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Original poster

Long recruitment process-not sure if I now want the Job

28 replies

tatteddear · 16/05/2023 09:40

I interviewed successfully for a local authority post in January. It's a job I know I would be good at and would probably really enjoy.

The recruitment checks have dragged on and on. I provided referees details at the time and completed DBS check forms. DBS came back within 10 days all fine.

I called weekly after the first 6 weeks had passed to see what was going on. At one point I was told there might be an issue with one of my references which was alarming as I've never had an issue at any of my jobs before. I had an anxious two weeks wait before they said the 'issue' was that my previous employers policy was to only provide work dates and no further info. (As both my previous role and the one applied for are managerial I could have told them this and saved them a fortnight and me some stress!)

As it's now mid May, whilst waiting for the job to come through I've started a little side hustle which is dog walking and general errand running /care tasks for older people just to try and tide me over a bit and keep some money coming in. I didn't think it would prove to be so popular and I've had lots of enquiries etc. It doesn't pay as much as the job does, but it fits in with my other childcare commitments far better and I'm enjoying it.

Yesterday, nearly 4 months after my interview the job emailed me and said when did I want to come and pick up my laptop and arrange a start date?

I'm now in two minds as to what to do.

I feel like the job has dicked me around a bit. And it's in the field which I was trained for (social work Managerial
Role) but which if I'm honest I'd started to like a bit less by the end of my last contract. It would make family life much harder to take it. Due to an odd court order we have a 3 hour round trip school drop off two mornings a week and a hour and a half round trip pick up for DSS's to do three nights a week. DH can't do this 80% of the time as his job requires him to be in the office or out with clients and as he is by far the higher earner we need him to be doing well at work to sustain all our outgoings. Mostly it falls to me and it would be tiring to fit it in around full time work-though doable-I did it for two years previously.

The dog walking etc fits in with this more but pays less and is less secure and in this climate is that a risk worth taking? Without the salary we are managing but we have to be be super careful. With it there might be room for some more fun stuff or at least a bit of a buffer for emergencies.

I've turned this over and over and I just can't decide!

Help me o wise mumsnetters! I'm driving myself insane.

OP posts:
isthewashingdryyet · 16/05/2023 09:47

Take the job. Then after a few months ask to drop to part time.
paid employment gives you sick pay, pension in a solid Gold pension scheme, holiday pay etc
Self employment needs to cover all of the benefits listed above

OrderOfTheKookaburra · 16/05/2023 09:56

Take the job. I'll bet your calculations on earnings haven't included things like pension contributions, etc so are actually far less.

Newestname002 · 16/05/2023 10:00

isthewashingdryyet · 16/05/2023 09:47

Take the job. Then after a few months ask to drop to part time.
paid employment gives you sick pay, pension in a solid Gold pension scheme, holiday pay etc
Self employment needs to cover all of the benefits listed above

Absolutely this OP. ⬆️🌹

Delphigirl · 16/05/2023 10:02

It’s not just the money though, it is the pension, and the holiday pay, and the sick leave…
Sounds to me as though you could take the job, see how it goes, and if it isn’t working leave it and do the dog walking as a backup.

Delphigirl · 16/05/2023 10:03

Oh what @isthewashingdryyet said!!

Saucemonkey · 16/05/2023 10:06

Work life balance for me I’m afraid. I’d say no thanks and carry on happy as you are .

SpringBunnies · 16/05/2023 10:09

Take the job and see how you feel. Remember the probation period is also about you trialling out the job.

Original poster
tatteddear · 16/05/2023 10:39

If I take the job I will let down my current walking/care clients however which I would feel bad about and also I dare say they would, fairly, not want to come back we're I to change my mind and go back to it later on.

I'm still paying into my private pension from my walking money (tho not as much to be Fair)

Worth also saying that either of the options would only be for two years. After this time my DD's will both have finished full time school and we will have to move to where the DSS's were moved to to cut down on everyone's travel time.

OP posts:
stormytwilightnight · 16/05/2023 10:50

Saucemonkey · 16/05/2023 10:06

Work life balance for me I’m afraid. I’d say no thanks and carry on happy as you are .

I would agree with this. I couldn’t be doing with the long round trips 3 x a week while working full-time.

Menopants · 16/05/2023 10:57

You can negotiate part time before your start

ReviewingTheSituation · 16/05/2023 10:57

Is there a halfway point between taking it and not taking it where you explain to them that your circumstances have changed since the interview and ask if they would consider flexible working (in this case reduced hours).
If you are already prepared to walk away (make sure you really are before you ask) then you've got nothing to lose if they say no.

Menopants · 16/05/2023 10:58

Also you will be on flexi time which will help with school runs etc

Menopants · 16/05/2023 10:59

Please don’t make yourself financially vulnerable do accommodate your dh’s step kids

SheilaFentiman · 16/05/2023 11:10

Take the job - maybe discuss flexible working before you start.

If you built it up once, you can again. And it will be easier to get a job when you move.

Original poster
tatteddear · 16/05/2023 11:22

@ReviewingTheSituation that's what I'm thinking of doing. I will ring them later today. If I could do it 24 hours a weeks instead of the fill time 37, that would be the perfect situation.

There is some flexi time involved in this job which is why I applied for it in the first place-as it could technically fit in around the school runs with later starts some days/earlier the next. But it will be a slog. Think they will want full time however as that's what was advertised.

@Menopants there isn't another option other than me doing 80% of drops offs/pick ups for us a family right now. And I see my DSS's as my own, as DH sees my DD's as his, and supports them financially. I guess equally people could say to him ' don't support your wife's kids' but we just don't see it like that-we're a family and so we work things out like that. I get that people will disagree with that approach but that's a whole different thread :)
In that case it actually does benefit dd2 that I'm at home as she has had a rough few years and whilst I could leave her as you would a normal 16 year old she would definitely feel better with someone around a bit more during her long post GCSE summer. Again it's not an essential but a desirable I guess.

OP posts:
Peterpiperpickedapeckof · 16/05/2023 11:30

You sound like you are leaning very much towards the work that will fit with your life and make it less stressful.

it’s worth listening to the posters who have their hard heads on and talk about your own financial stability: sick pay, pensions, financial independence in case something awful happens in the future.

I followed my heart not my head over work and childcare etc and I do think it was a bit silly of me.

Fluffyhoglets · 16/05/2023 11:46

I would suggest asking to drop some hours as previous poster said- say your circs have changed since Jan.
But don't go down as far as 24. Maybe down to 30 and still working every day - if its only 2 years I would take the job.

Mumsday · 16/05/2023 12:14

Hmm. If it’s local authority you will likely get good benefits and pension, so that’s tempting.

However, if an employer had dicked me around this much during the hiring process I would wonder what they will be like to work for. It’s a red flag.

Do you think you could build up the self employment to earn a decent wage?

ChateauMargaux · 16/05/2023 12:19

Have your husband pay into a pension for you in return for sacrificing your career for his children. It's not just about who pays what, it is also about placing value on childcare.

Original poster
tatteddear · 16/05/2023 12:29

@Mumsday I earn about a grand a month doing my little business.
The job would bring in about £1800 less the £200 it would cost me to park at work (it's hospital based and there is no choice about the parking as there would be no time to walk, cycle or bus alongside school run commitments). So the difference is about 600 a month currently. Not inconsiderable. However I have had lots of enquiries re boarding dogs for holidays which would bump it up in summer in particular and I have a bit of space left for walks a few days a week.

OP posts:
Delphigirl · 16/05/2023 12:35

We are generally saying that you should take the job and you are obviously torn by wanting not to take it. So I would say sit down and write a business plan. How can you make this work to enable earning at least 600 pcm more. Boarding is a good idea - but it means you can’t go away except when other people generally don’t. How about setting up a home boarding service where you have a group of people who you have approved to take dogs. So you advertise, take bookings, do some boarding yourself and pass some boarding on to vetted third parties in return for a cut. As a trusted local dog walker you should be able to brand yourself with a catchy name and get that going. Then do the maths and see where that comes out?

Delphigirl · 16/05/2023 12:36

Around us dog boarding is around £30 a day or £40 for two dogs together, but that is kennels not homestay

Delphigirl · 16/05/2023 12:37

And you have to think about how you can manage the boarding if you are dog walking 8 hours a day!

Iwrote · 16/05/2023 12:43

Would you really only take home £1,800 as a team manager?! Seems very low.
I would take the role as there's a danger you'll just end up being family skivvy otherwise, doing all this running around other ad hoc tasks.
It may also be difficult to get back in to management with a gap on your CV?

Original poster
tatteddear · 16/05/2023 13:31

Hi yes-its a small new team-as opposed to my previous roles which were managing a lot more people and higher stress. It's a new project to speed up hospital discharge so the pay is relatively low for a managerial role.

OP posts:
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