Turning down NHS job offer after interview

[MumtoaMuffin]

I interviewed for a band 6 position today. I was aware it was a mat leave cover and I was expecting it to be a year. At the interview they said it would be a 9 month contract with no scope to extend due to funding.

With the way the job market in the NHS is just now I’m thinking it would be mad to accept the job if offered. I’m in a permanent band 5 position just now, non-NHS.

I don’t want them to feel like I’ve wasted their time but I probably wouldn’t have applied had I known it was only 9 months. It means I’ll have to start looking for a new role almost immediately.

What would you do?!

Could you ask your current manager if they will release you on a secondment basis?

I had considered this but it feels really cheeky! But possibly worth asking.

Depends on your role. Might there be opportunities for sideways movement? And funding is madness at the moment with NHS England going, so things might change. However, it is a big risk.

If you decide not to accept just say thank you, but I thought it was a 12 month contract - so although I’d love to join I just can’t take the risk at the moment.

If they told you it was a year, and changed it to 9 months in the interview, they're the ones being cheeky.
It depends on your field and situation. In the current job market, I would be wary of giving up a permanent post which suits my family situation. But other people who know there's always jobs in their area, or who are able to cope without an income, probably judge me as risk averse, and are right to say I am less likely to get the most I could out of my career.

If the role was advertised as a 12 month FTC and at interview they’ve told you it’s only 9 months, surely they’ve wasted your time rather than the other way around? I don’t know why you’d feel remotely bad about withdrawing from the process and giving an honest explanation as to why.

I think it depends if you want to stay in that Trust. My Trust can’t currently advertise externally but can internally, so dependent on how specialised you are you could get another job internally

In the current job market I’d turn down a 9 month contract. TBH most people applying for that will be wanting a secondment if they’re already in a permanent post.
Our dept has just had a fixed term contract post due to funding and the person coming has negotiated a secondment with her permanent post.

So either approach your manager about a secondment (they can say no) or else turn it down, explaining you thought it was 12 months but 9 month is too short a time for you

They’ve wasted your time, so I wouldn’t worry.

I’ve turned down jobs after interview and haven’t cared if they thought I was wasting their time, up to me if I want to accept a job after seeing them.