To ask you what you think about this career opportunity?

[EElisavetaOfBelsornia]

I'm in a job which suits my family circumstances, part time, flexible hours meaning I can pick up DCs from school and work later etc. However this department is under review and there's a good chance it won't still be around in a year, so u could have no job or a very different one.

An opportunity has just come up to act as manager for another department which is doing badly and needs sorting out. This is something I have lots of experience with and would enjoy, and I could ask for much more money. But it would be more hours, and not flexible at all. If my own department went I could almost certainly stay in the other one, or if I turned performance round, have lots of other options.

It seems obvious I should take it written like that, but my youngest is only 2 and others are infant school age. At the moment I work 3 days and lots of that at home so I have loads of time with DCs which I love. I have an au pair who is great, but she does toddler groups, playground trips etc on the days I work, not 8-6 full childcare. It would be a major change to her role if I took the position. There's only one nursery locally and I really don't like the care there, after PFB went there for a while we said never again. No childminders with vacancies.

Other factors - DH has a full time job and can't reduce his hours. His job security is better than mine but still not great, the sector he's in is subject to huge change. He has some health issues and if made redundant would almost certainly not get anything else, so I need to keep a job really. My first choice would be to stay in what I'm currently doing until DCs are much older, but it might not exist! And this is an acting role, so if it does I could go back.

My mind is going round and round - any advice please wise MNetters?

Tough call.

Do some scenarios in your head as to how you think each option will work out. That way, you should be able to prioritise what you want to actually do.

Don't over-think this. Listen to your gut.

Does your DH have any possibility for occasional working from home? Do you?

Can you go on a waiting list for any good childminders?

Thank you both! kate I can't work out what my gut instinct is - I think I should take it for practical reasons, and I would enjoy it and be good at it. But I hate the thought of seeing my DCs less. Anyone DH's boss is very anti working from home, though it would fit with his role. For mine I think to turn performance round I would need to be physically there, and probably quite like g hours. I think I could negotiate a 4 day week at most.

On the whole I would prefer lovely au pair to look after DCs than any local CM, but it would be a different role from the current one - more a nanny than au pair if she has youngest 4 days a week. I could increase her pay. I would really miss time with DCs while they're young though!

I think you should take it. While you are negotiating for (lots) more money, you should also negotiate for a four day week when you have the department in hand.

The au pair arrangement is tricky, but can be resolved.

The time spent with the children is more difficult, but I think your joint career situations mean that you need to prepare for a situation in which you are the sole or main breadwinner, and as such, you need to put things in place while you now have the chance, to make sure that you are a substantial breadwinner. It's a great opportunity.

Thank you Icant, I think I agree. If my department is still there in a year I could come back, hopefully with s good track record and a cushion in the bank. It's only a year.

Don't overthink the negative consequences: you will talk yourself out of it. Take the view that you should go gung ho for it - it still might not happen but if it does it might be the best move you ever made and if it isn't well at least you'll have stuck your neck out there and gave it a go. I think you won't regret the move you made that didn't work out as much as the one you were too afraid to try.

Split a piece of paper into 4 then put the pluses and minuses for each job in each box. Write down everything you can think of, however trivial. Then see which list is longest.

Go for the other job, turn it around, negotiate reduction in hours later if you need to.

It gives you options

That's what DH said wicked - I did it in my last job, started full time, got great results and reduced my hours. Definitely an option. I think I agree with Leo that I should all out go for it. My pro/con lists are depressingly balanced! It really comes down to less time with DCs vs maybe having no job, which is a nasty dilemma