Positive work problem WWYD

[Jonersy22]

Please help me solve my (positive) work problem! Its long, sorry!

I'm on a fixed term contract working for a large organisation. Im 43, and i completed a masters degree two years ago after years of being a sahm.

I started in this organisation 1.5 yrs ago as a mature trainee and got offered a fixed term contract straight away. It was clear that the contract would be extended, but i decided to move roles inside the organisation for better money, more interesting work and better team. Also fixed term contract til the end of this year.

Ive been in this new role now for 6 months. Its very interesting, but quite complex (we report to the government) and its taken me whole 6 months to get my head around the complexities. This was expected, and no problems there.

So, the dilemma. When i was working in the previous department, i wrote a funding proposal for a project i feel passionate about. Funding was not a certainty, but it now turns out funding will be granted and a project manager will be recruited in the near future. This project was genuinely my brainchild, and the role would also mean more money if i chose to go for it. When recruited for my current role, my manager did ask me if i would apply for the project if it got funding, to which i said i was not sure at the time

And. It continues.. I bumped into my previous head of department a few days ago. He came up to me and asked me why i hadnt applied for a role he has going in his dpt. Similar project theme to the proposal i wrote, similar role, and money. He said they'd had to extend the application deadline as they had not seen any good candidates. This is not the first time he has asked me back indirectly.

So what do i do? My current manager will be super pissed off with me if i jump ship just as im getting the hang of this current work, but then again my current title is project coordinator and a step up to project manager would be good for my career. Also money. Im now a single parent of 2 kids, so money is always needed.

I do enjoy my current role and team a lot. So which project?! What should i do!? Help!!

Don't keep a head of department waiting for you to apply for a role he clearly has earmarked for you. Progress your career.

Yes, put yourself and your children first.
It’s clear that the other head of department wants you so what are you waiting for? Go for it and good luck you sound like a very sought after soul.

So there's one NOW for a similar project or you could wait and yours will come up?

Yes, they are both similar themes (climate change related), but one is now and 'my' project is coming up in the next few months

I would be silly to stay in my current role when I'm earmarked for other two higher roles, wouldnt i? Its just that I'll be letting my current manager down who's trained me up for past 6 months and has to start again from scratch. I feel sorry for her.

Also my current team is nice. The other team is less nice. And my current role is super interesting. Lots of travel around the country, events etc.. These two other projects are very desk-based..Arrghhh!!

Sounds like the one you have now is more interesting even though less money. A job that is more desk based might get you down after a while even if the money is better. What does your instinct say

@BitsAndBaubles instinct says nothing 😄

Go for the bigger job. You don’t owe your manager anything. You need to look after your own interests.

If you trust your current manager, talk to them

@LazJaz thank you ❤️ Which one though? The one now, or 'my' project coming up in the next few months

@indignatio i was wondering if i should. My line manager seems agitated about the upcoming project (for fear of having to recruit again) but my current head of department Im quite friendly with and perhaps could speak to him. (He was a colleague for a while but got a huge promotion in the last few months)

Tough one then

Only you will know who you can trust within the organisation

I would stay where you are. Only because you said the team was nice, and the new team not to nice.

I would wait for the role that came up with the project I thought of, because that would be amazing on my CV and I could talk it all the way through.

Unless, I knew the head of department well enough that I could negotiate even more money for stepping into the job they can't recruit for.

Do not undersell yourself and do not stay in your current job out of loyalty. You and your family first. Especially as a single parent.

It feels as though staying in the current job for now, on the basis that you'll be able to take on 'your' original project in a few months would be the perfect compromise. You wouldn't be letting your current boss down so soon - she'd get a few months out of you fully trained up, you'd get to stay with the nice team for a bit longer and enjoy the travel etc, but THEN in a few months you can move very legitimately and understandably back to run your project.

Staying in your current role so as not to upset your current manager is pure madness. You are replaceable OP, sorry to sound harsh. But they would fire you in an instant if they were told to by someone more senior.

@Alexavolumedown You are right! No one is irreplaceable. (she makes me feel like it though, and i know it will bring on a lot of stress for her having to train someone else from scratch)

Do you think your current manager would stay in their job out of loyalty when they were offered a better job with more money elsewhere?

@determinedtomakethiswork thank you! I clearly need this perspective 🙂