Potential new job - pros and cons.

[ColdNovemberRain]

I’m having a bit of a wobble about a potential new job opportunity and need the might of MN to help me pull myself together, get a grip and figure out the best way forward.

I’m currently in a senior position in my company. The pay is very good (above the national average but we’re not talking 6 figures on anything remotely close to that but enough to live comfortably) and I really like my field of work which I’ve been in for 12 years in total. I’ve been in this particular role/company for 3.5 years. I’ve put in a lot of hard graft to get here but I am struggling in my current role. Several times a week, I fantasise about walking out and never coming back and on occasion in the past I’ve been so stressed out I’ve been throwing up in the mornings before work. My boss is nice but quite ineffective and there are lovely people in my immediate team so it’s not all bad but it’s a demanding culture and the workload is quite immense. Ideally I’d like the same job at a different company and I’ve been holding out for this for the last 2 years or so with no joy. Recently an opportunity came up – different company and completely different job in an area that would be brand new to me but looks fascinating and I felt a lot of what they were looking for was covered by transferrable skills. I applied and to my shock, I’ve actually got an interview. Now I’m in a complete tizz about what to do.

The new job offers less pay, so we’d have to make some minor sacrifices at home, but is still a senior level position so carries a lot of responsibility. The job location is not so convenient for me and we’d likely have to buy a second car at some point. Those are the immediate negatives. On the positive side I’d be getting out of this job(!) . But there are so many unanswered questions; what if the culture/work-life balance at the new place is the same or worse that I have right now? What if I really struggle in the new role and/or it is obvious to everyone with whom I work that I have no real experience in the field? Although I want to get out of this role, I worry about throwing away a career built in a particular area. I promised myself I wouldn’t leave for just anything and genuinely the new job makes me really excited. I keep reading over the job spec and like the sound of it all. Preparing for the interview has made me happy (very apprehensive but happy nonetheless) at what I could bring to the role. To add to my confusion my current workplace has just appointed a new director who seems hugely dynamic and has lots of ideas and opinions about changing our culture (this is worrying a lot of people but I think it’s brilliant and am on the same page as him) so I’m kind of intrigued to hang about and see this through for a bit longer – but then that could mean letting a fantastic opportunity slip through my fingers.

I know I have no real decision to make until/if I am actually offered the job so my worries may be premature but I’m so scared of making a huge mistake.

Any role that requires a pay drop and a worse commute and into a role with no history or experience would be deal-breakers for me. If it's to escape the role you're currently in (but you're in no immediate danger ie you don't have a disciplinary or capabilities process looming over you) then it's the wrong reason to leave.

Other negatives are losing your employment rights (which provide protection and a sense of stability in turbulent times like Brexit), and losing any pension rights you've earned, are also important considerations, unless you're moving to a role where the pension is better and you see the move as having longevity in the new company.

I'm not 'feeling the love' based on your description, it sounds like a knee jerk reaction to not liking your current role.

That said, go along for the interview if you feel strongly, and don't feel in any way pressurised to make a decision. It may confirm your current conditions (including your dynamic new director) may be a better option atm.

Also, bear in mind if something seems too good to be true it generally is. A Job Description is written to attract a candidate. Don't believe everything you read.

Think in term of what you have, and the extent to which the new role stacks up in term of seniority, autonomy, opportunities, but with a cynical eye. How does salary level stack up against what the person will be expected to do. If it's ' light ' on the salary, it could be they're asking for the Earth for peanuts, or they've snazzed up the role description too much and the salary level is indicative of a lesser role.

As you can tell, I've been on both sides of the desk, so I know the tricks that can be played (not by me btw - Honest Jim, me )

Thank - I definitely need some realistic advice right now. The pension is actually better in the potential new job and I meant to mention this in my previous post. The salary does seem light though and this is my main worry. I don't to go out of the frying pan and into the fire.