Help me decide what to do

[JustPretending]

I've been approached about a job with another company. It's a big role & while not every aspect is my dream job, it would be a good step up & open doors.

I am mulling the description but also thinking about the personal angle - had planned to try for DC2 next year & could be going on mat leave after a year or just shy of a year into new role. Would I be nuts to take a new job when I am happy where I am albeit maybe a bit too comfortable, but know my current job would have my back in terms of mat leave & returning to work whereas company 2 I'd be out for 9 months or so after under a year in a big role - a harder adjustment back to work?

Haven't been offered it yet, there would be a further round of interviews but I know they'd like to interview me again. How open should I be about my personal plans? In one way the reaction would be a useful gauge as they claim to be family friendly.

I would go for the next interview and DON'T mention your baby plans as this will put them off. If it is really tempting then go for it but I see what you mean about your present job being comfortable.
Would you benefit in any other way with the new job? Is it closer to home? Are the hours better? Are you full time or planning to go part time?

I'd think carefully about moving into a new role when your family plans are so imminent. Especially if it is a more demanding role.

It may be the most brilliant company in the world but if you load yourself with change and pressure in your professional and personal life simultaneously, it will put significant strain on you. Hopefully you have a strong supportive network around you.

There's nothing to lose going back for a second interview but before accepting play out the scenario to see how it feels and if you can cope eg..

Get accepted for role
start role and start trying for a baby (based on what your OP says)
Go on mat leave after 1 year in role (relatively little time to make your mark in the new company/new role)
Be out of the loop for up to a year due to new baby
return from Mat leave, with demands of new baby plus getting back up to speed in a job where you had only just got your feet under the table

That, to me feels quite a big ask of yourself!

Thanks for replies & sorry for late response. That's my concern too - being out of a new role for a year after only a year in it, could make me vulnerable to redundancy outplacement under huge stress to perform. Current company were so great to me after first mat leave and coming back was lovely.

I'm still waiting to hear on second interview and having had a week to think about it, am secretly hoping they found their ideal candidate in the interim.

Keep pursuing it for now - you don't have to make a decision until they offer you the job.

I would take the opposite stance to daisy and say make this leap now, before you take yourself out of the race for a year or more due to pregnancy/mat leave/return to work. Assuming all goes well with TTC and you're pregnant in 2017, back at work in 2018, you're looking at a maybe three year hiatus in your career at least, since you've then got to wait for another job opening to come up. And frankly nothing is certain, it could take you longer than you think to conceive (although I hope it doesn't of course).

In the meantime try to do some detective work about the new company - are you on LinkedIn? Do you have anyone in your network with experience of working there? Or could you ask for an informal chat with someone else at your grade just to get a better sense of the place? I do that sometimes for candidates at our place, it gives both sides a less rigid environment to get to know each other.

Fingers crossed - it sounds like you won't be devastated if they go with another candidate, so that's an excellent frame of mind to go into a second interview if it comes up - added confidence!

Will you be entitled to maternity pay if you've been working there less than 2 years?