Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu to decline this interview?

30 replies

GinAndSonic · 09/07/2016 08:00

A month or so ago I applied for a few jobs, including a job as a room attendant at a nice hotel near me. In the interim I interviewed for, was offered and accepted a job at Ann Summers. I have worked there a week and I love it. Shifts are variable, but the latest I work is 8:30pm. My boyfriend is looking after my DC for my late shifts, and family are looking after them at weekends.

I got an email yesterday inviting me to interview for the room attendant job. The latest shift there finishes at 4pm, which would reduce my need for childcare. I could do the work to a good standard.

I don't really want to go for the interview though. I've got this job, I enjoy it, I like my workmates, I get a great discount
Also, in getting this job I've come off income support so have had to contact jobcentre, tax credits, housing benefit etc, and changing so soon after would mess up all that as I'd have to change info again and God knows they are capable of messing up the simplest of changes on their systems.

Aibu to refuse an interview for a job that would reduce my reliance on other people in favour of staying in a job that needs more childcare but is really enjoyable?

OP posts:
DeathStare · 09/07/2016 08:02

I think that depends on whether the other people are really truly happy to be doing the childcare or whether they are doing it because they care about you but in the hope that it won't be long term.

RosieandJim89 · 09/07/2016 08:04

If those you are relying on are happy to help and reliable then stay where you are.

Mouikey · 09/07/2016 08:15

You also need to consider the impact on you cv... If you have only been at AS for a short while and then move to another job it can look a bit weird even if you have good reason. Have you any thoughts on what you would like to do longer term??

trafalgargal · 09/07/2016 08:55

Why do you feel you "should" go for the interview? Which job long term is likely to be more stable? (Hotels sometimes lay staff off or reduce hours in the low season, is it fixed hours or zero hours contract?)

If family are happy for the childcare arrangement to be permanent then I'd stick with a job you already know you like but really it all swings on childcare doesn't it.

trafalgargal · 09/07/2016 08:57

To add I used to live near the AS head office and knew people who worked there and people stayed and stayed so they appear to be a good employer for working mothers.

Snowkitty · 09/07/2016 09:04

I'd go for the interview anyway, find out more about it, meet the people you'd be working with etc and what the longer term prospects are - presumably in a hotel there might be greater opportunities in future to move on/up than in the AS job? Then if you're offered the job you can make a more informed decision. If you don't go for the interview you'll never know, so nothing to lose and everything to gain by going.

As for your CV, yes job-hopping can look like a negative, but for what would be such a short period of employment there would be no need to even include it on there in future.

Good luck!

dudsville · 09/07/2016 09:08

If your bf isn't your children's father and you separate then you'll need a back up plan, which it sounds like you might not need with the other job.

MiddleClassProblem · 09/07/2016 09:20

If there is a problem with the childcare arrangement then go to the interview and see what happens. If childcare is working out then you being happy is important. Having a more sociable job where you know you get along with colleagues sounds like a win. I'm assuming the childcare situation was arranged with a view for this job to be your on going situation, so your partner felt it was something he could do long term?

Creampastry · 09/07/2016 09:53

What about as your kids get older and have more weekend activities? What about room for promotion - possibly more opportunities in hotel? Is it a good hotel? Not sure having AS on cv long term is a good career move.

MollyTwo · 09/07/2016 09:56

I too don't think having AS on your CV is going to reflect well in the long term. More importantly you are heavily reliant on your bf and family for childcare. What's your back up plan if that had to fall through?

MiddleClassProblem · 09/07/2016 10:04

Yeah, becoming a manager, area manager, head office job in buying/marketing/logistics/hr etc no where to go. Also AS is a reputatse high street company, I'm sure it isn't a huge red mark on your cv. Maybe some people might think off but many won't. And would you want to work for a backwards thinker anyway?

I think your main issue is the childcare sustainability

ABloodyDifficultWoman · 09/07/2016 10:04

I don't understand this thing where 'having AS on your CV might not be a good idea' - why ever not? It's an established business with shops on practically every high street and has a huge turnover. It's not like the OP is wondering if Public Relations Officer for ISIS might blight her CV Grin.

MrsJoeyMaynard · 09/07/2016 10:07

A lot depends on whether your childcare arrangements will work in the long run - are the people looking after your children happy to continue the arrangement long term?

After that, what are the long term opportunities like in each job? Which one's more stable long term? Which one offers better opportunities for future promotions or gives you better work experience for what you want to do in the longer term?

If you're not sure about the stability or future prospects of the hotel job, then you could always go to the hotel interview to try and find out more information about that job - if on balance you decide the Ann Summers job suits you better, you're not obliged to accept the hotel job if they should offer it to you.

MrsJoeyMaynard · 09/07/2016 10:16

Not sure having AS on cv long term is a good career move

It's a well established high street brand by now, not some seedy back alley sex shop. If OP wants a career in retail, then her experience there would surely be transferable to many other shops, or at the very least, more relevant than working as a room attendant in a hotel?

(What does a room attendant do btw?)

redshoeblueshoe · 09/07/2016 10:39

MrsJoey I was thinking that Grin. If you are happy I wouldn't even waste peoples time going for the interview.

blankmind · 09/07/2016 10:45

Room attenfdant job description
nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/jobprofiles/Pages/HotelRoomAttendant.aspx

redshoeblueshoe · 09/07/2016 10:57

Blank -well that should settle it. Stay where you are OP

TheWeeBabySeamus1 · 09/07/2016 11:04

I'd stay at Ann Summers. I worked as a room attendant when I was 17 and it was back breaking and non stop. I'd do a 7 hour shift, come home and be asleep for 6pm every night. Plus the chance for progression is much better at a big company.

Also a lot of companies now advertise a room attendant job at minimum wage but don't actually pay it. I used to get paid per room and had to do 3 rooms an hour to get minimum wage, which is impossible when someone's shat up a wall and vomited in the bed Angry

Original poster
GinAndSonic · 09/07/2016 11:11

The Ann Summers job has better prospects. Room attendant is glorified cleaner really.
At AS I'm getting retail experience, getting experience making sales, working with sales targets, there's a lot of communication with the customer to find out what they want exactly. Theres opportunities to increase my hours, become a team leader, train to be an assistant manager and of course it's all transferable. Also, my store consistently makes well over its targets and so there's a pretty high chance of bonuses for that.
Not sure why Ann Summers would look bad on my CV or what sort of job would reject a candidate for having a long term role there.
Childcare thing would just be different issues tbh. Would miss school run at the room attendant job so would need my friend to pick the dc up, and it specified that you work at least one shift per weekend. So I'd still be looking for childcare. At AS, I've already been able to request my August shifts to be arranged to accomodate my mum being on holiday and if it really came to it I could probably make most of my shifts 9-1 to let me do both school runs and not need evening childcare. They are very good and when I started and they gave me my shifts were asking if they were ok as they could be changed if I needed.

OP posts:
meworthit · 09/07/2016 11:14

I'd stay at as . Prospects sound much better and you can't beat having a job that you actually enjoy

milkyface · 09/07/2016 11:14

Stay at Ann Summers! You enjoy it, shifts are changeable if needs be, and you have childcare.

It won't look bad on your cv at all, it's a huge company not a dodgy back street sex shop.

Even if you decide for whatever reason you don't want to stay there long term, its retail experience and you will find it much easier to get another position in retail I would say!

Timeforabiscuit · 09/07/2016 11:16

No doubt, the ann summers job is far far better - grab on to it while you can, IF childcare falls through you will have much more experience and skills to get another good job.

Do not sell yourself short.

People will help if you let them.

Be very very very appreciative of the people who do help you and im sure you will reciprocate so it balances out as no one likes being taken for a ride.

and most importantly congratulations!,

feckthemall · 09/07/2016 11:17

Stay where you are op

Sallycinnamum · 09/07/2016 11:18

What utter bullshit-AS being a black mark on your CV!

OP, your career trajectory (if you want one) will be much higher if you stay where you are.

I too have heard the organisation is family friendly and that's a rare thing in the job market and when you've built up enough loyalty there you may be able to change your shifts anyway.

Stick where you are!

SueTrinder · 09/07/2016 11:20

Stay at Ann Summers, they sound like they are being great employers.