to turn down this job offer?

[popmimiboo]

Totally out of the blue -I was contacted on Tuesday, interviewed yesterday and have been offered a job that I didn't even apply to!

It's a full time (37h/week) teaching position in a private school. Decent salary, school holidays...

At the moment I'm freelance and mostly teach in unis and business schools. I love the work but am paid per hour and get no holiday pay (sick pay, pension etc etc.)

I feel like I can't really turn this offer down as it is the sensible thing to do but I would miss the work I do now, the interesting people I meet and my total independence.

WWYD?

Depends on your financial situation I supposes and what you value most - independance or security. Personally, I think YWB mad to turn such a good offer down in this current job market but I don't know enough about your circumstances.
Also, would you be very unhappy in new job or would you like it but just prefer your current one. Depends how miserable you'd be.

They seem to really want you, which puts you in a strong position to negotiate. Could you ask for two or three days.at school, which would give you the benefits to employment as well as time for freelance work as well?

I would take the job as I like the security of a regular wage.
If you are happy or don't need a wage, carry on as you are, along with the risk that your hours may drop or disappear completely.

Don't private schools have really good holidays? I'd be tempted - you could always quit.

Do you want to work with those kids, in that school?

Do you need the security?

Can you easily go back to freelance?

As somebody who took the sensible secure option then regretted it, I'd say consider if you would actually enjoy the job or if it's just the security you want. It's happening very quickly so it's hard to look at it rationally.

There are steps you can take to make your freelancing more secure - business insurance, increasing your rates to take holidays & pensions in to account etc