Work
Work more but more flexibly?
LittleDisaster · 03/01/2023 10:48
I applied for a job ages ago and was offered an interview. TBH I was undecided about it anyway and then something came up which made attending really tricky so I withdrew.
The employer asked me if I'd like to reschedule. I needed time to find the right headspace (2022 was awful for me for multiple reasons, but hopefully things starting to look up now) and said it would be wonderful if they could do something in the new year, but obviously understand if that not possible.
Anyway the original interview date was just before Christmas and they've been back in touch to say they'll be readvertising, but will include me in the next round. So they obviously didn't have a strong pool of candidates. Next time might be better, I might not even make interview and I daresay not prioritising it first time round won't have helped.
- I currently work on school - senior support staff. Termtime plus 3 weeks. The job has begun to frustrate and bore me in equal measure and whilst the head is better than most, support staff in schools will always be seen as second class. I'm equally well qualified to a teacher but my qualifications and experience are not valued in the same way.
Working in school you get lovely long holidays but absolutely no flexibility. My DC are adults and I'm single. I have lots of people and groups I can go away with but generally speaking these trips aren't organised in school holidays because of the cost. I usually have to say no. It was one thing asking a DH to pay school holiday prices to go away with me, harder to ask friends to do the same.
- Potential new job is FT with 5 weeks leave plus BHs and the potential to buy an extra week. The starting salary is much the same as my current pay, but the scale gives more potential for increases (currently at the top of my scale). Also, as my current job is PT (ie I'm not paid for all the holidays) my actual pay would be a sustainable increase (which I would work more days for).
- the new job is a horrible commute (about an hour, 15 mins presently, plus expensive parking, free at school) but only requires working in the office 1 day per week, the rest at home. I could take my holidays whenever. I'm not sure I'd be great at WFH though, or that it would be that good for me.
The role is essentially the same as what I do now but working for a different LA sector, so probably will have the same issue of being support staff among professionals.
In lots of ways I think a change, any change, would be good for me and worse case I can retire in 3 years. The pension scheme is the same as my current one, so that's a bonus. In my current job I will definitely retire in 3 years, I don't think I'd bare it any longer, if I enjoy this one I could work longer.
I'm just not sure I'm brave enough to give up all that leave. I'd have found it very hard to log on and wfh over Christmas for example.
Obviously there's no decision to make as yet, but the interview tasks require a lot of prep , a couple of days, I reckon (one of the reasons I withdrew) and I'm wondering whether to bother. Whatever other jobs I might look at will have the same issue of long school holidays v less but more flexible leave though.
Witchbitch20 · 03/01/2023 13:04
Feel the fear and do it anyway?
I’d go for the interview at least. My friend moved from working in a school to working for a private company and she loves it.
Better pay, not tied to school holidays etc have made a huge difference to her.
I would also imagine once you are in the role and settled you may be able to look at different working patterns - perhaps condensed hours so you work full time over 4 days or similar - which whilst sacrificing some leave would allow you to have long weekends (or whatever works for you).
I also wouldn’t underestimate the options to work from home. I’ve always communicated for almost two hours, but now only do that once/twice a week - the days I work from home mean I do actually have an evening and can pack up and be somewhere with 10/15 mins (coffee, dog walks etc).
You can and will make it work.
redskydelight · 03/01/2023 13:09
The holiday arrangement sounds perfect.
I dislike working from home and wouldn't pick a job that was mostly wfh with the office a long commute away.
But you have picked the job knowing these things, so I'd suggest it's worth going to the interview anyway. As PP says, you might love wfh.
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