Is it okay to start a job with the intention of only staying a few months?

[user1482055574]

I'm coming to the end of a fixed term contract, I had hoped it would be extended but that's now unlikely to be the case. My contract comes to an end early April. I'm in a low/medium admin role. I've been applying for customer service and admin jobs and have an interview for an admin/customer service help desk role in a couple of weeks. It's £21,000, good employer, good perks. Also got an interview for a call centre job. Looking at applying for more customer service/ call centre stuff.

The thing is, my friend is planning to travel in SE Asia from August and has asked me if I'd like to join her, and I really would. I'm in my mid twenties and sort of feel like it's now or never! I've got the savings to do it and it's not like I've really got a career, just had a series of slightly increasing admin jobs.

Do you think it's alright to start this sort of job and leave after 3/4/5 months? Would it reflect really badly on me and be unfair to the team, or do you think they'd sort of expect it/not really mind? Don't want to be unprofessional but do need a job and do want to travel later! What would you do? Am I agonising over nothing or is it obviously really rude?

Why on earth do you think they would sort of expect it?! Can you not look for temporary work in the meantime, rather than permanent roles?

Well, you won't get a great reference! Recruiting and inducting a new member of staff is time consuming and expensive. I'd be pretty fed up if I found that you'd asked a permanent post with the intention of staying 3/4/5 months. But obviously, nobody could stop you doing this if you wanted to.

I agree that temping for a while would be a much better option.

I'd say take the job, you need a job between now and going on your travels anyway so no matter where you apply for you will have the same issue, and I'm presuming if you are left with no job for up to 5 months then you will end up having to dip into your savings which may make it more difficult for you to go in the end. Taking the job will also give you a backup should you for any reason end up not going.
Don't feel bad about leaving the job after just a few months, after all who is to say another person who is hired instead won't leave so soon because they find something better or they don't like the job etc.

Also good luck with your travels, I'm sure you'll have an amazing experience

I think you are agonising over nothing. After all you don't yet have fixed plans and they may change. I started a job once thinking I would be there for 2 years tops and then got divorced and stayed for 8. Put yourself first, Employers pay you for doing a job, anything extra you give them is a bonus. They are running a business to make money and would be quick to terminate your contract if it suited them before the 2 year point.

The other thing I'd add about leaving early is that it won't look great on your cv afterwards - I'd wonder why you left so soon. If you sign up with a temp agency, it's different because you're obviously just filling a gap.

I do recommend that you go travelling though! South East Asia is fab!

Do it, the company wouldn't think twice about finishing you if they needed to!

Do it. Most companies have no qualms about chopping staff these days.

Do it! Gotta pay bills.

Ethically I'd have no issue with it, that same company would dispense with your services quickly enough if it suited them. Practically, temping is probably better.

Do it!

I regret not travelling when I was younger. Mind you, it was inter-railing round Europe in my day!

Well, you won't get a great reference!

Bullshit.

My sister did this and not only did she get a good reference, the company even asked her if she wanted to come back.

I say go for it

Not bullshit where I work, Hellmouth. And I'm the one who writes the references!

If someone applied for an open-ended post and left after 3 months to go travelling, then I'm afraid I'd decline to write a reference - not worth my time.

Morally, some would say no, legally yes. As employment is usually based on law and not morals I'd say yes.

FWIW you usually have a six month probation period and they can terminate your employment anytime during that period so it works both ways. Good luck whatever you decide.

Broken

Do it. They wouldn't have any problem getting rid of you to cut costs, and FWIW, a certain amount of attrition is expected.

So you want to start for a month, then you would have to work your notice (probably a month), before heading off? Won't be the nicest month as they will be annoyed at you, you won't have got up to speed at the job yet, and you will be messing them around.

FWIW I did the same thing 10 years ago re had a year of temping for a few months, away for 2 months, back to temping. Go to a temp agency. I was with the same company for the full 3 months, money is decent as they don't pay for perks (which will be largely irrelevant for you as you are working such a short time.

In a high volume contact centre it's not unusual that people work then go travelling or decide to jump to the next one.
You may love the role and be able to build a career or you may travel , take it if offered.

Do it. A) because if the company situation changes they wouldn't think twice about doing the same to you and B) because you don't know for certain you will be going travelling, things could change and then you'd have missed an opportunity for a good job. Over ten years ago I did the same. Never did go travelling, because my ex who had gone first cheated on me whilst out there, but the job I only intended to stay in a few months led to the career I am in now.

Everyone is right here...yes you should take the job, yes, you should go travelling if you get the chance, yes, the employer might only give you a "X worked here for..." reference if any at all (I write the references too, and that's what we'd say) but the experience gained through travelling will make your CV look better anyway.

Win-win.

Is there any way your current contract would be extended if they knew you only wanted another 3 months before you go off travelling? Have you asked them?

Current contract can't be extended because I'm covering a secondment, the person I'm covering for is coming back to the role. I haven't even had the interview yet so I'm getting ahead of myself thinking what I'd do if they offered me it!

Don't really know what's accepted now - I know a lot of people who move jobs quite regularly and I've heard that the company I'm interviewing for has a high turnover so that was why I thought they might not expect me to stick around for the year.

I'll speak to some agencies this week and see if I can get temp work lined up. When I took this job the end seemed like ages away and now it's really not!

Thank you for your advice and encouragement :)

In that case I'd say do it too. As other people have said, employers show you no loyalty (on the whole although I see the case above of the person who went cycling and had their job kept open for them) so why do you owe them any? Do what suits you and your circumstances.

Take it. Lots of things can happen between you taking the job and going on the trip, and it would be a shame if you regretted not taking it.