is central london so about a extra 1.5 hours travel time a day and the cost of travel. The fixed term thing isn't something they do very often - the role I did and the new one are new ones for the company so they did fixed term to try them out.

I was 3rd choice as I know one of my old colleagues got offered it after the other person turned it down - that does concern me a little - more in "a am I the right person for the role" then anything else.

I'd stick with the current job, a work life balance and local commute is always worth having.

I think I'd stick with your current local job, that's going to be such a bonus over the next few years when your DS starts school and you're in a position to be able to go and see him do stuff without having to take a half day off work. If you're 3rd choice and it's a London commute, I wouldn't be rushing to snatch their hand off.

Really good point - I saw his Christmas reception school show in my lunch hour the week I started at work. Was amazing!

I was going to say the London job but no way with the long commute and being 3rd choice .

If you can live on the salary you're on, I would stick with the local job whilst looking for something close to home and better paid.