To take a pre job job?

[FruitCider]

I have just finished some training for a job, have been offered a FANTASTIC job, but it requires security clearance which could take months and months.

I was offered another job, today I have hinted that I will accept that job with the view to giving notice as soon as my security clearance is done. The second employer does not know about the first one. I may only be there 3 or 4 months, if that. I now have huge feelings of guilt!

Have I been unreasonable?

Am I being a bit dense? You've 'hinted' that you might not be there long due to the security clearance coming through? So the second employer must have some idea surely? I think if you don't tell the second employer the full truth then that's a bit of a shitty thing to do but that's just my opinion.

In a normal world you would take the second job offered to you immediately then take the other job if you prefer it once the security clearance has been completed.
Don't feel guilty it's work to pay your bills etc, just take it.

I did exactly that. It was fine, nobody complained. In fact the "temporary" job offered me promotion and a pay rise to stay with them. They couldn't compete though so I moved on.

I also think it's fine, don't feel guilty. As far as I understand, you've told your employer about your security clearance as well, so it should be okay. Think about yourself first. Good luck!

Someone in my old office did similar. As soon as the SC job got in touch with HR(as they had to for the clearance as current employer) he was told to leave. Was a shame as he was thinking about staying and withdrawing from the other job.

No sorry I didn't explain myself very well. I've suggested to the second employer that I will accept their job offer once they have confirmed the offer and salary in writing. They don't know about the first job offer.

Jay55 that's a good point, although I imagine I will have started security clearance long before I start the second role.

I would go for it - I was the recruiting manager in a situation exactly the same as this a year ago.

I interviewed a great candidate and offered her the job that day, which she accepted but had to get security clearance for. This was in the June. We kept in regular contact (because the clearance can take a while) and a couple of weeks later she asked me if it would be ok if she undertook some temp work whilst she was waiting - my gut instinct was to say yes but checked with my HR team first and they agreed! The way we saw it was that her working was 100x better than her being sat at home twiddling her thumbs and waiting for her clearance to come through. This way when she started, she hadn't been out of work for too long and had no problems settling into a 9-5 job.

Another benefit was that her clearance ended up taking 6 months (not unusual, even if they tell you it won't be that long!) so well worth it for her to be working.

The job that you have accepted will likely be conditional on your clearance going through - therefore YWNBU at all to seek further employment in the mean time, especially if you still intend to take this job once the clearance is granted.

It's in a prison so definitely cannot work there without clearance! All my friends have said theirs has taken at least 5 months. So I could be at this job for at least 4 months, it won't be very short term. It's a nursing post and I believe it's very common for newly qualifieds to move around anyway?

Meh, you have to look out for yourself. Take the pre-job and leave when your security comes through.

I wondered if it was HMP! That was a very steep learning curve for me, not because of the job but because i had never been exposed to the results of poverty, chaotic family life, poor mental health, drug addiction etc. Enjoy! And no yanbu.

I'm going to work on the substance misuse wing, I get the sense it will be a baptism of fire!

Take the pre-job, you have to look out for yourself, no one else will.