Should I risk taking this job?

[Hedgestoohigh]

I’ve been in my current job for 20 years. Crap pay but good hours and very secure (for me) in that I’m one of the only people in the company that can do it. I’m so bored there and there’s no opportunity for progression or pay increases so the cost of living is hitting hard. There’s also no more hours available, I work part time and there’s no overtime or extra work possible.

Ive seen a new job and it sounds amazing. I have applied and am interviewing next week (terrified as haven’t interviewed in this long!)
It’s the same as my old job but cuts out all the parts I hate. It’s more money. It’s also working for a charity with opportunity for progression.

BUT the company of the new job confirmed redundancies in the middle of this year. May I believe. I’m not sure what happened or which roles or if it was this branch that I’ve applied to work at.

Its put a downer on the whole thing for me, as if I do take the leap which I’m terrified to do I will be ‘last in’ and therefore more at risk? Is there a way to find out more about who was targeted for redundancy before I accept if I get the job? Is it rude to ask about it at interview?!

I have a family to support so redundancy would be a bit of a disaster!

Well you don’t ask about redundancies, a lot of companies get rid of dead wood and then staff get on edge and leave.

You can ask about job security and future rolls.

The reason you are low paid is because you keep accepting poor pay rises over the years - not like sticking with the same gas supplier!! Whilst you accept the pay they don’t insist you take more!

I think you go to the interview, get a feel for the place and people and see if it’s something that fits with you. Not the other way round.

You only have to make a decision if you get the offer.

I’d move. Redundancy doesn’t work on a last in first out basis. It depends on the needs of the business so if this is a critical role you should be as safe as you can be. Remember too that other jobs will be available so you can get another role should you need to

Dead wood? Those are human beings trying to feed their families. I hope to God you aren't a manager as you clearly have zero empathy. I've been made redundant 3 times. I am not, nor have I ever been, dead wood. I have an excellent reputation at work and always get outstanding appraisals and feedback. I am simply in a sector base that is challenging financially.

OP I won't tell you what to do but in the charity sector a set of redundancies can sometimes mean more are on the way when they realise the model they've gone for doesn't work. I would say it depends on how much you can accept that risk.

If you decide to go for it, best of luck with the interview. If you decide not to, make sure you talk to your current employers about how you're feeling.

That’s good advice!

Ive asked my company for a pay rise many times but it’s corporate and there’s a country wide pay freeze. We have all complained to the faceless HR but nothing happens. My own company also made redundancies but I was nowhere near being affected. It’s a struggling industry.
I’m at the top of the pay scale, there’s nowhere to go other than leave.

I haven’t left as yet as I’ve got a good work life balance. It’s very flexible and I have a lot of holiday but I'm sick of being short financially every month. The other pro is that my current team are lovely, more like family than colleagues.

There’s no overtime available at my current job unless you work it for TOIL.

It doesn't work on last in, first out but under two years they don't need to have any reason to let go. They also don't need to pay redundancy money. In my redundancy situations, I saw people who had been in their new job for only a few weeks made redundant with no redundancy money. Equally I saw people who'd been there many years made redundant (thankfully with a proper redundancy package).

Thankyou!

I would say the job I have currently is the best of its role, which is why I haven’t moved. This is due to the team and nothing more. If I move I’m moving to a slightly different role (combining two separate jobs both of which interest me) which I’ve never seen advertised before so I would have to go back to the original job if I’m made redundant.

I am lucky in that I work part time at the moment which is also very hard to find in the industry. I have a young family and am able to be there for sports days etc pretty easily.

Ive been in this job since I was 18 😬 it’s a big leap to leave for me as the rest of the job world is unknown!

I wouldn't change job to go to an organisation which has recently made some redundancies, unless I fully understood the rationale for those redundancies

It sounds like you’re coasting atm but the job is secure, part-time and flexible. I would usually advocate for a change at this point (you’re not even 40 yet!) but TBH the job market and the charity sector are very difficult atm, I’d worry about job security and also real, meaningful career progression. Go for the interview and see how it goes.

They are doing this recruitment in light of the redundancies that are underway so I don’t think it should be too much of a problem. Recruitment is expensive and time consuming and the recruitment would not have been approved if they didn’t have a long term plan with these roles in mind.

You are ready to move on and this role sounds perfect for you so I would not let long term fears put you off. Even if you did get made redundant in a couple of years you would still be in a better position having a better job and recent experience of recruitment.

I don’t think there’s any harm in asking about the redundancies at interview. Maybe they can put your mind at ease or maybe they can’t but ultimately this seems like a risk worth taking. Good luck.

This is where I am at the moment as much as I want to go
How do I understand though? I don’t know where to find the information?

Hmmmm, I agree. You could ask at the interview but they might not be very open! In the past a friend of mine has contacted an ex employee to find out the reality of the situation. You could look on Glass Door?

At the end of the day, if you can't find out why the redundancies were made, I wouldn't take the job. Way too risky imo.

Edit - definitely attend the interview, though. Great experience

Thank you.

It’s hard to go into without making my colleagues know it’s about me as it’s really niche!

But say you work in a private hospital as a radiographer. It’s money and target orientated and the clients hard to deal with but you can do the job in your sleep.

The new job is also a radiographer but you’re also responsible for doing lots of other different medical work as well as community education. You’ll be able to drive into the community and help people at home too. The patients you’ll be treating are those that normally wouldn’t receive treatment as they can’t afford it.

Youll be the only role of this type in the new hospital. Theres many care assistants but only one radiographer.

Might make sense might not but that’s the type of situation it is.