To attend interview for job when about to start new role?

[Rustlingferret]

Title as it sounds.

My new job (academic STEM) at institute A starts next week. This role was a sideways move, at the top of my current band so no salary increase or opportunities to progress.

I have been invited to interview for a wonderful position that would be a promotion. It seems there’s a real bottleneck making the jump from my current band to the one above, so I’m feeling particularly stressed about potentially turning it down.

it’s just bloody typical as was on the job market for months, with the clock ticking down to the end of my contract, and having no luck at all! I’ve suddenly had a glut of offers/interviews, all of which I’ve turned down apart from this interview invite.

Have two young DC, the extra money and boost to career from being promoted would be fantastic. Equally, I don’t want to burn bridges and effectively torpedo my relationship with institute A either and am feeling so anxious about it. I want to be fully transparent but know that is unwise until you get a formal offer.

AIBU to go to the interview? And to take it if offered ?

Def not unreasonable to go to the interview.

if you get offered it you can manage expectations at the new job ‘it’s such a good opportunity’ / they approached you / etc etc.

Thank you for your reply!

i do feel it would be madness not to, based on my experience of the academic job market over the past 9 months.

I went for an interview 3 days after starting a job, and handed in my notice after 2 weeks. I felt guilty but that’s not a reason to stay if a better option comes along.

Institute A would understand if you got a better offer, and if they interviewed you recently enough they might be able to just offer the job to the next-choice candidate without reinterviewing.

I’ve just done this, I accepted a job offer and then interviewed for an amazing job that I thought I was unlikely to get , more money car allowance ext , so I’ve now declined the other and accepted this one as I really wanted it and more money of course. I’d say go for the higher paying role.

Also no one goes to work for the love of it, but extra money deffo helps :)

Definitely take your chances in life as and when you get them and go for it.

If jobs are hard to come by there are likely lots of applicants if institution A need to re advertise and you can work out a fair notice period etc

Do it. You can change jobs at any time.

Thank you this is a really good point. I’ve been seeing the job market competitiveness as a massive problem, but for the hiring committees it means they’re swamped in excellent (and often overqualified!) candidates

has brought me down to earth in that I’ll be up against stiff competition 😅

Congrats on your new role !

100% go to the interview.

Employers are human too - they know that we all have to progress and if the industry is as hard to find promotions as you say, they'll understand why you need to take the opportunity when it's offered.

Good luck!

Thank you! Really reassuring to read this - currently got the entire day free to prep and try and anticipate what the test will be !