can't decide between job offers

[colalight]

So I was made redundant last year due to Covid 19. I was earning £37,000pa. Public sector so it was good pay, benefits, pension, unionised, family friendly policies etc.
I wasn't happy where I was as I found it quite stressful. Not because of the job itself but the targets were quite impossible and my managers were arseholes. So the redundancy (voluntary) was quite a relief and the package was good.
I wanted to still work though so I've been applying for lots of roles and I have two offers.
First one is £41,000pa and mostly home based but with occasional travel to London which is quite a way to travel. Its private sector. 25 days holiday a year, employee voice (rather than a union), "excellent" pension scheme (but no details other than that), nothing about staff benefits although glassdoor says 'shop discounts'. Oh and they were asking me in the interview about my preferred gender pronouns which made me a bit uncomfortable. The interviewer also kept going on about the BLM movement (which I support) but again it made me feel this organisation was a bit too political and woke for me.
Second one is £30,000pa and only home based during Covid 19 but its 30 mins from home. Its public sector. 31 days holiday a year, flexible working policies, has lots of staff, networks and societies, very detailed list of staff benefits, very good pension scheme and it is unionised. It could open lots more doors for me career wise.
I want to accept the second offer but my head is saying its a step back for me.
My DH says we can afford it (plus he's hoping to get a promotion). He also says it is more important to be happy. He says I can keep job searching whilst in job 2 but I can't stop my head from saying "you've worked so hard to get where you are and you will be failing!" I also worry that it could take forever to get back up to what I earned before - if at all.
WIBU to take the lower salary? Has anyone been in a similar position?

What about the job roles themselves? Leaving benefits etc aside? Obviously benefits are important, but which of the jobs/companies could you see yourself being happiest in?

If money is no issue and the 2nd job is closer to home, I’d probably go for that. I’m wary at the moment as I think a lot of employers will say they’re open to remote working, but will possibly want you in the office more often after COVID.

Take the lower salary, I’m private sector and my good pension in a FTSE100 equals £12k a year if I retire at 65 with a lump sum and that’s with 15% of my similar salary of yours being added (5 from me and 10 from employer) with 40 odd years service.

job 1 is very much about strategy and policy, working with the SMT and directors, report writing, presentations, improving the company's image. It is similar in many ways to my previous role so I worry about the same amount of stress and targets.

job 2 is much more working with people (adult learners). It is related to the postgraduate course I'm currently doing through the OU. The interview was really relaxed and informal which surprised me but the interviewers sounded really nice people.

Neither of them sound great but I would take job 2 and use it as a stepping stone, either within the organisation or somewhere else.

People generally want to get paid more because it gives them more options in life and the perception that it will always make them happier. If you will be comfortable on £30k and able to do the things you enjoy then take the lower salary. Politics/ contentious personal opinions should be kept out of the work place and the fact the interviewer raised such a topic at interview is a massive red flag for me.

I recently had to decide between two jobs and when I wrote down to ask advice from other people, it was very clear to everyone that I preferred one of the jobs. I didn't realise myself but when I read it back it was obvious.

It is clear to me that you prefer the second job.

I'm about to take a job which means that I will be earning about 4K less than I'm on now but my work life balance is going to be so much better. Condensed hours in to 4 days meaning I get a 3 day weekend.

Money is important in that you need enough to be able to survive and be comfortable but happiness is very important.

For what its worth, I would see them asking about gender pronouns as a real positive. I'm glad work places are becoming more accepting on these things.

You sound like you love the second job more. If you can survive off the lower salary go for it. When your 60/70 reflecting back on your life I would bet money you would regret not taking job 2

I'd go second job. Public sector is heading just as far down the 'woke' rabbit hole in most places, I'm afraid, but the pronouns thing in a job interview would seriously put me off. If you can afford it, and it's a stepping stone role, plus you sound like you would vastly prefer the role, it's a no brainer. Times are stressful enough at the moment!

Take whichever will get you to where you want to be long term - that’s more important than all other considerations.

I'd go for the second job for the pension if nothing else.

It does sound a more fulfilling role as well though.

Firstly I would definitely ask job 1 what the actual terms of the pension are so you can make an informed decision.

Is the 30k at the bottom of the band of job 2? They may be open to going up a bit - definitely worth asking.

An extra week of holiday would also be very persuasive for me!

It sounds like you prefer the 2nd role however as you've already been public sector for years you know what the culture tends to be like and said you were unhappy.

1st job will likely have a lot more flexibility in terms of what you can do as it's private and less red tape. Having said this I'd be put off by being asked what I think about BLM and for what it's worth I fully support it but don't think it should be a matter that's discussed among employees in a professional capacity.

Write a list of both/discuss with family and see which one your edging towards more

Job 2, seems like you’d be happier, you write more enthusiastically about it and its a better long term strategy using your new skills. Sounds more rewarding too. Good luck!

I got made redundant this year. I got a new job on nearly half the money (although I used to have massive travel costs and expenses for my old job, so it wasn’t as drastic a cut as it sounds). I’m now furloughed from that job, so on even less! I am struggling a bit now. Money is tight. Bills are higher at this time of year, especially when you’re home a lot.

Anyway, what I meant to say was if you can survive easily on the pay cut, and it helps your post grad/future plans then I’d go for job 2.

excellent" pension scheme (but no details other than that), n

You cannot possibly decide without more information on the pension scheme of job 1. It is absolutely part of the remuneration so that it is entirely reasonable for you to request details. The formal job offer must include these details if they are to be part of the contract.

Public sector role would be expected to pay less but the pension scheme can absolutely make a massive difference go the overall renumeration package and how much you have to live on in retirement.

This may not seem important now, I promise you it will be very important as you get closer to retirement. Do you know what pension provision your DH has? Wouldn't it be fun to have a public sector pension that is worth more year on year than his?

Find out about the pension before you decide.

Job 2. No question. Security and holiday and pension over higher pay (taxable) and nutty bosses.

Job 2.

Job 2. Just been in the exact same situation. I was offered 2 jobs on the same day, one paid £5.5k less than the other and was only 4.5 days a week. However, it was literally my dream job and has so much career progression that I felt I couldn’t sell out for a couple of hundred quid a month. Job satisfaction and feel content in yourself is worth so much.

I’d go for job 1 but that’s because I like doing that sort of work. If you did a few years in that role you could probably go into the public sector at a much higher grade.

Job 2.

What do you mean by that @Sprig1? Are you just being rude?

An offer is just that you’re free to negotiate. Seek higher salary for job 2 you lose nothing by asking.

@YukoandHiro

What do you mean by that *@Sprig1*? Are you just being rude?

That's what I thought!

@SarahBellam I did consider that, but I don't do well with stress, even when I have the skills for the job.

@Allispretty that's exactly how I felt. It did put me off when previously I was attracted to the pay and the homebased status.

@HotChoc10 job 2 is at the bottom of the scale, no negotiation. job 1 might have some negotiation, I don't know.

Trying to weigh everything up (I'm rubbish at maths though!)

Previous job cost £30 a month in petrol, plus £120pm in parking. Not covered by expenses as expenses only applied if travelling from place of work not TO place of work.

Job 1 would have no fuel or parking costs except on the days they may want me to travel to London which would be v expensive unless travel expenses covered - another thing to inquire about.

Job 2 would provide a parking permit of £20 per month. So £50pm fuel and parking

Can't find any information on Job 1 pension scheme.

Job 2 pension scheme says employee contribution is 9.6% of annual salary and employer contribution is 19.5% of members' salaries