Would it be unreasonable to not accept work in these circumstances

[Notacs]

I have a professional qualification.

I have the opportunity to work again (had a baby in April) very part time and temporary. Work when my qualification is recognised is about £120 per day.

But if my qualification is ignored I can be offered work at £60 per day. Would it be unreasonable to turn it down?

I don't understand

What have you been offered ?

Depends whether you need the money or not?

It would be unreasonable to turn it down if you don't have any other way of earning money and your partner can't support you.

But as long as your family is providing for itself then of course it's fine for you to turn down work.

Thanks.

No one needs to understand anything, you don't have to comment

Basically, I either work for £120 or £60

That's fine if it's either or but the agency will ring and ask 'am I prepared to work as XXX' - if I say no I "risk" getting no work at all, if I say yes, then they will naturally think I'm prepared to do it all the time, and then I'm earning far less than I otherwise would be.

It's difficult to know what to do for the best.

It depends on your financial situation. If you can afford to tuen the work down then fair enough. If you can't then maybe you will have to accept the lower rate. I would focus my energies on getting my qualification recognised. If you can say a bit more about your job, we might be able to offer better advice.

Unless you are desperate, don't sell yourself short.

When I got my HPC registration and was applying for my first job, my DM couldn't understand why I didn't apply for assistant jobs too. Err.... because I just spent 3 years training to be qualified, that's why! Got a job just fine thankfully.

Is it possible to join 2 different places, one as a cheap version and one as an expensive one?

Not really Kirsty but thanks.

The thing is that after childcare, £60 leaves me with about £20 a day - less after fuel.

That's still £20 I wouldn't be getting sat at home with a baby obviously. But just the same I don't know if it's worth it. Just wanted to chew it over I suppose :)

Do you have any experience to go with your qualification?

Are you able to explain why the qualification might be ignored?

Personally I always tell agencies I want X amount and ignore or refuse anything less, but that's because I already have an income, so obviously wouldn't move for less.

Maybe you could work out the average pay for someone with your skills, experience and qualifications and give them that amount, so not the very top end, but not the bear minimum either. Then you can consider every position they come up with individually. If the work sounds interesting you might be tempted to do it for less, and in the mean time keep looking for something at the higher rate.

Overall it depends how desperate you are for work really.

PS, if you get offered a job, always negotiate more money/holidays/training etc.

Oh and you can always negotiate a pay review in x months too.

Is there any danger that if you start to accept the £60 then you'll be perceived as being worth less in the future - I mean, will future employers take you less seriously, IYSWIM?

Is it in a field where agency work might lead to a more regular/permanent post (if that is what you want)? If so, I think that I would.

I wasn't being rude? I'm confused now!

It isn't working quite like that unfortunately - we get given the daily rate of pay essentially.

It's work on a daily rate (I can't really commit to full time just at the moment.)

Hassled, yes, that's what I'm worried about.

It's like - if I accept work at a lesser rate, that may well be all I am offered.

But that may well be better than nothing, full stop.

I don't know! It's so hard to know what to do for the best!

Well - I certainly didn't mean it rudely, I just don't want to go into any details about what sort of post it is :)

Well it all comes down to how much you need that £60 (£20 after childcare). If you can cope without for a couple of months and see how the jobs market goes - well, you're lucky, and maybe you should wait it out. It's a bloody tough decision. Is there anyone in the industry you can get some impartial advice from?

I think most would urge me not to take lesser-paid work which is what I'm leaning towards really. I just hope I won't be shooting myself in the foot.

If you can afford not to work at the lower rate, then don't. Once you start accepting work ( I assume as a CS) then your credibility drops.

Right so you are a teacher on supply but the agency offers you work as a TA if they don't have any teacher work to offer you?
Like other posters I assume you need to weight up how much you need the money along with how much you want to stay in the working world. Some people go out of their mind at home alone with a small child so need to work for their sanity.

Think I understand all you can do is weigh up how much you need any money coming in, how much work you can get at the higher rate as opposed to the lower don't forget just 1 day at the higher rate is worth 9 at the lower. Also consider how much value it adds to your cv with regards to what you are actually hoping to dolong term

Sorry got my figures mixed up 1 day higher is worth 4 days at lower.

Please don't speculate as to my job - DH looks on here. Anyway I'm not anything - yet!

It depends really on:

How much do you need the money?

Do you need to work for your CV?

Do you need to work for your sanity and want to get out of the house?

If you don't really have any compelling reason to take the lower rate then it's probably worth holding out for the higher but if you really need it then you have to go for what is available.