Interviews a few days apart WWYD?

[Badgertime]

Morning,

Just a WWYD? kind of thread.

Interview 1 is tomorrow. It is under 10 minutes away in a secondary but the role is quite a big pay drop from my previous roles and I'd be going back in any career progression I've made to a basic entry level role. My youngest son will be attending this school from September. He doesn't mind (my girls would but they are in a different school!).
It's about 10 hours more than the next job I'll write about. i could probably even nip home at lunch time!

Interview 2 is Tuesday. It is very much what I'd like to do and would be in line with what I've worked with recently (also secondary). It would be the 'perfect' role. However, it is 35 minutes away on a busy stretch of M5 which has frequent hold ups and accidents especially in summer (I live in a seaside town in SW). It's better pay and less hours.

For context, I am going through divorce and have 3 children (15,13,11), I am the main carer and they rarely see their dad (his choice). He recently left the area without leaving any address and hasn't been in contact with the kids. Daughter does have asthma and sometimes needs picking up from local school. If they are sick now, I usually leave them at home as I've been very local but it would worry me leaving them on their own further away.
I have made other applications that I'm waiting on.

If I were lucky enough to be offered a job tomorrow, I guess I'd either have to accept or decline straight away so I'm just wondering what would be the best.

Just to add, the type of job for interview 2 does not come up very often at all in my area (nothing in the last year).

Job 2.

Traffic won't be as bad at 7am. And if you've got to leave, you've got to leave. The oldest will be ok at home for the day.

Do you have any backup if your DD or other DC needs collecting, it sounds like you would prefer the second job, personally if that particular job doesn’t come up much, maybe I would try and go for that one.

Job 2. 35mins each way as standard and potentially longer with traffic/accidents is still nothing time wise. I’ve lived quite a few places where something a 15min drive away in ‘normal’ traffic took roughly 90mins consistently in peak times, morning and afternoon, add extra in wet weather or if there was an accident. Also, peaks were periods of roughly 4hours each end of the day so hard to go ‘out of peak’ sometimes unless you wanted to get to work 4 hours early!

35mins - definitely job 2 without a doubt.

Thank you. I'm worried though in case I say no to job 1 if I got offered and don't get job 2. I'm not superb at interviews but would try my best.

I would also go for job 2. Plenty of people in your situation ask to think about a job offer for a few days, or else accept it and then turn it down if they get offered their 1st choice.

Good luck

You are in a good position to say to them that you have another interview. Explain that they’re offering better money and as a single parent you can’t discount that. Ask them for two days to think about it.
Unless there are a high number of teachers looking in your area?
in my area we struggle to get anyone in for interview, so we would absolutely agree, and may even see if we could up the offer.

If you’re offered role 1 ask if there’s any scope for improving the salary.

If not, say you’ll need to think about if for a few days to see if you can afford to take the job, then see how interview 2 goes.

If you are lucky enough to be offered job 1, explan you would love to accept the job, but have a further interview on Monday with greater hours and pay, and ask for them to hold the offer over the weekend.
Schools usually respond very quickly so you will likely be able to give them a firm answer by Tuesday anyway.

You have to look after your own interests first and foremost.

If you are offered Job 1, accept it.

Then go to the interview for Job 2. If you are offered that one accept it and tell employer 1 that you changed your mind.

It happens all the time and believe me the employer would do the same to you if tey changed their mind about wanting a new member of staff.

I had this some years ago.
Dream job came up and I applied, got an interview.
Another job came up in similar field, not bothered about it but applied anyway as a "back up".

Back up job offered an interview first.
Decided to go to both interviews, back up job offered me the job and I said yes. Thought I could always change my mind if the dream job offered me a post, but I needed a job and couldn't afford to be left with nothing.

Attended dream job interview.....found it wasn't so dream after all. Some of the things they were offering were doubtful, odd feel amongst the staff team, lots of things they weren't doing professionally....I wasn't impressed even though the position was more senior and the pay better.
In the end, dream job didn't offer it me anyway!
And my back up job was absolutely fine, saw me through to retirement and there were plenty of opportunities to develop skills and do extra roles which attracted more pay.

So I say, go to both interviews, accept what's offered and then make up your mind.
Reading your post and your situation, I'd be going for Job 1 myself.

That is true. It's important that I feel good about the school and atmosphere. Sadly, just left a job with a very toxic one as did many others before me and was desperate to get out. I do need to start work again ASAP.

On the other hand, I feel I have given up so much of my career prospects because of the kids (No regrets, they come first) and maybe they're old enough now for me to start moving forward again. I don't think it would be great for my CV either.