AIBU to go for this job? Or should I swerve it?

[dilemmacareerwise]

HOD in FE college.

I bloody love my job, I mean I would virtually carry on doing the good parts of it if I won £82 billion on the lottery.

I earn about £40k and work term time only. I also get 2/3 weeks fully paid foreign travel each year as part of my job.

I work really bloody hard but as I am left alone to manage my own workload, I can, for example, meet a friend for lunch once a fortnight, or leave at 4pm once a week and go to supermarket, making up for it by working until 9pm at night or on Saturday.

Opportunity has arisen to go for promotion and this would pay over £50k which in net terms would be more than £500 per month. I have two DC in uni in London and am single parent with huge mortgage. This money would be very useful.

However, I have had some health issues from my job as it is very stressful (ask anyone in FE) but I have prescribed anti anxiety meds which mostly have resolved this. I am concerned that is I were successful, I would have MH issues, that I would not have the same freedoms I have now, that I would end up wishing I had never left the job I love.

Has anyone been in a similar situation and can throw ideas into the mic? I don't have much time.

Thanks so much if you can help.

I completely appreciate the situation you're in. I think you have two choices stay where you are (safe) or jump and risk it... how close are you to the hiring manager? Could you have a discreet conversation around the role expectations? Would it be possible to request this as a secondment opportunity with say a 6 month review period? Also does your employer know about the stress you have experienced? If not, I urge you to let them know once you have either got the promotion or have decided to stay where your are. They can't support you if they don't know!

Stay put - you might find the extra tax you pay will make is not such an attractive prospect in reality. You cannot underestimate the advantages of having flexibility in a job. Sometimes more money is simply buying more stress. (I speak from personal experience)

Will you have the same level of autonomy in the new role?

Thanks everyone.

I have decided not to apply for the higher grade job. They wouldn't be able to hold my existing job open for me and I don't want to take the risk. I will try to get a pay rise in my existing job instead. I really do appreciate how lucky I am to love my job so much.

To Ruthie - if I disclosed my stress and anxiety, my employers would be very sympathetic and understanding and offer me counselling. But I would never get a promotion there as long as I lived. It's career progression suicide in HE/FE to admit any MH issues as the roles are so incredibly stressful.