To wait around for a job I want?

[pepsimaxxx]

I worked in a well known department store for over 5 years and loved it.
I worked 30 hours per week and it was perfect for me.
I've recently been made redundant and I want to ideally work in another similar department store /clothing store(not food /supermarket )
My oh works in a contact centre and can get me a job for 37.5 hours a week it's £10.30 a hour so more than min wage I was getting at this department store.
I really don't want to take this job.
The thought of being on a phone 24/7 terrifies me.
I want to hold out for a retail job h/m Zara etc
My oh has said with furlough /lockdown the chance of me getting a full time role is slim.
Aibu here ?
What would you do?

Take the contact centre job but keep looking for a role you actually want. It’s easier to get a job when you’re in a job.

Sorry, it has come to this.

If you can afford to be off (and use your own savings) then don't take the job. Personally I'd take it even if just for a brief spell to get some cash. Plus any experience is better than none

What terrifies you about it? I’d take the job until something else comes up.

Look for an alternative to the call centre, not necessarily what you want tho as it might be quite difficult. Better not to have big gaps in your cv.

I've been looking and there's not much.
The things I would like aren't enough hours.
8 hour /12 hour contracts.
I need at least 30 hours to live

I would imagine retailers like that will be shedding roles. If you can afford it fair enough but if you can't then you just need to work. I'd have no respect for someone who felt they were too good to work in a certain role but wanted to sponge.

Well if you need the money there’s your answer
You can keep looking for another job as well though

I'd hate to be on the phones too but I'm not sure you can afford to be picky in the current job market. Retail jobs are going to be few and far between.

I'd take the phone job but keep looking.

I’d take the job you can get.

Who knows when retail will be back to “normal”

I’d assume, if the high streets stay quiet post lockdown, people already working for these retail could be made redundant once the furlough period ends.

If I was you (and I’m not obviously!) I’d take it, and review/keep my eye out over the summer and towards Christmas.

I’d leave a partner who wouldn’t take any job despite not having one as they only wanted to do x role for part time. The lack of work ethic and contribution (unless they had enough savings to pay their half) would be a turn off and red flag.

I'd take the job and keep looking. I work for a major retailer and we've just made 4000 people redundant, we've also been told any future hires (for 2021at least) will be on a temporary contracts and only part time hours with overtime offered when the business demands it.

I agree take the job and keep applying for others.

It’s quite rare to get full time hours in retail, OP. If you’re holding out for that you’ll be waiting forever.

Most retail are either zero hours or 4/8/12.

You should take this job and then you can keep looking for another.

Retail is dead and department stores are no going to come back even after COVID.
If you need the money to live then you can’t afford to be choosey now.
Take the job and once COVID is over keep your eye out for any small independents that might open up.

@pepsimaxxx As someone that frequently recruits staff and spends a long time looking at CVs...take the call centre job and continue looking for your ideal job. As others have said, it’s far easier to get a job while you’re in a job!! After Covid the number of people applying for a single role is going to be unbelievable...you need to be realistic about the fact it could be a while before you’re back in a role that you want 😓
I feel your pain though, I work in retail and always have...I love it! A call centre is not my dream 😓 but it shows that you’re committed to work and will give anything a go!

It's not an either/or proposition. Take the job you need now, and keep looking for one you want.

Can you afford to support yourself in the meantime if you don't take this job?

Take the job!

I’m in the same position as you OP, I’ve taken a job in the call centre and I start in a couple of weeks. I’d worked in the same store for (a very well known department store) 15years and I’m so excited for my new job. It’s better hours, no evenings or weekends, Xmas off plus more holidays and much better money.

I get it, it’s a big deal to lose your job and everything you know but if you’ve got the opportunity of a new job I’d take it, give it a go then if you really don’t like it then start looking for something new. As other posters have said it’s easier to get a job when you’re already in a job!

The future of retail is very uncertain and many retailers will be freezing all recruitment for the foreseeable future until things stabilise so you may be waiting a long time for the type of roles you’re talking about.

@dontputitinyourmouth I have a feeling we are both talking about the same store :-(
It's a shame as our store really felt like a family

Beggars can’t be choosers.

If I were an employer and were interviewing two candidates, and one had been working in a supermarket to earn money and the other had been sitting at home waiting for the right job to come along I would hire the supermarket worker.

It really doesn’t make you look very good if you’re not prepared to work unless it’s exactly what you want. Not just to employers but to other people as well..

I remember one of the school mums’ dh was made redundant several years ago, and at the time someone mentioned to her that there were delivery jobs going with Tesco. And she said “no, he doesn’t want one of those jobs because when the right job comes up he would feel he was letting them down when he left. he stayed unemployed for three years and as time went on he had more and more rejections for jobs he was perfectly qualified for. I have very little doubt that part of the reason for those rejections was that he was sat on his arse rather than wanting to work for a living.

I have some savings yes but they won't last me more than a few months unfortunately

Take the job and look for your ideal one while you're working.

At least give it a go. I hate being on the phone as well - but it will hardly be 24/7!!

Are you specifically looking for front line retail or would you consider other roles (like online customer service for retail websites). I think it's okay to wait a little bit for a job you like but you might need to widen your criteria and give yourself a cut off - 1 month without work and you take what you can (but that really is dependent on it being still being an option).

No I wouldn't mind retail customer service.
I haven't seen nothing like that advertised.
I don't think my area has those contact centres.