Scared of resigning!

[Fridayagainyipee]

I started a new job in February this year after a long time at my previous job. It hasn't really worked out how I wanted. The people are nice, they appreciate me, although the work is frustrating and I have been looking at other jobs since I started. I just can't settle! I am on term-time only contract which at the time I thought would be great but in my ignorance I didn't realize you have a pro-rata deduction and effectively get paid for 44 weeks a year (my mistake)! The other thing I struggle with is being unable to take time off during term-time (again I should have researched this). I have been offered a job today with slightly less hours but normal 52 weeks a year. Seem a lovely team (think charity sector). I have gone into complete panic mode that I have let my current job down, they are going to be cross that I am thinking of leaving and what if I have done the right thing! School hours/term time working are great for mums with school age children but mine are grown up now.
I don't know what to do. I feel if I accept I am letting my present job down. They have trained me in certain aspects but I just can't gel.
Thanks for listening to my mumblings.

PS. I am mid-fifties too if that makes a difference!

Just put your notice in. You don't owe your employers anything and you'll soon be replaced. Don't mean that to sound unkind but it's a bit of admin upheaval, nothing more.

Take the new job. Your current work will survive.
Term time only contracts are not for everyone, they can be perfect for some, but costly for others due to all sorts of other reasons.

I worked in a school for years but now my kids are older and away at uni I want to be able to go away in term time and visit them, rather than having my trips restricted to expensive school holidays.

I too switched to the charity sector; I'm not earning a fortune but I am earning a good % more than I was, as I'm working more hours and more weeks than I did in my old job, even though the hourly pay is similar.

Take the new job. Someone with school age kids will snap up a term time only job so they will get the position filled quickly.

Agree with the others, take the new job. There's no point suffering if your current position isn't working for you

@Rhond24 Do you regret moving?

Thank you all for your replies. I thought I might get told I was being ridiculous tbh. I think I feel guilty because I should have researched the job a bit more and what implications working term-time only had for me! I just feel awful that I feel I have wasted their time.

Congratulations on the new job offer!
I understand how you feel OP as I often feel the same way about letting people down. But I’ve realised other people move on after a short period in a job all the time and no-one, including me, bats an eyelid!
In my workplace recently we’ve had 3 people leave after less than a year. All of them moved to jobs with a much shorter commute. I totally understood this and no- one thinks anything of it.
Take the new job, it sounds great and will fit your current lifestyle much better and everyone will understand.

@TraCant Thank you so much. You have made me feel a bit more positive. I am just a people pleaser!

I’m going to do it tomorrow but feel physically ill at the thought 😞

Stay strong - timber that even the best workplaces would downsize you if they had to and provided you work your contracted notice you don’t owe them more. You have to ultimately do what works for you - someone else will get your current job and it will be perfect for them

The reality is that when anyone leaves a job, life in their previous workplace moves on without them, they are soon replaced and they are forgotten about within a few weeks.

Term-time working i# regarded as a very valuable perk by many people. They will be queuing up to replace you. So if you don’t want the job, you can resign without a second thought, safe in the knowledge that your absence will barely be noticed. And good luck with the new job.

@ SpottyAardvark thanks for your advice. You are right, its just not easy. I think I knew from day 1 I had made the wrong job choice but I was determined to give it a go for 6 months. Its hard because I have been trained on certain things and feel so guilty that they will have to start over again. I give off this vibe that I am happy and bubbly at work but I get in the car every day and think "WTF am I doing!" Noone is irreplaceable I agree.

Good luck!

Thanks all. You have really helped a very silly woman!

Quick update: I did hand in my resignation but everyone seems really disappointed and have been asked to reconsider etc etc. For someone like me who dithers it makes me feel even worse. I am easily talked into things and out of things!

Well done on handing in your notice!
Do they know you have a new job to go to?
After I hand in my notice I usually then stress to colleagues what I’m looking forward to/excited about the new post eg nearer home/better hours/promotion etc as that really sets the scene why I’m leaving.
For yourself, you need to really focus on why you applied for the new job in the first place. Now you’ve handed in your notice just don’t get involved with lots of discussions other than focusing on your leaving date.

@TraCant I have just said I have a job for less hours and not term time only (which is true). Think they are trying to throw a curve-ball and offer less hours but its so bloody awkward. Its nice they think a lot of me but its so hard to be left alone!

If it dosent feel quite right for you,move on to the new job. It's totally fine if it dosent suit YOU ,as you say School jobs suit those with children ( which is me, I've been a dinner lady for 9byears and am moving to full time classroom in November as my children are y9+y11 now) Good luck

@bogartysmack Thank you. So busy feeling guilty for everyone else I leave myself out of the equation. I'm the sucker that would stay just to avoid confrontation! Good luck with your new job as well.

Do what is right for you ... resign. Ultimately if you are not happy there your employer won't want you to stay.