Stay where it's comfortable or take a risk?

[thinkingmakesitso]

I have worked in the same school for 10 years; it is the only one I have ever worked. I have had two promotions and now have a decent amount of responsibility with (mainly) manageable stress. I am one promotion away from holding the post I have always wanted, but it is highly unlikely to happen for at least another 6 years, and then it would not be guaranteed to go to me.

The post I want comes up in other places regularly and I have never applied, but I am spending increasing amounts of time browsing online job adverts.

Pros for staying put: it's comfortable; I love the place; I am well-respected; salary is good (the promotion I want wouldn't increase it by much); I may well get the job I want in a few years (when dc will be secondary school age and therefore more independent?); no disruption to my life - currently going through a divorce.

Cons: I want the promotion and may never get it where I am - by which time I will die of bitterness and will not look an attractive proposition to other employers having been in one place for nearly 20 years; I find my line manager unbearable (I'm not alone in this); I'm too comfortable perhaps.

Truth is I am terrified of going somewhere new, but does that matter or should I force myself?

Any thoughts or similar experiences would be wonderful.

Yes, there are fewer of them, but they probably count for more. One thing I forgot to list under Pros is my working relationships, which are incredibly strong. I suppose it is really the people (apart from lm) who I am afraid to leave. But...none of them will stay for ever I suppose.

It might be better to wait until your divorce is sorted so you only have one major upheaval to deal with at a time but on the other hand now might be the time for a completely new start. Sounds like schools can be very stressful places so would be worth doing thorough research before applying

I agree about perhaps waiting for the divorce to go through. I think you should go for it but if you have any doubts about the school that advertise then don't go for it. I do know quite a few colleagues who wish they'd never left their previous comfortable role. No job is perfect though.

Grass is always greener, etc, but clearly you want to move forward with your life and career.

Is there any reason you can't wait a year? As others have implied, it's tempting to want to change everything when divorcing.

Then again, I see no reason why you can't plop your CV in a few places for your dream job and see who bites. If nothing else, you'll get an idea of where you stand.

I read your Pros and I thought, oh no, stay! Then I read your Cons... Leave!