To not take this job?

[lizzieoak]

So I certainly am not crazy about my current job. I'm finally getting to grips with it though so could tough it out. However, we're not busy so layoffs are coming, me included. There's a possibility I could be recalled though - at least that's what my supervisor said.

The big boss recommended me to another dept though. Other dept wants me in 3 weeks. However - I spoke to that boss & she sounds very stressed. I've been warned it's a bad atmosphere. The work itself is somewhat similar. I've been wanting to cut my hours a bit & my current boss may be amenable, but the new boss would not be (surprised she can be fussy as apparently they're chronically short-staffed & as I'm security cleared she can start me right away vs months from now).

Unemployment here is low, I have a fair amount of General skills.

AIBU to risk being unemployed for a bit & having more time to look for a job I'd actually like? I'm maybe over-sensitive to atmosphere, but I strongly do not want to go to a place everyone thinks sucks (& this coming from people who think my current worksite is great - whereas I think it's full of hierarchical nonsense).

Why not just try It to see if you like it and if you don't then resign.

I've always believed it's easier to get a new job if you already have one.

I would probably go to the new one, but keep looking for another. If it turns out you like it you can always turn down any offers. If you don't like it then you still have the option to quit.

That's the problem (one of them), I can't just quit. Where I live if you quit there is no $ owed by govt, not if you are laid off. I can't afford no income, so either I take my dept's layoff & have more time to job-hunt, or take a potentially stressful job, be too tired to jobhubt much, but unable to quit for economic reasons.

Woops, that should have said hat I'd only get benefit if laid off, nothing if I quit (as they'd consider my other income above the pittance for those who've run out of employment benefit).

I think you should take time to look for another job. I was made redundant from a job I loved . We had 6 months Garden leave during which time the company arranged seminars to help us cope with redundancy. By the time I attended I had secured another role which was to start 8 Weeks later. It was doing something similar to my current role, in was at a higher grade but in a Compamy that had a bad reputation.

The advice on the seminar, was to use the time to really think about what you want to do. Not to rush into a familiar role, but to really think about what you wanted and what would give you job satisfaction. I was too scared to take the advice and spent over two years hating my new job until it became too much and I left.

How long would the payoff keep you going for? It may be a good opportunity to consider your life plan & employment options with a bit of money to see you through.

TBH I would avoid like the plague somewhere that has a fussy/stressey boss and a bad atmosphere, those sort of places tend to have a high turnover of staff and never seem to improve. If you are pushed to do it, at least try and speak to people who currently work there or who have left to get a better feel for it.

I should get benefits for around 8-9 months. I've got a reasonable chance of finding a new position in that time. There's also a chance of getting recalled for a few months to my current job, which would extend my benefit longer.

My current supervisor is not a walk on the beach and she said the other dept is "grim"! I've also heard it described as chaotic.

They are chronically short-staffed as people move up (& quit), which is a bad sign. But also means that if I get desperate I can approach the stressy supervisor and see if she still needs staff.