WWYD it’s a ‘new job’ one

[Fannyhat]

I need some unbiased advice/thoughts about a potential new job I am interviewing for. I know what I SHOULD do but I’ve just had a teary moment to myself about it and feel ever so torn. Sorry if this is long but I don’t want to drip feed.

Current job 3 years, it’s an OK role, admin, pay is OK (below NA but it’s good for the area we live in), my manager and colleagues are great and it’s only a 10 minute commute. I’ve been feeling very stagnant for the past year, we’re a regional office (of 4) and everything at our HQ has took over. It’s been acknowledged we’ve been left in the dust but 12+ months in limbo hasn’t been good for morale and to be blunt I have been bored shitless - even bringing books in when the management has been out (not just me FYI, all the staff) and there is only so much met surfing you can do. We’ve not known whether we’re coming or going, given a new role one week then the next it’s been moved to another office. I’ve not actively looked for work in this time, I understand things have been manic all over and (hoping) eventually we will be back into the normal swing. Last week after another brain numbing day I decided to look and immediately came across a role for exactly what I (am supposed) to do now within an industry I was desperate to get in to before dd6 and I have related qualifications for. I applied and have an interview but after being 99% sure the cons outweighed the pros, I’m now having a bit of a tizzy. This job is exactly where I want to be, there is a lot of room for progression and the pay is quite a bit better - the problems are that it would more than quadruple my travel times & costs and on top of this my childcare would need to extend; it’s only the past year I’ve been driving and the extra time & flexibilty I’ve had with dd has been amazing for us both. But this is such a fantastic job for me. I’m not sure another opportunity like this will come along, but it would be so incredibly selfish. DP works long hours and travels for work a lot so he is no help childcare wise, we also have no family/friends available to help. My current childminder is great but I feel guilty about losing potentially 2 hours a day with her - plus the extra money I would make would totally negate itself in petrol and childcare. Do I stay somewhere that workwise has been somewhat soul crushing, but has great, personally supportive direct management, flexibilty, cheap and short commute? Or do I try and get this job in my dream industry that workwise is everything I want but all the circumstances around it are a bit crap and detrimental to my home life?

Reading that back (it really is long, sorry) it seems so obvious, but I’m so gutted at the thought of losing out on this opportunity. I know it’s also very presumptuous I’ll even be offered the role but I’m stressing over whether to make an effort with the interview itself! Any thoughts appreciated.

You said it yourself, it's a fantastic job for you and has room for progression.
Go for it. Do it for you!

I’m in a similar-ish position to you.

It sounds like a dream to not have much on, but in reality I know how soul destroying it is.

Why don’t you go for it, then you’re in the nice position where you would have a potential offer, have met the boss etc and know just how much better it’s going to be. At the moment it’s all very theoretical.

Let us know how it goes!

Can you negotiate three slightly longer days and two shorter days wfh?

Go to the interview, see how it goes. Sounds like you could do with a bargaining chip for where you are currently.

I would go for it too. I’m assuming DD is 6 years old, rather then your 6th DD. Do you still want to be doing your current job when she’s 16? What jobs would you apply for if you wanted to change later? Would you be prepared to start at the same level as the new job in 5 years? Is the job or similar likely to come up again?

Your current situation sounds wobbly. What would you do if you didn’t go for this and got made redundant?

The bottom line is you haven’t been offered the job yet. Go for the interview and see. Make a decision when you need to. Even if you’re offered it you don’t need to take it.

Gosh, I wasn’t expecting many replies given the book, thank you all! I am definitely going to the interview, I’m just afraid I’ll go and love it. It will be much easier if they pick someone else than for me make a choice between that and the very comfortable balance we have currently.

Not sure if hours can be negotiated but it’s something to ask about.

DD is 6, definitely not my sixth! Sorry. I’m 27 so granted it’s hardly last chance saloon but it’s not something that is likely to crop up again. Current job is actually stable despite what I’ve described, the business has gone from strength the strength and won’t be affected by current politics, but upper management has struggled with a sudden whirlwind and our department unfortunately seems to have been left behind which they are very aware of and apologetic for. It does look to be picking back up, but I’ve felt this way for a while and it’s not an industry I have an ounce of passion for, it’s just a job I’m content in, but this interview could be for a real career.

Do it.

45-60min commute is not that terrible. And you say there’s room for promotion? So financially you’ll be much better off.

Go for it. I’ve had lots of jobs, and by far the worst ones were the ones where I didn’t have enough work to do. So boring, depressing and spirit-killing to watch the minute-hand of the clock ticking slooooooowly around.

I’ve just done this. No change in commute, but I had to go from 60-80%, which meant reconfiguration of childcare and longer days.

I did it mainly for progression opps, and for a career (I’m a fair bit older than you, so don’t really have the time to waste). My marriage was a bit rocky at the time as well, so I was feeling the need to protect myself.

Frankly, it’s been difficult in terms of balance, and I have had a big step up in terms of responsibility. But I feel as though I have grown quite a lot in the past three months, and as though there are many more doors open to me now. It’s been worth it, even if I do sometimes hanker after the stress free job I had before.

Oh, and I am entitled to work one day from home, so that helps too. Worth asking for.

Go for it! You spend a lot of hours at work and being unfulfilled and bored isn’t good for your soul. If you truly hate it, you can look again.

Wee update, I attended this morning. I think I'll be OK on the not having to make a choice front my head went completely blank and I stumbled over everything. It was far more in depth than any interview I've had before. I was wholly unprepared and the things I was prepared for blew straight out of my head. It also cost me £10 in parking for 2 hours so that would be another cost to take into account.

On the other hand I absolutely loved it there, the team I interviewed with were great and the environment is everything I could want to be around. Will get an answer next week, he told me I did well but am cringing at how badly I was answering. They were talking about future expansion and new roles so maybe it's not as final as I was imagining