To ask you to help me decide which job?

[Helpwithdilemma101]

I have a big dilemma, I could really do with some help deciding.

I currently have a job (let's call it Job 1) but have been offered another job (Job 2) and I just cannot decide which one to go for. I didn't apply for job 2, they approached me. I am going to lay the main features of both jobs out here.. please help me decide! My background - I have two children (age 5 and 3), a supportive husband and family. We have just taken on a fairly large mortgage for renovation work this year.

Job 1 (my current job)
Large national charity
£21,000 per year salary, pension 5%
Full time 35 hrs per week
30 days per year holiday
Agile working (pretty flexible around working from home)
The office is about a 40 minute drive away. I have to be there probably 3 days a week.
Some travel locally, up to an hour away
The work is loosely related to the field I trained in (education) and I am quite motivated by it.

Job 2:
Small local business, has been around for 20 years and going strong.
£25,000 per year salary (potential tonne 30k in a few years), 5% pension
Full time 35 hours per week
20 days per year holiday
Pretty flexible and relaxed working
Office is a 5 minute walk from my house (so I can easily do school drop off every day, no rushing and battling traffic)
Completely unrelated to my training. Would be all new but quite interesting. On paper it's a promotion. Not sure how interesting I will find the field.
National travel on a monthly basis for 2/3 days at a time.

I'm so torn. I (mostly) like my current job but am really tempted by the new job offer. Which would you pick?

YANBU - Stay in job 1
YABU - Move to job 2.

Thank you! (Oh I name changed because this could be outing and I have talked about it with a few people IRL)

More pay, shorter commute. Job 2

Would £4K a year be enough to warrant losing two weeks of holidays?

I think this is a large part of it. It's two weeks of holiday plus the office closes over xmas. However, I have a sneaky feeling this will probably be instead of any kind of meaningful pay rise any time soon (there is a big pay review underway but it's already about a year late)

Losing the commute would be a huge bonus. So job 2 for me as well.

The only pro for Job 1 is that you say you are motivated by the first job, but what are the promotion opportunities like? Will you want to change jobs in the next couple of years in any case?

Have you tried negotiating with them about holiday? I applied for a job with only 20 days but negotiated them up to 25 when I was offered the job. When I joined I learned I was not the only person who'd done this. Might be worth a try, especially as they approached you.

I wouldn't give up 2 weeks of holiday for a 4k payrise when I have kids. I would press them for more! If they could match that id move in a heart beat.

Have you tried negotiating with them on holiday? 20 days a year seems very very low!

I moved jobs for very similar reasons (more local less commute) different area of same field I was in. Holidays were 5 days less but I didnt think that would matter. It actually did! Childcare emergencies etc etc meant that I actually really missed my additional 5 days. Company didnt shut over Christmas so if I wanted the time off I had to save 3 days.

I ended up really regretting it. To me, and my kids, I realised that that extra holiday was more important.

Also will you have the option to wfh like you do now? And what are the possibilities of a pay rise in job 1 if you stay?

If Job 2 would offer the same but with 30 days holiday I'd move. Otherwise I wouldn't lose 10 day's leave unless I hated it (which you don't). So try and get more leave... or stay in Job 1.

Is there definitely job security with job 2?

I'd stick with job 1 for now. The drop of 10 days in holidays if you took job 2 could be a problem when working around school holidays for DC. Also the fact that the work is loosely related to the field you trained in and you are quite motivated by it but don't know if you'd find job 2 interesting would push me into staying.

I wouldn't relinquish 10 days holidays for a £4k increase unless I felt the job would be seriously interesting and fulfilling.

Job 3 may be along in a short time.

20 days holiday is not much. Just the statutory minimum, but its a small business. Are they taking Christmas close down out of those 20 days? If so I wouldn't want that.

I'd worry about managing in the school holidays with that amount of holiday tbh.

If you do have support in the school holidays then I personally would consider job 2. It's closer and pays more, but at the same time I also wouldn't want to work that close to home.

Job 2 if you could negotiate more holidays. 20 days when you work ft with kids would be really hard.

Job 2 for me.

Factor in the commute time to your pay and its and even bigger payrise and more flexibility each day.

On the annual leave issue, the statutory minimum is 28 days including Bank hols. So you also get those bank hols off.
Are bank hols included or additional to job 1 annual leave?
Does the leave entitlement for job 2 increase each year? Starting at the minimum and climbing to a capped maximum annual leave is quite normal for a new role.

No, I'd stick with job 1. The holiday loss isn't worth it. I'd try and negotiate a pay rise though

Job 2 here as well.

To me, the holidays would mean more than the £4k payrise. I have 2 DS age 7 and 3.
My job had 30 days holiday, when DS2 was born I asked if I could change to term time, which I got. Covering holidays when they are in school would be a nightmare, but then I literally have no support.
You'll miss the 10 days massively. So unless you can negotiate up or have the option of getting extra days working flexi-time, I'd stay where I was.

You need to clarify if the 20 days include bank holidays or not.

If not, then I would turn it down.

I would choose the job you love and where you have the most opportunity for growth. I also wouldn't be fooled into believing your only choice is between these two. If you have training and experience, and you think you would like to change jobs, I would start looking, applying and interviewing. I wouldn't just take the first thing that came along because it's close to home unless you really want to a career change to retail.

I have a longer commute than you, that I also do 3 days a week, and dc who are 7 & 2. Now I wouldn't do it for a lower salary than I have now, but the job is absolutely worth the commute and the hassle. My dh is perfectly capable of doing the school run and homework and cooking dinner on the days I work later.

It doesn't sound like either is a perfect fit. I would look for something that might be. You never know until you do.

I would stay in job 1. No way would I give up 10 days annual leave. 20 days in the minimum.

Tell them you will take the job if they give you 25 days. Everything is negotiable.

Job 1, 2 weeks extra holidays will be worth far more than 4K both financially and for well-being, when both kids are in school and it’s the 6 week holidays. Also work from home is a bonus worth having with or without kids in the mix

I'd choose the job that looks best on your CV. You've taken a big mortgage our and remaining attractive in a challenging job market is difficult. But if you have the luxury where this isn't an issue, then take your pick.

I’d tell job two how keen you are but it’s top many days holiday to lose.

I negotiated an extra 5 days at my job.