To not want to take this job.

[Pinkjenny]

I am a HR Manager. Well, was. I was made redundant in December from my part time HM role, and as you can imagine, there aren't exactly an abundance of part time roles around.

Anyway, I applied for a role at a local University, 6 months maternity cover, earning less full time than I was earning part time previously. I went for the role thinking I would give full time a shot, and whilst it is less than ideal (ds is 2yo at nursery and dd is 4yo at school). I thought I would put dd in after school club three times a week and use the role as a way to see how we get on as a family with me working full time. Despite the low salary, I thought the payoff was the fact that it is five minutes away.

I went for the interview, it was a panel interview, comprising of the person I would report into, her boss and a random. The lady the role would be reporting into (let's call her Jean) just didn't like me, I could tell. She was openly sneering at some of the things I said, so I was amazed when Jean's boss called me later that day to offer me the role. I was slightly confused as to why she was making the call rather than Jean, but hey ho.

I received the contract today, and I had to ring Jean as the salary was wrong and there was no reference to start or finish time.

Jean was perfectly nice on the phone, but seemed to be trying to put me off. I asked about the salary, she said, 'Its not wrong, it's the bottom of the banding' and I explained that I had been offered the mid point of the banding because of my experience. She went off to check and said, 'Mmm, you're out of work (and?) but I suppose you were offered that in recognition of your experience. Yes I am prepared to honour it.' Which is good of her. Not.

After we had established that the flexitime policy didnt extend to start time, she then said, 'there is one other thing, I want to be really honest with you, we have put your postcode into the system and you don't qualify for a car park pass. You would have to drop your children off and then get a bus to work. In 45 minutes.'

Right. I was very nice back, and told her I would come back to her, but she was blatantly trying to put me off!

Dunno what to do now.

Have you found about the cost of using a mini cab daily on a regular contract?

It's awful that they said they could get you the pass in the interview and have now withdrawn it. What if you'd turned down another job on the basis that you had this?

They really shouldn't be making offers they can't follow through on at interview. It is part of the package they put on the table. Very unprofessional on their part.

hmmmmmmmm not bored, strangely intrigued.
On the subject of boredom a nosey wildcard question; I know you want your kitchen but do you enjoy your career? Are there any different avenues this junction could allow you?

I've been lurking on this thread and sorry that driveway isn't going to work out.

Could you cycle after dropping off DC?

Mini cab contract is good idea I think.

Also, is there any way you could work out a lift share?

Some places have spaces reserved for lift sharers.

Might be worth asking around.

It sounds bloody awful, sometimes the money what little there is with this role simply is not worth it. There's a reason Jean is putting you off, she is doing you a favour, you are meant for better things.

I have a feeling that you shouldn't take it.
I really can't stress how tedious and boring working in HE is zzzzzz.

So the job is low paid but full time, with a hostile/passive aggressive boss in a poorly managed (judging by their unprofessional actions so far) department.

You will be paying for some childcare, and possibly for taxis/driveway hire/etc out of your already low wage.

Will your husband be paying half of the childcare fees as you will both be working full time??

Will he also be doing half of the domestic shit work as you will both be working full time??

Why does your husband have "his" savings when there is a bare half finished kitchen to be done, and why are they "his" savings exactly?

I can understand you wanting to get back into a job asap but I don't think this is the one.

I also think you could do to go to couple's counselling.

I have a feeling you should go away for the weekend on your own, hide us, hide your husband, put jean out of your mind, wake up at 530am on Monday and your decision will be made either way :-)

I think boredandrestless has summarised it rather well.

The only thing that is stopping me from turning it down is that I do think the 6months public sector experience would be a useful addition to my CV. I have 12 years HR experience but it is all private sector.

And it is only 6 months. But I am slightly concerned about what a previous poster said about getting back to my previous salary level.

I'm on the fence about previous salaries. In the public sector what you apply for will be banded and if you have the experience to meet the job spec then you will be shortlisted and there's little room for negotiation. If you go back to the private sector then there will be an awareness that the public sector package is less. You can dress up the lower salary, for example, I have a fantastic pension and 7.5 weeks holiday. I estimate that to be worth about £8-£9k and state my expectations as a package.

Overall, I think it's always better to have a job when you are looking for a job; it's far better to negotiate from something rather than nothing and gives the impression that you are a grafter and both need and want to work.

Haven't read entire thread, but I would still take the job, but then I do tend to cut my nose of to spite my face on the grounds of principal! I couldn't let this woman win myself. I think you should go in with your eyes open and realise this woman is a pita. Go above her to get the car pass sorted out and don't back down. The worse they can do us withdraw their offer, and you're considering turning it down anyway. The job is only for 6 months, and it will get you back into work. Keep looking for an alternative while you are there. You should have no loyalty to them seeing as it is temporary and based on their behaviour already. And as long as you give adequate notice according to your contract then I can't see how they could give you s bad reference. Plus other opportunities may come up within the organisation working under different people, and obviously someone there likes you as you got the job! Just go in with a thick skin and keep your eye in this woman. Agree you should keep a log of any bad behaviour, including what she's done/said already. Who knows, she may not be that bad, and if it becomes unbearable you can always leave, and let everyone know why. Good luck op!

I could be wrong but I'd have thought there's more chance of getting a great well-paid post at your previous salary level with this extra experience than without it. You can apply for other things whilst in this post, surely that will be a stronger position from which to apply than not being in employment ?

I'm hoping to do the same with a temporary job I've just got until July.

What about a retail HR role? There are loads of interim ones around. I would say give yourself as little personal hassle as you can while you are trying to adapt as a family to you working full time.

One big change sound alike loads without all the extra stress in the morning before you have so much as answered a phone.

Like, not alike!

Ps, Proclaimers have a great song about Jean

There is a line like gave her a kiss on the puss up the back of a bus! Poetry really!

Most of my background is Retail HR. Definitely not a work life balance focus in any of my previous orgs.

The last resort is for dh to find me a driveway, it is also so ridiculously complicated.

all

So you applied for a job at a MUCH lower salary because it was a 5 min drive away and you wanted the convenience?

And now it turns out that you will have to faff around catching trains, parking 10 mins away and walking in. All being paid for out of the meagre salary of course.

And then to top it off you're already getting bad vibes off your boss?

This really isn't the job for you. 6 months is a bloody long time if you don't like the job.

Look for something else and tell them to shove their job up their arse

Spotted - I wish I was married to you

KatieMiddleton most unis split staff into academic, admin (roles that require a degree and pay /ver about £35k a year) and clerical. If you don't have a degree it's tough to move into admin roles, even if you don't need one or have loads of experience.

Oh I have just read the whole thread!

Anyway, what boredandrestless said. .

You seem really able to handle these sorts of disputes professionally, so I think you need to put your pro head on, take a long walk with DH and discuss the value of what you do at the moment, why he feels like an unneccessary second salary is more important than not being miserable, and (most important) why on earth he feels no responsability towards the house repairs. You're meant to be a partnership.

In terms of work, this is the gods telling you that there's something way better around the corner. Wax stamped fact.

I have asked them to give me until next Monday, but I am erring on the side of no, tbh.

If my children were older than yours and they were going to give me a car park pass I think I'd definitely do it for the experience and as a spring-board into next job.
But you do have quite young children for thinking about going back to full-time, especially if, as a partnership, you would be OK financially without. Might be good to have own money though - especially with your Dhs attitude. Mine is not great at sharing everything either !