Massive workload coming my way- should I consider making a move?

[Givenup2026]

My workplace is beyond chaotic these days. A direct colleague has resigned which means I will inherit at least half her workload.

there were some positive signs with my manager last week, but I do t think I’d be able to manage 1.5x my workload and remain completely sane. I was also hoping to move to a different role, but now I know they simply won’t let me.

This place is high stress and zero growth. I would try to move BUT my I was in my previous role for only 1 year (role got made redundant) and I’ve only been in my current one for 9 months, so my CV certainly looks “jumpy”.

So AIBU to maybe quietly try to get another role? I now know I have guaranteed job security (which I wasn’t so sure) but it won’t be easy for some time.

is there any pay rise involved?

When I recruit a year and a year on a CV are fine if you had 2-3 years in the one before, ideally in more than one longer role. The risk is that you move to another one and that's another 6 months. If you move now, you really have to get it right (depending on the rest of your CV).

Can you refuse the workload? It's not your job, nor is it the job you applied for and accepted.

I don’t think I can… she’s my direct colleague and I’m sure they won’t backfill her role.

So I had 2.3 years in the previous one, 3 years the one before, and 7 years the one before.

but I would still have the most recent ones as “short stints” .

As a line manager I wouldnt be worried on the CV as long as previous role shows redundancy. I would have the conversation about your interests in the other role. Good luck OP

I would look for a new job anyway, due to the existing high stress, but take your time and make a good choice.

Wait until you are actually asked to take on extra work, rather than assuming. If that happens, say "that's fine. I won't be able to manage all that in addition to my existing full time role though, so can you tell me which aspects of the two roles you'd like me to prioritise? I'll start with those, and then if I have any time remaining I'll do as much of the remaining work as I can manage."

As a recruiter, I really don't like people jumping from one role to the other. But in your case, I think it's ok to have 2 short roles in a row as you can still leverage your past experience.
I have seen some people marking (redundancy) on their CV next to a role, so that an option of you're worried.

Your CV is really not shocking for now though. I have seen much worse, we recently recruited for my team and some candidates had 8-9 different roles in the past 10 years!

Unless they are establishing themselves as consultants/self-employed, all I can think of is whether they kept changing their mind, or whether their manager kept getting rid of them.