To accept a new job offer?

[MiaFarrowsWheelbarrow]

The job role I currently have is salaried for 40 hours per week but I sometimes work well over that, the pay is generous for the industry but for various reasons it's stressful and all decision making is on me and I have no TOIL or overtime options. I have mental health problems which are controlled but I can feel them getting worse due to the thought of the stress about to come plus when it's a busy period I never get any kind of proper home life or time for hobbies/friends. Occasionally the days are long (leave home at 6.45am and return at 9.00pm). The job I currently have has a certain kudos in the small community where I live and I'm popular because of it and I'm proud of what I have achieved. I've been furloughed since before Christmas and it's nearly time to return to work and I'm reflecting on my choices as, like many, I'm not sure I want to go back to that stressful routine. On a total whim I applied for a different job and I have the final job interview today but it's just a formality really as I've already been told it's more or less mine, the contract is temporary for only 5 months (seasonal work) and I will be paid approx £500 less per month than I'm being paid now but it's in a beautiful location, very little decision making and generally less stressful all round, I can literally go to work, do the job and come home, no planning, no stupidly early mornings and very late nights, just set hours. I really don't know what to do. Would I be unreasonable to accept it and hope I can find another job when the contract ends? The household finances aren't dire but we aren't rolling in money either, my husband says "do whatever makes you happy", but I'm struggling to justify potentially accepting a job that pays less with no security. I know I haven't been offered the job properly yet but what would you do if you were me?

I would prioritise my mental health and family life.
I left a full time permanent job to accept a 6 month fixed term contract because I didn't want to increase my commute, the business was moving. My boss at the time thought I was insane and was very mean about it, but I'm still at the company 7 years later and love it!

Will you be bored? That's my deciding factor.

What happens after the 5 months?

@KatherineJaneway

What happens after the 5 months?

Exactly my dilemma. There's no work there after 5 months so I will have to find something else very fast.

@Lemonlemon88

Will you be bored? That's my deciding factor.

There's a chance I will be but the work is fairly varied so hopefully not.

I have been considering similar. I say go for it. Life is too short to stay in a job you hate and mental health is more important than money.

Are there other contract positions in your industry? I’m not permanent anywhere but always bounce from one fixed-term contract to the next. Bit of a ballache in terms of always having to job-hunt for the next thing but often stuff comes to you once you’re known for being able to fill temporary positions.

I would take the pay cut and the risk as your other job sounds horrendous.

I wouldn't move for this position. The employment situation is very difficult and it will take a long time to recover. However, keep applying for other jobs. If you find another permanent job quickly you will have lost nothing. If it takes you ages to find one then you will have confirmation that accepting that job will have been too big a risk.

Mental health is important, completely valid point which I strongly agree with. Main point I think though, will the work be stimulating enough? Will you get bored? Secondly, can you afford the dip in salary firstly during the contract and then if the contract isn’t renewed and you’re unemployed. Personally the thought of being unemployed would stress me out so much that I wouldn’t be able to enjoy a short fixed term contract job.

Is this the only other opportunity?

It sounds like you need to leave your current job but maybe not this particular role.

I agree life is too short to be miserable. Stepping back is the best thing I did but I'd be stressed at the thought of the short term contract.

Is there any opportunity for you to make your current job less stressful? Can you use going back as an opportunity to lay down some new ground rules for yourself of working hours for example?

5 months is too short so I’d decline the job offer but keep looking.

5 months is about when the furlough scheme will end and many employees will be let go so the job market will be swamped. Terrible timing, I wouldn’t.

Not for 5 months. Keep looking around elsewhere. Can you use furlough to reset the balance in your current job a bit- is you start working your contracted hours now etc? Start as you mean to go on!

Does you old job have to go back to what it was, can you try not to start the longer hours ?

The new job sounds bliss but I'm guessing pretty soon youd just spend your new found evenings job hunting !

Personally I'd try to use this as an opportunity to break the habits of before and not get stuck in the cycle of doing long hours to please your work.

At the moment I wouldn't leave a permanent position for a temporary position, the employment market is saturated with applicants. The stress of it being temporary would outweigh any day yo day benefits for me.

Not for 5 months, plus with the timing of furlough ending. Only for a permanent position.

Mental health is important, but what will your mental health be like if after 5 months, the job isn't extended, you have no income and you can't get another job? Do you have enough savings to fall back on for a year or more to cover your salary? I wouldnt do it right now unless you have a lot of savings.

Are you maybe just nervous about going back to work and this is your reaction to it because you've been furloughed for so long?

All very valid points. I knew I would hear the voice of reason on Mumsnet.

I think I've been swayed a little by the beautiful location of the new position.

I've applied for other jobs but this is the first to get back to me so quickly, the other jobs haven't closed the applications yet and I've been flattered by their obvious keenness to have me!

Yes, returning to work from furlough has made me feel nervous which I know is affecting my decision making.

The whole "looking for another job again" in a few months is the biggest turn off and quite frankly I've never been in a position where I've been unemployed and I don't want to be. There's no room for extending the contract, it's seasonal only.

I don't think I will be bored BUT as returning to the old way of working is filling me with dread I think I've convinced myself that I would rather be occasionally bored than stressed. I know I will be fine for the first few weeks settling in period after furlough but then things will escalate very quickly after that as restrictions are lifted.

We don't have a mortgage/rent so our outgoings can be managed on one salary, but no room in the budget for treats or any small luxuries and it wouldn't be sustainable over a long period.

Lots to think about but I'm swayed now not to accept the position if it's offered. Thank you for picking the problem apart for me and helping me decide.

I'm echoing the "not for 5 months" advice you've had especially if the extended furloughs for so many other jobs may come to an end then and you will be competing in a huge employment market.

Again: is there any possibility of negotiating anything less stressful in your current job? If so and you can manage other people's expectations of your time, that might be safer especially if you've been in your existing job for more than 2years (so potential for redundancy pay).

Otherwise, if you can work your more standard hours in your existing job whilst you continue to job hunt for something a bit more long-term than the 5-month contract.

Good luck OP. 🌹

Hmmm, well something has to change as your MH may be affected by continuing at this burn out stressful level of working 70+ hour weeks for 35 hours pay.

You don't sound like you have young DC, so that's useful

If you used to love your job but hate the hours, tackle that. Fresh start when you return from furlough.

Refuse to accept those extra cases or whatever additional projects that impact so greatly on your workload. Or request an assistant or two. Have that meeting with your employer that the hours you were doing are unsustainable so what can they support you to change/ improve things. If you're very highly thought of they won't want to lose you

If your finances can handle you being out of work after the 5 months then it's reasonable. I think your mental health is the priority.

I completely understand why you want to jump ship, but as you can see, this won’t actually fix the issues you have in the best way for you.

If I were you, I’d open a dialogue with your current employer/hr etc and state that you will be working your hours and no more and that additional support may be needed to help if there is too much work. Explain that you have experienced MH issues and you need to adjust things to make it all more sustainable.

You are being your own worst enemy in this. You need to be stricter about what you can do and clear about what you can’t

I was like you when I was younger. I’d still be the same if allowed to do so, but oh is firm about me working for free

You can make this work- it’ll be a valuable lesson for you.

Exactly my dilemma. There's no work there after 5 months so I will have to find something else very fast.

But what are the chances of that?

I wouldn't take it due to the risk. Your role might be stressful but it will be even more stressful searching and maybe not finding a role after 5 months and having no income. Can you look atvyiur current role and see how to make it less stressed? One or more days a week at home, delegate more etc?

I wouldnt take this job but i would start looking for a different one that doesnt come with uncertainty at the end. Because not having a job and something to do could also effect your mental health. I would start looking for a new job but one that fits better

@MiaFarrowsWheelbarrow it's really normal to be worried about going back to work especially after a longer break. It sounds like you have lots of wonderful skills and a good work ethic. Those will help with your long term career goals!

I wouldn't lose what you have for a 5 month contract. It's too precarious. If it was a year perhaps, but nothing less than that.

Start by having a meeting when you are back and bring to the table reflections about overtime etc and specifically ask for at least some reasonable TOIL after that busy season you speak of. My previous work has did this and staff could now take Fridays off as toil as needed. This makes a massive difference for full timers when the busy season is over. Many people there have every 3rd Friday or 4th Friday off as a result. That was a direct result of honest conversation about the impact the busy seasons/periods were having on mental health. It's worth normalising this discussion.

Start looking for other jobs. You have so much to offer.

Good luck going back! You will be fine!