To accept civil service job

[LanaL]

I am a teacher . I hate it. I work supply at the moment. This can be a take home of £500 per week , if I work every day . I don’t get paid during the holidays , bank holidays , teacher training days , or if I’m sick. I’m currently in a long term role so at present every day is guaranteed but this won’t be the case in September .

I have been offered a role in the CS as a customer service rep for HMRC on the telephone. The take home is £1650 a month ( ish ) and it has a great pension .

I could earn £1850 a month in a full permanent role as a teacher . I don’t know what the effect on my mental health would be though as I left my last as I couldn’t handle it and I’m on a long term now and I feel like I’m just desperately trying to reach the holidays all the time . I’m exhausted ,

I don’t know what to do .

As it stands I have to work 2 days per week in the holidays to make the extra . But I still have 3 days per week with my children. I won’t have that with the CS but I will have annual leave and I can work from home 2 days per week .

This is a guaranteed income every month . But my whole years take home would be more in supply - but , this doesn’t account for days off sick , bank holidays etc . The job I have in the holidays is not WFH and long days , it’s also not available in the Christmas holidays .

I don’t know what to do .

Do you get a pension working supply? The civil service pension is (very general rule of thumb) worth about 50% on top of salary.

No , I have no pension on supply . I would in a permanent role but it isn’t as good as the CS . I am 39 and , as it stands, have nothing paid into a pension

Do it! I expect a telephony role in HMRC may be difficult but as soon as you have passed your probationary period you can apply for internal vacancies within the CS. I know a Teacher who worked for a year with DWP and now works for HMT!

Thank you . I have worked on the phones in customer service before - it’s boring and difficult- but as a teacher I really miss it just due to the fact that at least with that I finished work and that was that!

We've had loads of ex teachers come to the department I work in. They all seem happy they moved. My siblings are teachers and would hate it here though.

Don't view it as a long term job but as a way in. Once in you can move on and upwards.

What is your AIBU? It sounds like a tough one OP. Neither job sounds ideal. Could you wait and apply for some other roles?

Take it - the pay difference is not so big and the pension is worth a lot.

My husband and I are both civil servants and we love it!

How much do you spend on being shattered - takeaways, impulse buys? Having regular hours where you can leave your work at work might allow you to make savings elsewhere with no noticeable change in your standard of living.

Take it.

Why do hestitate?

I'm in the irish civil service but I imagine it's similar. Once you are in there are opportunities to advance, so you can increase your earnings. I joined in my 40s, am 60 now and really value the pension. I was a contract lecturer before, the stability is so valuable.

Take it, for reasons already given/longer term strategy

I moved from teaching to the civil service and it’s been a great move, even though it’s still stressful. It’s definitely worth it for the pension and your pay goes up quite quickly.

I work for HMRC. Take the job. I have never worked in customer services but my first job was as an AO ringing up to collect debts! I am now a Grade 7 tax inspector and earn over £65K (London). You can have a career there if you look for it and take the opportunities offered. Generally nice supportive colleagues and reasonable working conditions.

Really? Generally it’s 27%

Train to be a probation officer LGMPF pension, decent holiday, paid sick leave 15 months to train on 23k then a bump straight to £30k+ top of band is £42500 and there are only 4 instruments now. It comes under MOJ civil service now too so application into other CS departments maintains your length of service etc

Increments

A suggestion if you're not sure about a call centre role and want to maintain face to face contact with people

Pension, pension, pension! Civil service generally v good.
Job prob much less stressful than teaching!

Do it for the pension. As PPs have said, once you have passed probation you can look at other roles, sideways and to other departments as well as promotion. And if there is a new government there is likely to be lots of opportunities coming up.

Don't think of the wfh days as a way not to get childcare though, some departments/teams are very strict on this. And it's unfair on those of us who don't take the piss.

There are a lot of options for career progression in the civil service. Sounds better than this short term gig you have now. I would take the CS role I think…..

Take it! And once you are firing on all cylinders, go for a promotion opportunity. Or a wfh / hybrid role if that's something you value.

Take it. Plenty of opportunity for progression in the CS too and part time hours. I’ve been a CS for 23yrs and really enjoy it, I work for the Home Office and find it very family friendly. I do a lot of recruitment for my dept and I see a lot of applications from teachers

its not really to not get childcare , I worded that wrong . I can get childcare - it’s free , my child’s grandparents - but it’s the time away from his home for him and for me . Even though he will be up in his room , doing whatever , I’ll just feel more present being there if that makes sense ? I wouldn’t request more WFH for this reason . With my eldest , it’s not childcare again , she is older and able to be alone but gets very distressed with me not being around .

I have WFH before and life was much calmer , my eldest did better at school and was all round happier ( she is autistic ) and I can honestly say I never heard a peep from them when I was at home , so it didn’t impact my work , but it just made life a lot easier