Should I look for another job?

[SassyS89]

In November 2020 I was originally offered an apprenticeship working in the civil service. I was so excited and really wanted this job. My checks were completed in Jan 2021 but I did not hear anything for weeks regarding a potential start date (I'm available immediately), so I chased them up to be told in Feb that the original role could no longer be offered to me but a new role will be found for me in the same company. I was really annoyed as I felt like I had waited a long time to start.

I have now been officially offered the new role in another department, which I have accepted and have a provisional start date for sometime in March but I no longer feel excited about it due to how long and disorganised this whole process has been.

I have 2 kids to support and have been out of work since June so I was hoping I would be in a job by now. I feel like I have wasted a lot of time waiting to start this job and I'm now contemplating whether I should look for another job just in case this job takes even longer to start?

That's pretty typical in the civil service, when I worked there I was offered the job in July but didn't start until November. I admit that changing the role you've been offered doesn't sound great but if you like the sound of the new role, go for it. Once you are in, pay, progression and benefits are all pretty good. I think you should hang on, get started and see how it goes.

As PP suggested this is very typical of the Civil Service. Be grateful you have a secure job to go to. Annoying but you're nearly there!

My very first job back in the early 1960s was with the civil service and I see that things havn't changed much! In those days there were no emails, and references were always taken by letter. That means that checks took weeks!

My interview was in the August after I left school and did not begin work until the November. I went to my interview in my school uniform and owned nothing resembling "office" clothes. Fortunately I had a part time job and was able to buy the clothes I needed for work before I got my first pay packet.

In the intervening months my parents moaned and bitched about the delay until I began contributing to "my keep".

Thank you all for your replies. The ball seems to be rolling but slowly, but I think I'll stick it out for now 🙂