AIBU to give up a permanent job for a an 8 month contract?

[WhataMistakeaToMakea]

I currently have a permanent job about 45 mins from home. I used to love it but now it's so draining and I've wanted to leave for about 4 months.

I was offered a job last week. I have to decide by Monday. It's slightly better but more hours- it's a lot more pay and very close to home. The problem is it's only for 8 months. It could be extended but you never know.

I am a single parent so if I couldn't find another job we would be screwed- although I suppose I could look for 'anything' ie not my profession closer to the time if I was desperate, or try to get professional agency work. There is not enough wages to save to cover any gap in earnings so it would literally be another few months and more applications and interviews all over again (which i hate)

The thing is I just feel like taking it. I just wonder AIBU to give up job security for this when I have kids to support?

Personally I think you should take it as long as you are fully aware of everything it entails. A new job can help you learn so much and open up all sorts. Did you apply for it? How come it was offered? If you applied, applying again now might seem draining but it'll feel ok again in 8 months if you're looking again.

I did a similar thing about 8 years ago. I was covering ML, but ended up being kept on. Even if I hadn't I wouldn't have minded as I hated my previous job. Sometimes it is worth taking the chance.

Thanks, yes I feel like I wouldn't last much longer into current job anyway as I don't enjoy it anymore.

I've kind of given it up in my head already.

I applied for the new job but there were a range of contracts on offer. Id hoped for a longer or permanent one but they went to muchore experienced people.

Take the new job, save the extra in case you need it after 8 months but I'm confident you'll be kept on if you're good.

Thanks- I will try some figures later and see if the cost of saving petrol etc would be enough to put aside and would cover if I was jobless or on lower pay for any length of time.

I've always been rubbish at making decisions! Thanks it's nice to see I'm not crazy for contemplating it.

I'm a single parent like you. I probably wouldn't take the job unless I could be certain of finding another. I don't think I could manage the anxiety it would cause me.

I was in the same position 6 months ago and my contract has been extended till April of next year, it's the best decision I've ever made as I have a job I truly love making a huge difference to people, and the very real possibility of being kept on permanent, I'd say go for it.

I say go for it.

I hate my job and am interviewing for a 6month contract on Wednesday. I'm not a single parent but we couldn't afford to have me out of work for any length of time but my current job is awful!

I would take it. My son was lucky enough to get a permanent job when he left College but he hated it and was really unhappy. He joined a recruitment agency and after a few months they offered him a temporary post doing the same type of work and it was nearer home too but it was for approx. 8 months with the possibility to extend.

He thought long and hard and I told him that this new job would give even more experience in his chosen field and would also look good on his CV.

He ended up taking the temp job and is there almost a year and loves it.
One of his colleagues has been on a temp contract for 18 months and there is no sign of the work drying up, which is great.

I do think with the new employment laws with regards pensions, a lot more businesses are taking on "temp staff" to avoid setting up pensions for them.

A couple of years Ago I was working in a part time permanent position, I spotted another job, same field but an employer I had always wanted to work for. I applied, thinking if I got it, I would resign current job. I didn't realise there were a number of roles available and I got offered a 6 month fixed term contract. Decisions decisions! The solution for me, was that I combined the 2 jobs initially, only possible of course as they were p/t. Well, it really knackered me, ended up doing more than f/t hours but it did confirm my views that I wanted to work permanently for the new employer. To cut a long story short , I was offered a 6 month extension on my fixed term contract and decided to resign from my other permanent role. This was a gamble but I was proving myself in the new role and mgr was making noises about there maybe being a permanent position coming up, which eventually happened, so it worked out for me.

If I hadn't been made permanent, the experience I had gathered would have made me more employable so I think it was always the right decision for me. Would this apply to you?

The big difference was that I had a partner contributing to family finances which gives a cushion should it not pan out.

Hope whatever you decide it works out.

I have three times given up a permanent job for a temporary one.

The first one I left for another, better, permanent one after a year, but I wouldn't have got the better one without doing the temp one.

The second I took a ten month contract for and stayed just over five years, got lots out of that, moved on and up and managed to get some redundancy out of them as well.

The third is my current job, I took a six month contract and have now been there two years,should be made permanent shortly and am applying for promoted posts as well.

You just need to weight up the risks and benefits in your particular case.

Thanks - it's good to hear some success stories of fixed term contracts working out!

I'm a single parent and left a permanent job for a 12 mth contract, it may be refunded it may not... It's going fantastically so far and I've picked up more hours already since starting so much potential and too good an opportunity to pass down! Sometimes it's a good thing to take a risk and step into the unknown

I wouldn't take it as a single parent. I could have written your post OP so can entirely sympathise as I am a single parent who doesn't really enjoy their job. Unfortunately, job security is more important and maybe this new job isn't the right one for you and you should hold out until a permanent one comes up.