To cancel my job interviews and pause my job search?

[canceltheinterview]

I currently have a job. However, after one bad week at work I applied to several jobs expecting to not really hear much back. However, I heard back from all four jobs with some pre-interview assessments to do which I have passed. I now have four interviews planned/being planned for over the next few weeks, including one scheduled for tomorrow.

However, work has improved and now would be a really bad time for me to leave for my team. I'm the only one in my department who has been trained on a particular procedure and I am now responsible for training all of my other colleagues. It would really mess things up to have me leave, which isn't really my problem but I would feel guilty.

My current job has a contract which ends in January (2022) which I'm 99% sure won't be extended due to factors outside of my control.

I'm really unsure what to do about the current interviews I have lined up. One I have for tomorrow is one that hand-on-heart, if I was offered I would probably decline as it would involve relocating which I don't really want to do at the moment.

I am also feeling really run down and stressed. Work has been really intense and every spare minute on my days off I have been doing interview prep and pre-interview assessments. I regret applying to several jobs at once but honestly I didn't expect to hear back from all of them, let alone have to do time-consuming pre-interview assessments.

All the roles are for a complete career change too so I am feeling quite anxious about it all.

I would attend the interview tomorrow for interview practice even with no intention to relocate. If one of the other jobs suits you better than your current job I’d take it. Don’t feel guilty.

Don’t bother going to an interview for a job you wouldn’t take if you were offered it, it’s a waste of everyone’s time.

I would attend the other interviews and reassess afterwards, personally. You never know what they could offer it you don’t go to them, and you could explain that you feel a duty to complete the project you’re currently assigned as a loyal employee, therefore would like to delay a start date with this in mind.

This shows great commitment on your part, and will impress the right employer.

Good luck!

If you're so sure you won't be kept on in your current job beyond January then I think you should be looking for alternatives.

There's no point wasting people's time by going to an interview if you have already decided not to take the job, but for others you should go to the interviews.

Don't feel guilty if you leave your current employer in the lurch, that's not your problem. They rape what they sow, if they think you are that important to their success then perhaps they wouldn't make you feel you will be ditched as soon as your contract is up.

Arrgghhh. Reap what they sow. Reap.

I feel so conflicted.

On the one hand, I really can't bring myself to prepare for tomorrow's interview. My heart is just not in it. At the same time, I feel like it would be great to have some interview experience in this field as, as I mentioned, it is a career change for me. The company and role looks great but it is not the right location for me at the moment.

My current job isn't perfect. The commute is long and my role has changed and all I will be doing from here onwards is training my colleagues (there are around 50 colleagues to train) which can be quite stressful.

I don't know whether to cancel completely saying I no longer want to pursue this career, or just ask to postpone the interview until next week or something instead. I don't want to portray myself poorly as this is a career area I want to pursue and I don't want to make myself seem unreliable...