AIBU to have taken a job I know I’ll be leaving?

[Roosin33]

Basically in March lost my job. I applied for loads- literally hundreds- of jobs and finally got a basic, minimum wage retail job two months ago. Pay cut but still money. However, I knew all along there was a very large possibility I would be moving to the other end of the country at the end of September.

I purposely didn’t mention this to my employer and am now at the point of having to give notice.

I did this because I had bills to pay, bills piling up, wasn't on furlough, and I know they wouldn’t have given me the job otherwise. But I was desperate for money and had been unemployed for several months, with my income being the sole earnings. I’ve now managed to get my bills up to date and I’m not in the red anymore. If I hadn’t got this job, god knows what state I’d be in financially.

WIBU to do this?

I am working my full notice period and it is not a specialist role, so it won’t be hard to train someone or find my replacement, if this makes a difference. I do feel guilty but also I needed a job desperately.

Thank you.

When I was 16 I got a summer job in a cafe, £20 a week cash in hand (no minimum wage then!!) paid 2 weeks in arrears. I knew I was going to move away to go and live with my DM for A levels, so after working for 5 weeks I gave a week’s notice in writing.

One of the other staff had already warned me that once someone was leaving the owner would be very nasty to get them to walk out so could avoid paying and sure enough he was verbally abusive to me (although I held my nerve.)

On the last day he tried to short-pay me too, so no guilt from leaving that place in the lurch!

MadameBlobby and vanillandhoney

I'm coming at this from quite a selfish perspective, having trained 2 people - it's a long process, there's a lot to bear in mind. It took me a lot of time and effort to train them, give feedback, work through any issues, etc.

One person left after 6 months. Another doesn't seem to be "getting" it so I don't think he'll pass probation.

It's very frustrating, I've not had much time to do my actual job between training and reminders.

I posted this a thread like this about starting an NHS job knowing I would be leaving and got some amazing replies. One person said they were reporting to NHS HR?! and another said I was single handedly destroying the NHS. Another said that as a military wife I was entitled. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Still started the job and left, I doubt any of them remember me now! But then the NHS has 1.4 million employees.

You signed an employment contract with a notice period. You are abiding by the contract. Nothing to feel guilty about.

@TheBeesKnee

MadameBlobby and vanillandhoney

I'm coming at this from quite a selfish perspective, having trained 2 people - it's a long process, there's a lot to bear in mind. It took me a lot of time and effort to train them, give feedback, work through any issues, etc.

One person left after 6 months. Another doesn't seem to be "getting" it so I don't think he'll pass probation.

It's very frustrating, I've not had much time to do my actual job between training and reminders.

I’m also coming at it from a selfish perspective of having given blood sweat and tears to a job and when push comes to shove, you’re just a number and they’ll get rid in the blink of an eye.

A lot of minimum wage employers expect their staff to be leaving after finding something else, even the ones staying put and not moving hundreds of miles away. I would've thought this would've been obvious from your CV/work history.

Lots of people take on an "in between" job when they're looking for something else. It's fine, really.

If you haven't given notice yet, you don't need to tell them you've been planning the move for months. You can imply it was a recent decision, if that makes you feel any better.

Times are abnormnal right now be that employer and employee's

No OP you did no wrong you've IMHO done well to get yourself out of the fiscal mire and it seems thats plenty of looking for jobs so shouldn't hurt the employer that much.

Says Justa haveing been in both camps at times..

I'm coming at this from quite a selfish perspective, having trained 2 people - it's a long process, there's a lot to bear in mind. It took me a lot of time and effort to train them, give feedback, work through any issues, etc.

Yeah - I did hiring and training for two years and I still don't think it's selfish for someone to leave if something better comes up. Job loyalty doesn't pay these days - it's not worth it. At the end of the day, it's just a job. I put blood, sweat and tears into my last job and when I ended up leaving due to bullying and stress, they couldn't have given one fuck about me.

Too many people stay in jobs that don't work for them out of some sense of misguided loyalty - it's not worth it. it's just a job. Stay if you like it, but if it no longer works for you (for whatever reason) move on and find something else. No point staying somewhere you don't like.

Did you do your job to the best of your abilities while you were there? Yes. Will it cost the company a tonne of money to replace you? No. So why on Earth would you feel guilty?

I don’t think this is wrong at all - the only times it starts to be a bit morally dubious is either (a) you’re not engaged or doing your job properly as you know you’re leaving, or spend all your time at work browsing for new jobs (b) if it’s a small company and a specialist role that they’d struggle to fill or had spent a lot of money training you up before you leave.
Neither of these are the case.

Of course you're not.

You owe employers nothing but your labour in a free market.

They'd make you redundant in a heartbeat if they needed to, you're just a number to them.

They can't complain if employees treat them like numbers too.

Bit late to be feeling guilty now. Don't worry about it, lots of jobs have high turnaround, managers get used to it.

a basic, minimum wage retail job

No issue at all - it's not a specialised role and it will be easy for them to find someone else. And there won't be a tonne of training time sunk into you that will now be lost given the nature of the job.

I recently started at huge public sector organisation, found out I’m pregnant and I’m not going back after mat leave. No doubt there are people out there who think I’m wrong.

Not retail exactly, but my daughter works at Starbucks. They’ve just advertised for an assistant - full time but actually a zero hours contract, not much more than minimum wage, and do far have received 137 applicants. Your job will be snapped up.

Don’t feel guilty. I don’t think anyone goes into their job for life anymore.

YANBU at all, you have to pay bills and you were made redundant.
You needed a job.
Is it a chain, could you possibly get a transfer?
I managed this with a hotel chain once and moved from the NW to east Anglia.

Of course you're not being unreasonable.

An employer will cut staff without a second thought if they have to.

Employees aren't property; they have a right to move on to better jobs and conditions when the opportunities arise. They also have a right to move away when it suits them, not an employer.

I wouldn't worry, @Roosin33 there are millions of people needing a job, and if it's minimum wage retail, there is already a huge churn of staff anyway, so it's hardly the end of the world. It won't take a new person long to get up to speed.

You needed the job and they had the vacancy. Not something to agonise over, good luck with your move.

I’ll probably get flamed for this, but a few years ago I was in need of a Christmas job. I applied for various traditional Christmas positions but no joy. I then applied for a call centre job where I would be given a months training before taking calls. I was successful, did my months training that earned enough to pay for Christmas and then I left (I told them I’d realised after training that the job wasn’t for me, which was partly true). To be fair the turnover of staff was massive. I know I should feel guilt but the job was with Capita, so enough said.

You are guilty of absolutely nothing. You did exactly what you had to do at the time.

Should I ever find myself in that position, I'll do the same.

I got a job at a pharmaceutical company that was supposed to be permanent, but they had plans to shut down the department after a year. You don't think they told me that, do you?

I know I should feel guilt but the job was with Capita, so enough said.

Capita wouldn't think twice about getting rid of you. Shocking company to work for and with.

It’s unfortunate for the business; people don’t seem to understand how costly it is to actually recruit someone, let alone the expense and time afterwards training them.

And yes, I’m talking about retail/minimum wage jobs.

At the end of the day though, you need to do what’s best for you. As long as you follow the terms of your contract you shouldn’t feel guilty.

@Thebearsbunny feel no guilt. They shaft people daily.

I wouldn’t feel bad.

You needed a job and you’re working your required notice period. Sometimes jobs don’t work out (for either side) and I’m sure they’ve had similar things happen to them in the past. Never feel sorry for the big bad corporations. Maybe if they had given you more than the bare minimum it could have enticed you to stay longer.