Quick advice needed!

[Luvey]

Two job offers. Completely different jobs in different areas. Same pay. Both jobs temporary maternity cover.
Job 1 is an office job. 9-5 Mon to Fri
30 mins drive. I don't see much progression here.
Job 2 is in a nursery. 730-330 Mon to Fri. 20 mins drive. Think there is potential for progression .

I honestly don't know which to choose. Have never had an office job. Have never worked in a nursery.
How do people decide??????

What sort of nursery are you talking about? Presumably a day nursery? Although I think you need qualifications and a dbs for that.

Which job is easier to travel to?

Do you have any commitments which make the difference in the hours?

What are the jobs as in are they both admin based? If so personally I would pick the one with potential for progression. An admin role from a nursery can easily be transferred to an office, bit more difficult the other way around.

You will also miss the traffic for the commute (assuming driving) so it would be a shorter day in total, 5pm traffic is a nightmare and you hit all the school traffic at 8.30!

Yes a day nursery. I'm over qualified as have stepped down from a certain professional career and will pass all checks of course.
The nursery is probably easiest to get to ...but tbh not much difference in it

Job 1 is admin
Job 2 is in the nursery. With the children. Not admin

Flip a coin. You’ll know if the answer comes up “wrong”

Yes to flipping a coin. If your heart sinks when you see the answer then you know to go for the other one.

Based on what you’ve told us, I’d take job 2; I’d prefer the hours and the chance of progression is a positive.

If you really can’t decide, try making a list of the pros and cons of each; it might help clarify your thoughts.

Do you want to work with children?

Personally if it was me in that case I would go with the admin job unless you really have a passion for it but only because my SIL works in nurseries and its very hard work with short breaks!

Whether you'd rather spend your days sitting at a desk doing admin or being more active and looking after children might be a deciding factor.

Also do you prefer to get up early to start at 7.30, or a bit later? Do you have a school run or other committments to do too? Traffic is likely to be lighter for the nursery job than the admin one.

Being finished at work by 3.30 might be quite useful if it allows you to do things like go to bank or post office before it closes, or go for a run in the daylight.

From what you've said, it sounds like you should go for job 2.

Office admin can be quite dull. You will be much more active and have more variety in the nursery role I would think.

Which hours suit you the best? Maybe give thought to what the traffic is like at the various hours of the day. My daughter had a 9am start for a local-ish office job (20 mins) and thought it would be a good lie in, but in reality the traffic was so horrendous she had to leave really early.

If they're both maternity cover positions, will there be opportunity to progress anyway?

Nursery is hard work, when I first started working with children I ended up with a headache everyday for the first few months but it is rewarding work.

I've never worked in an office but my partner does and in some jobs he had got bored often. It all depends on what kind of thing you're wanting to do, they're very different.

My ddil worked in a day nursery. The pay was low and the work was quite responsible and demanding. Changing nappies, feeding, being aware of allergies, being aware of health and safety regulations, and often attending meetings after work, or having to wait for delayed parents. Office admin would be easier.

Oh God my pros and cons lists are not helping. Coming up much the same for both! Anyone else want to do a pro and con list for me? I cannot get my head into gear at all ! I've accepted both but need to make a decision one way or the other pretty sharp!

Surely with 2 such different jobs it’s a case of which one feels more like “you”? And we can’t help you answer that. If it were me, the thought of working with toddlers all day would have me sobbing under a blanket, but for someone else, being hands-on with small children is a dream.

Wildly different jobs! Do you have a desire to work in childcare? Office admin can be full but dull may be better than other people's children...

Choose one, but don't contact the employers just yet.

Then start making preparations for doing it, work out your travel schedule, think about clothes, lunches, how you'll arrange your day, etc, etc. "Live" the decision.

Tomorrow, see how it feels.

And only stick with it if it still feels the right decision.

Nursery is physically harder but an office job can kill you in ways your mind won't even register (sitting at your desk all day long isn't hard but it isn't healthy). Admin can be mind numbing too, particularly if you are overqualified. Possible career progression in the nursery is a good thing. Do you feel like you would get on with people in these places? Which future boss seems like someone you'd like to meet every day?

Thanks all for your thoughts.
I'm still no further on in deciding
Both bosses are lovely. Did dummy run of driving to both jobs today. Job 1 was a bit hectic on the way home. So that's one con the other doesn't have. I think job 2 feels a bit more like me? Need to decide 100% by Monday

What would look better on your cv for the future ?

Personally I would lean to an office job as it would be a potential for opening more doors and better salary in the future

Good luck whatever you decide x

All things being equal the nursery without a doubt. Id love to finish at 330.....I do also like toddlers tbf