I’ve stupidly accepted 2 jobs - Help deciding please 🙏🏻

[Isabella83]

Ok so I know I’m being unreasonable but I need an outside perspective on which job I should actually go through with.

Job A - 40-50 min drive, £26k, 4 days a week working 8.30-5; with 1 day WFH.

Job B - 5 min drive/15 minute walk, £27.5k, 4 long days working 8-6 OR 5 normal days working 9-5 where I could fit the morning school run in.

Job A is my preferred choice in terms of job satisfaction, client group, and the team I’d be working with.

But Job B is obviously more convenient in terms of juggling childcare and involves less travel/fuel costs etc.

Help me decide please?

It depends on a lot of things, including some that you necessarily have not included in your OP. Chief among them: what is the most important for you?

Job B sounds a lot more practical in terms of hours and it pays a bit more money to start. If those practical things are what matters most to you, then I agree that it is Job B.

But job satisfaction, team, client group are also really important. If Job A is massively better on those criteria, then Job A might be the one.

The nature of the employer, not discussed in your OP, is also important. If one job has a potential change of ownership or a likely change of leadership coming in the near term, then you need to go in aware that there could be a lot of change. If you can easily get another job then that matters less, but if you expect to stay for a long time in a role similar to the starting role, then that could matter a lot.

You also did not speak about potential salary increases, bonuses, promotions, etc., nor about job security on the other side. Depending how important these are this could also swing you one way or the other.

Yep B. Could do 4 long days which will just add up to your time that you would of commuted to job A anyway.

As stated before. It is fine to apply for multiple jobs. The op has accepted 2 jobs. Both employers believe she will be starting work with them and someone else has possibly missed out because of this.

Nobody suggested she was wrong to apply for multiple jobs. Accepting more than one job is the issue.

People accept job offers and then turn them down for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes people use that job offer to leverage a better offer from their current employer, sometimes when the contract is sent through there is something the candidate doesn’t agree with, sometimes candidates hold out for better roles and sometimes they’ve just sat down and worked it out and realised it isn’t actually feasible. It’s annoying for recruiting managers but often they will go to the next person on the list. If the second person isn’t suitable, they’d have had to re-recruit anyway. Quite a few of my colleagues were the second choice of candidate, they’d been turned down for the role but then the hiring manager approached them a few weeks after and asked if they were still interested. Accepting two roles does create more of a headache and OP should have said she needed a few days to think it over but it sounds like this is a newly qualified level role and these often don’t allow candidates that breathing space to just take a few days.

@Isabella83

What is the possibility that 40-50 min drive could easily become longer/more difficult, causing you problems with drop off/pickup? Also as a PP mentioned, there's the cost element because of the increased fuel prices.

I think Option B would make your life easier for the next few years. You're not tied into it forever. 🌹

They'll just offer it to the next person, stop telling her off, it's unpleasant.

OP, which client group do you want to work with long term?

B

Not if she's accepted it because they'll have told everyone they're unsuccessful

B. Why would you choose a as it's a long commute compared to b

B - just because petrol cost and you never know what might hit you re childcare/cars/finances etc.

However - will B be soul destroying or just not the preferred one?

@ThereWillBeSnacks

It's perfectly normal for newly-quallified HCPs to apply for more than one job immediately post-qualification. Wind your neck in.

Yes - but not ACCEPT more than one

But there's a difference between APPLYING for more than one, which is totally normal, and ACCEPTING more than one which is pretty poor form.

@BigOldBlobber I don’t think it would be soul destroying. I’ve done placements in both areas and enjoyed both. I do think A would be more challenging due to the children needing a higher level of care and interventions than adults.

I'll say what I like thanks, if it doesn't breach Talk Guidlines.

B if you enjoy both areas at least until DC are a little older. That hour long drive in the dark winter won't be pleasant, especially if you're running late.

Yes I think I'd start to regret my decision to take A when winter hits and I'm stuck in traffic in the dark and DD is tired after a long day at school/wraparound care. I think B is the most logical option at this point.

I would do B whilst your child is young. When she's older you can look for another job.

B

But it is not perfectly normal for someone to accept two jobs. The OP hasn't simply applied she has accepted two jobs - which is quite a different story.

I'm sure they interviewed other candidates and they can offer the job to the next best person. They've not lost anything. Many people have to do multiple interviews and get nowhere with some of them.

Ignore these people op and good luck with your new job

What does your gut tell you? If you have a strong preference for A, take that. Otherwise, B wins for convenience and ultimately saving you a lot of hours every week.

It does depend on lots of things like do you have alternative plans for the school run, are you someone who gets tired by commuting, will your partner step up if you're out of the house long hours.

Congrats on your two job offers!

They both sound workable, I think you should go for whichever you prefer, prioritising the work subject and colleagues.

I’d go with B if you think you’ll be happy enough in the job. Especially when you have a young child.

I work a few min away from my house and it’s extremely convenient. I can go home for lunch and hang up my washing or sort out dinner etc. Any problems with the kids, I can be at the school super fast. I’m also lucky that I can start work after the morning school run, so I usually get there about 9.10.

Also if you factor in your fuel costs you’ll probably find you have a lot more disposable income! Maybe you’ll need less childcare too, which will save money

A sounds like it would be better for your career, and you seem more excited by it, so I'd do that. An hour commute is not that much! I used to do 2-2.5 hours each way.