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potentially 2 job offers

25 replies

Iwillneverbesatisfied · 11/12/2020 07:38

Following on from my other thread about my exit package, I could now potentially have two other jobs to choose from and I am not sure which one to choose if I were to be offered both. I was with my previous employer for over 15 years, large national organisation, over 3000 people, public sector, so I've never really been in the position of looking for another job for a while!

anyway the two jobs I'm waiting to hear about are:

Job 1.
small charity of 50 people. I had a phone interview, then a second 'proper' interview with two managers. They have two part time roles available with a salary of £12,000-£14,000 which is not great as I was on nearly £40,000 before. However, it is home based which appealed.
It mostly matches my skills and experience although they were asking me if I knew how to use Slack and Salesforce and I had no idea what that was!
There would be travel expected around the country which appeals a bit less as I have disabilities. Speaking of disabilities, they kept asking what I could and could not do. It wasn't nasty, but it still made me uncomfortable. I was worried my disabilities would be seen as an inconvenience.
They also kept talking about the difference between my large previous employer and this new organisation in terms of size, could I cope with the difference? They also kept talking about me having a lot of experience and qualifications so I worried they thought I was over qualified.
They said they could potentially combine the two roles into one full time role and they pushed me to say where on the scale I'd like to be. I said higher end of the scale. Was that okay?
They also said if I passed the second interview, I'd be put forward for a third interview. I've never heard of 3 interviews before. The second interview was 2 days ago and I haven't heard anything.
My gut is saying its not for me BUT its potentially full time and it is also permanent. It is not unionised. Not disability confident. No mention of any other schemes such as flexible working.

job 2.
I was approached via social media by the director of this social enterprise where all the staff are disabled. She asked me to "please please" apply for a job that would be coming up next week which exactly matches my skills and experience. It would be my dream job.
It is working from home. Potential travel but that is optional, only if you can attend meetings and events. As I said they are disability friendly.
They are also flexible on hours - you could do part time or full time so I could do full time if I wanted and choose your own hours. I'd prefer full time working from home.
I know the last job with them was £28,000 working from home. Again less than I earned before but potentially more than job 1.
It would be fixed term though, whereas job 1 would be permanent.
Only 10 staff and therefore not unionized. I am very loyal to my union after the help they gave me and want to stay involved.
They are disability confident.
I haven't actually had an interview yet so there is no guarantee I would be successful even if I was directly approached and asked to apply.

In the event I was offered both jobs, which should I accept? It is possible that I am offered job 1 first, do I turn it down in the hope I get job 2 or accept it and then change my mind later? Obviously I might not get either but the signs seem quite good.

OP posts:
TheProvincialLady · 11/12/2020 07:45

Job 1 sounds like a nightmare. 3 interviews for £14k?! Plus travel and a job you are hugely over qualified for. And you felt uncomfortable with their questions/attitude to your disability. Unless you have no other option, don’t even consider this job. Even if you were forced to accept it, if you were afterwards offered the second job you could always withdraw. The employer would not hesitate to withdraw their offer if they had a business reason.

Iwillneverbesatisfied · 11/12/2020 07:55

should have added that job 2 is a living wage employer also.

OP posts:
Hoppinggreen · 11/12/2020 15:57

2, definitely
Hope you get offered it

SpamIAm · 11/12/2020 16:02

I couldn't be doing with 3 interviews and travelling for £12k. And that's before the fact they don't sound like they're going to be great about your disability. Definitely job 2 for me. If that doesn't get extended after the fixed term then it's not going to be particularly difficult to find a job paying what you would have been earning in job 1, so that wouldn't be a consideration for me tbh.

I would absolutely accept job 1 if that's offered before you know about job 2, and withdraw later.

Iwillneverbesatisfied · 11/12/2020 17:53

My other concern is that job 1 are paying for a BSL interpreter for me (one of my impairment is deafness). If I don't take the job would they expect me to compensate them for the cost? I just worry about pissing people off. I've never been in the position where I could potentially have several job offers.

In the second interview they were asking if I could ever do without the interpreter. Not sure how they think that would work!

OP posts:
Iwillneverbesatisfied · 14/12/2020 15:37

So I have a 3rd interview for job 1 this Friday with the chief executive.

I also found out that job 2 has a 3 interview process too (is this a new thing?) but job 2 is actually permanent (not fixed term as I thought).

I am in a union and I could stay in the union with Job 2 but not with job 1. My union official confirmed this and he helped me so much in my last job that I feel a loyalty to the union now.

I still worry that if I turn down job 1, I might not get job 2 and I worry that I will have wasted job 1s time.

I know I'm overthinking maybe!

OP posts:
Iwillneverbesatisfied · 14/12/2020 15:38

Job 2 is £32,000 if done full time and it is permanent working from home (rather than home based). I might not get it and I worry I'm pinning all my hopes on something I won't get. But I want it so bad!

OP posts:
HotSince63 · 14/12/2020 15:43

Travel round the country and a third interview with the Chief Exec (has he not got more important things to do?)... for 12K a year. I honestly thought you'd missed a number off the salary, until I went and read over it again.

They're taking the absolute piss.

Iwillneverbesatisfied · 14/12/2020 16:14

yeah it does seem a rather complicated process for a part time job, although they said they might combine both roles into full time. It would still be less than job 2 (which pays more than I thought it would).

I think I might turn it down (if offered) but not say to the family who think I might be cutting my nose off to spite my face if I did.

I do have a very good exit package which should hopefully keep me going until I find something better (job 2 hopefully!).

I regret being so hasty in my applications.

OP posts:
Incogenie · 14/12/2020 19:12

@Iwillneverbesatisfied

yeah it does seem a rather complicated process for a part time job, although they said they might combine both roles into full time. It would still be less than job 2 (which pays more than I thought it would).

I think I might turn it down (if offered) but not say to the family who think I might be cutting my nose off to spite my face if I did.

I do have a very good exit package which should hopefully keep me going until I find something better (job 2 hopefully!).

I regret being so hasty in my applications.

Maybe don't share so much detail with family so you can make your own decision. It is you who will have to do the job
Nomaigai · 15/12/2020 03:29

Don't turn down job 1 if offered unless you wouldn't want it even if you didn't get job 2. Just take the job and then retract your acceptance/resign if you get the other job. Sounds harsh but it happens all the time and you have to put yourself first.

chatwoo · 15/12/2020 04:40

Job 1 doesn't sound great, At face value it's paying a max of 14k and they want you to travel around UK? And there's no guarantee of them offering full-time, is there?

If your gut feeling is negative, I'd go with that. No point in going against your initial feelings/concerns about them as an employer and if you rush into something that sounds like it's not going to work out for you, then it's probably not going to work out for you even after you join them and work there for a while.

KatherineJaneway · 15/12/2020 05:22

Job 1 sounds a nightmare. Looking for a huge amount from you for very little reward.

I'd go for job 2.

Frenchfancy · 15/12/2020 05:36

Another saying job 2. And stop worrying about whether you are wasting people's time, they certainly won't be worrying about your time.

Iwillneverbesatisfied · 17/12/2020 10:49

I have an interview at a third organisation now, so its a real confidence boost to be getting interviews, This one is a university but part time. Good diversity policies and unionised. Mostly matches my skills but not perfectly.

So my preferences would be Job 2, Job 3, Job 1

Job 1 will offer first (if they do) and I will most likely turn it down but do the interview anyway for experience and see what the offer is.

Job 2 will offer mid Jan (again, if they do)

Job 3 are interviewing mid Jan so if I don't get Job 2, this will be my back up plan.

Feeling a bit more confident now about my choices.

OP posts:
Smallgoon · 17/12/2020 18:11

@Iwillneverbesatisfied This is really pleasing given your ordeal at previous place. Hope it all goes well. Flowers

Iwillneverbesatisfied · 18/12/2020 12:48

had job 1 final interview today. Still do not feel it is for me although guy nice enough. I was asked what biscuit I would be Hmm. Find out on Monday or Tuesday if they are going to offer it to me. He confirmed it would be just me and 1 other person in our whole (very large) region and also that it would be mainly administrative and sales like, rather than customer facing like I'd hoped. So its a no for that one.

I find out on Weds if job 2 has shortlisted me for stage 2. fingers crossed.

OP posts:
Iwillneverbesatisfied · 21/12/2020 14:02

Got offered job 1 today and turned it down. Lied and said I had another job offer which I haven't yet. Closing date for job 2 is Wednesday although I fear there's a lot of competition.

Job 1 asked me what kind of biscuit I'd be and why, last week. That just further confirmed it wasn't the job for me.

I hope I don't regret turning it down though in the event I don't get any other offers!

OP posts:
Oblomov20 · 21/12/2020 14:09

2
Definitely

Oblomov20 · 21/12/2020 14:11

No. You won't regret it. Even if you don't get 2. Which you probably will, because she wants you. But even if you don't get 2, don't feel bad about 1, because it wasn't the job for you.

Jenifirtree · 21/12/2020 14:16

Job 1 asked me what kind of biscuit I'd be and why

Can you imagine the controversy if you had said jaffa cake?!

Job 1 sounds like a joke.

MrsRockAndRoll · 22/12/2020 08:54

Good confidence boost & experience for you. Good decision turning down job1

Iwillneverbesatisfied · 24/12/2020 06:15

I'm through to the second round for job 2 hurrah!

I've to complete and send back a written exercise and I'm a bit stuck at two of the questions. Are there any career coaches on here who could maybe help me. I just don't want to fuck it up by missing out any answers or not making my answers good enough.

OP posts:
damnthatanxiety · 24/12/2020 06:20

I'm struggling to understand what the dilemma is. Nothing about job 1 sounds as good as job 2. Why is there a question about which to take if offered both?

Parkandride · 24/12/2020 06:20

Glad you turned down 1, it sounds beyond shit. Good luck!

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