Job Conundrum- impartial advice needed

[marmalademermaid]

I am in the incredibly lucky position of having to choose between three job offers, and despite writing pros and cons I'm really struggling to decide which is best.

Hoping the MN collective can help give me some clarity (and a good shoulder shake) so I can move on. I've kept the details quite vague as some details are quite outing.

Job A
25% pay increase on current role, and very similar(different industry but same role type).
Smaller business, lots of autonomy, good employee engagement. Commute approx 75mins in the car, & can WFH up to 2 days a week. Lovely kind business with great ethos.

Job B
Similar pay to current, CS role with much crossover/ job similarity to current role. All of the benefits/drawbacks of moving to CS from private sector. Commute 35mins on train/walking. Brilliant career prospects, both department and across CS, enjoyable and challenging role.

Job C
35% pay increase on current role, very similar industry/role to current role. No WFH/flexibility- lots of focus on presenteeism/expected to have availability for out of hours contact. Direct manager energetic but could be tricky on a day-day basis. Great opportunity for career development in this role but not laterally. Commute 40mins train/walking.

Any advice would be really appreciated. I've never been in the situation of even two job offers before and I'm desperate to leave my incredibly unhappy job. Need to let recruiters know imminently and I'm so worried I will make the wrong decision and regret it afterwards.

How important to you is the flexibility and ability to WFH? If you feel that would make a significant, positive difference to your life I would go for Job A.

I've no experience of the CS so it might be worth posting specifically for advice from people who have moved from private to CS (assuming you don't have a CS history) in case there are any pitfalls you haven't considered, but all other things being equal, Job B sounds the best of the three simply because you say the career prospects are more wide-ranging.

The culture of Job C doesn't sound brilliant - you say you are unhappy in your present job and it sounds as though you have strong reservations about whether Job C would be a good fit for you in terms of ethos, so unless you badly need the larger payrise I would discount that one.

75 mins by car would be a crappy commute IMO, even with 2 days every week from home.

% pay difference isn’t meaningful without context on your financial circumstances and current pay.

By CS do you mean civil service? Presume you’d get a reasonable pension, which could bump up the pay? but pay progression can be v limited unless you’d be seeking promotion.

Job A sounds best IMO but the commute is a massive drawback.

Would personally rule out job C as dislike cultures like that.

Job A without a shadow of a doubt. Lovely kind business and WFH 2 days per week would swing it for me.

Job B has no pay increase and Job C sounds a nightmare waiting to happen.

Another vote for job A.

Commutes are the cause of a lot of stress I think but having done a 75min commute full time and then dropped to three days it did help massively. Plus if they're prepared to do that now, before they know you, you may be able to flex further.

I would risk it for all the other parts of the job. You sound most positive about it.

Definitely A or B - but I'd lean towards B if the prospects for development are important to you - you don't mention those for A?

I'd go with job B. Job A sounds great but too long a commute for me.

What’s the overall benefits package for each and how do they compare?
Pension
Holidays
Sick pay etc etc etc

What’s your current commute?

C sounds most risky.

I suspect the overall benefits package would tip it to B.

Thank you for the really helpful insight.

My current commute is 75-90mins each way in the car. Have done this for 5years so although I hate the drive, it's been bearable because I loved the job. Currently try and do 1 day WFH each fortnight to break up the horrendous commute, but present employer isn't really on board with the concept which is why I've not managed to build on it. Flexibility and WFH is quite important to me as DP travels quite a lot for work and can be overseas at short notice (albeit not for very long periods) and we have a few animals.

Tbh any extra £££ would be great, DP and I both work full time & have expensive hobbies, but would like a new home & planning for children on the horizon so extra income to go into savings would be appreciated, but from previous experience I know this isn't the be all and end all; I made a bad mistake taking an job for the sake of more money a few years ago and it ended up really affected my MH. Think this is why I am so worried about this decision.

As PP mentioned, Job C is the closest to my current role in terms of style and culture- but with more money to throw at things which is very tempting (better resources/equipment/environment than present).

I think I’d personally be swaying towards job B, because of the career prospects. Job c doesn’t sound very good at all but then more money would definitely tempt me. Job A would be too far a commute for me but then if you’re used to a long commute I suppose it’s not too bad

I'd rule out Job C, you can't make up for a difficult working environment like that. It will affect your MH. If you're planning your children then a more flexible working environment makes sense, and it's definitely worth establishing yourself in that role and organisation before maternity leave and asking for part-time, wfh etc, especially given your DH works.

In the CS pay will be less and the pension's not even great these days. However maternity leave and flexible working, part-time after children etc all tend to be better than private sector. E.g. I got 6 months full pay maternity leave, plus another 3 months of statutory pay, then nothing the last 3 months. Went back and was able to go to 3 days a week organised as needed.

I would be dithering between A and B. Do note that in the CS there is little chance of a pay rise, we've been stagnant for a decade, recently getting 1% rises, which is shit. People stay because the conditions make up for it.

Sorry, meant to say given your DH travels.

CS jobs are amazing when you have kids - I would definitely take that into consideration if you know you want a family soon. Very generous mat leave, and great flexibility after.

Personally I found I couldn’t handle an 80 minute commute once I had children - it just took too much of the day (and made childcare harder/more expensive).

On the other hand if you are several years away from children, none of that should sway you!

Having just moved from private sector to CS myself I'd go for job B.

Job C sounds shit. So rule that out for starters.

If you're thinking of having children then I think go for job b. No immediate pay increase but potentially better maternity package and flexible working and an easier commute too. Job c sounds like potential drama.

Pay is only part of the picture though consider pension as it may make the CS position much more lucrative longer term

Job B

Avoid Job C. I shuddered when I saw the word 'presenteeism'.

Another vote for Job B, CS can be flexible about hours with a focus on work/life harmony, plus a commute of almost half of job A. Rule out job C.

Job A.

I honestly don't think the CS job is worth it if the flexibility in Job A is good.

DH works in CS and I used to - the pension is nowhere near what it used to be. He possibly gets slightly bigger employer contributions than me in financial services but pretty sure it's not enough in the face of no pay-rise for 5 years or any other financial incentives tbh. I would only go back to CS if I wasn't able to find a potentially flexible role in private sector and was able to take a pay cut.

A or B for me. I don't like the sound of the management at C.

I'd be leaning towards B if children were planned in a year or 2. I'd be leaning towards A if children we're planned any longer than that and I was absolutely sure I could work at home 2 days a week.

If you will be there when you have DC, Civil Service maternity pay is likely to be a lot better.

A 75 min commute will be MUCH harder around childcare hours. Especially if your H intends to continue to travel for work.

Another vote for job A here. Flexibility and a nice ethos is worth so much.

If you are planning children then Maternity Policy needs to be an important factor. CS Mat pay is often great