Should I go to an interview when I know I almost certainly wouldn't be able to accept if I were to be offered it

[Callmemaybebaby]

I have an interview next week (NHS). It's a job I'd love to do.
I am currently on maternity leave and have an incredibly flexible set up with my current employer (also NHS but different Trust) that works very well for me for childcare (work from home and very flexible hours that allow me to take time back as and when around childcare). I appreciate I am very lucky with this and I absolutely don't take it for granted. But I don't overly like what I do and I have always considered it a bit of a stepping stone to hopefully one day get pretty much exactly this job that's come up.

I really can't see that if I were to be offered the job, I would be able to accept as from what I understand of the role, it's just not going to be practical for them to allow me this same level of flexibility. It's hospital based and a good 45 minutes from my house so an additional 1.5 hours of commuting a day consider. My DCs' nursery isn't actually open the hours I would need to make this work with that commute and DD1 is incredibly well settled there (has been going for over 2 years) so I don't want to change her even if I could find a different nursery for DD2.

I emailed the contact to explain I was on maternity leave with no plan to return to work before October and they said they ideally need someone from July as the post would be vacant otherwise, but asked me to come anyway as for the right candidate their could 'maybe be compromise on both sides' they said. I just don't want to go back early though. We know DD2 is our last so I want to treasure this time with her and I already had a very gradual phased return planned with my current employer which I highly doubt would work at all going into a new job.

Ultimately, I'd love the job but really this is just not the right time for me. I feel like I need to just prioritise my family and stick with what I know works. DH is supportive but is encouraging me to go to the interview anyway and just see what happens but I know I'd be gutted to be offered and have to turn it down. Is it better to just accept it's not the right time and save everyone's time?

If you can't do the hours or the commute there is no point going . Surely it's just a waste of everyone's time unless they have indicated that they can be super flexible regarding working hours ?

Please please please don’t I’ve lost count of the days ,hours and possibly weeks
paper sifting and interviewing to have my time wasted as they weren’t going to accept or couldn’t do what job was on offer only have to start the process again

No. Don't waste their time. For the right candidate there could 'maybe be compromise on both sides'

But you aren't offering any compromise. You can't do the job, so you aren't the right candidate. They need someone hospital based and the commute is too far for you.

They don't want you working from home and flexible hours - which is what you want to do.

I wouldn’t go to the interview. You’re potentially depriving someone else of a fair shot at interviewing for it who maybe would really love the job too and could make all of the practicalities work. As you say, it’s a waste of everyone’s time to interview if you know you’d turn it down.

But full sympathies for being caught between a job you really like the sound of and the realities of the sacrifices involved in taking it in terms of your family. That’s really not easy.

Waste of everyone’s times. Don’t go. Or actually sort out the childcare plan so you can take the job, but they’re not going to give you the flexibility you currently want and they’re already considering extending the start date if you are the candidate they want. They’ve done enough.
Don’t go if you can’t do it.

Don’t forget waste other people’s time.

Someone else could have missed out on an interview because you were selected. Pull out on time for others to be included.

I, you would knowingly be wasting the interviewers time.

Not a good idea to burn bridges with a place you may look at again in future.

I wouldn't go. Just accept it's just not the right time at the moment. Something else will come along

It's not the right time for you, another opportunity will come along in the future. Other than lack of flexibility you're going to spend another 1.5 hours away from your DC every day.
Plenty of us stayed in jobs when DC were little because the hours suited
Cancel the interview so someone else can make the shortlist, something else will come up in the future

Thanks everyone, I know you are all right. I have cancelled the interview today. It's just not the right time and there's no point stressing about it or wasting their time.