Decision regarding leaving a perm. job for a temp. job

wontfallforit

Just collecting opinions here...

I have the opportunity to take up a 3 month temporary position with a very well respected pensions company. The job - aside from the small matter of it being temp - is pretty much perfect. They've been searching for quite a while now, and were pleased to find me (sorry, that sounds silly, doesn't it?).

The job is wayyyy more varied than what I'm doing now, and it may lead to a permanent position (performance permitting, I assume). If it didn't lead to a permanent position, then it'd still be vital experience, given my career plans (financial advice).

My current job, however, is permanent and is "safe as houses". However, it's mind-numbingly, soul-destroyingly boring, with extremely limited chances for progression (despite it being a very large company).

The temp job would pay 1k more (pro rata) than my current job. The benefits - assuming I went permanent - would be similar, too.

I could 'afford' to go temporary. I've got no debts, no mortgage, etc. I don't want to give up a stable, permanent job, but I'm strongly considering taking the risk. Even if I was let go after 3 months, I'd have some really valuable experience. I'd probably bounce back into work quickly enough, as I have a strong CV, but even if I didn't, I'd have a little bit of money and a lot of things to keep me occupied for a short while.

Any thoughts? Just wondering if anyone's taken a similar 'leap' themselves, and if so, how did it work out?

santacruz_2

If your confident in yourself ie you know you can prove you are an asset to the company, then i say go for it.Like you say you have no debt so seems like a good time to make a leap.

Mands

wontfallforit wrote: »

Any thoughts? Just wondering if anyone's taken a similar 'leap' themselves, and if so, how did it work out?

Yes, I did that a few years ago. In fact I could have pretty much written your post; I had exactly the same angst and concerns :-)

In my case I knew *why* it was a 3-month role. The previous incumbent had gone on long-term sick and was taking the department to a tribunal. She had already said that she wouldn't come back if she won but for legal reasons the company couldn't employ someone else in her place until the legal stuff was completed.

The head of the department was open and honest about it all making it perfectly clear that they couldn't make a perm offer at that stage.

I took the chance and quit my perm job. The legal stuff all got dealt with and I was appointed in the perm position.

It was the best move I ever made. The job, the company, the department were fantastic if challenging at times.

In your position the only concern I'd have was *why* it wasn't a perm role know. If it's 'cos they don't have headcount and are waiting for that to be approved then I'd be nervous that, in the current climate, that just might not happen. And once you were there and doing a super job they'd have less incentive to resolve that.

Best of luck with whatever you decide,
Mands

Oldernotwiser

Are you a single person or do you have domestic responsibilies? Do you live in an area with lots of work?

Uncertain

Remember that if you change jobs at all (even to a "permanent" one) then you have very little employment protection for the first year.

So, what you need to assess is...

How important is security to you? (If the answer is very then you stay put).

How likely is the temp job to become permanent if your face fits? (if not very then)....

Would having done it lead you to better openings than staying put?

Sometimes, particularly on this forum, people overvalue employment legal rights. Remember they will, at best, give you some compensation if treated badly. There are plenty of highly commercial companies who have an unwritten HR policy of "we will employ who we like, sack who we like and if all else fails pay up". There can often be a lot of grief involved in securing even modest compensation.

wontfallforit

Mands wrote: »

In your position the only concern I'd have was *why* it wasn't a perm role know. If it's 'cos they don't have headcount and are waiting for that to be approved then I'd be nervous that, in the current climate, that just might not happen. And once you were there and doing a super job they'd have less incentive to resolve that.

I did think about why it is a temp. position as they didn't give much away, but I get the feeling they were testing my mettle, tbh.

The conversation went something like this:

HIRING MANAGER: "This is a 3-month temporary contract, is that OK?"
ME: "Yes..."
HM: "Initially, anyway."
ME: "That's fine" [started prattling about how I want the experience more than anything]
HM: "To be honest, we're looking for someone who we could possibly train as an adviser [i.e. fully-qualified financial adviser, pensions], but that's not, erm, in the next 2 weeks or anything"

I was a little bemused about the "next 2 weeks" remark (those were her exact words), but just hearing that they might be looking to train a new adviser was like music to my ears. Such opportunities are quite rare at present. I just started part 4 of the 5-part Certificate In Financial Planning, which is the minimum qualification required to become a full adviser (though many companies train you beyond that level). I've done that off my own back, and in my own time, so I think it reasonably demonstrates that I might be adviser material

I genuinely think they're looking to check me out a little. Financial advisers are reasonably well-paid and need a whole lot of training and product knowledge instilled in them before they can go 'live'. Perhaps they want to draw some provisional conclusions as to the quality of my work first...this job involves supporting existing fully-trained advisers.

wontfallforit

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Are you a single person or do you have domestic responsibilies? Do you live in an area with lots of work?

"Single", to all intents and purposes. I have a long-term partner but we live seperately, and keep seperate finances.

No domestic responsibilities, no kids, no loans, low rent, etc.

This area isn't exactly teeming with quality job prospects, but I'm reasonably confident that I'd find 'something' to pay the bills if need be - I've never struggled to find work before.

wontfallforit

Uncertain wrote: »

Remember that if you change jobs at all (even to a "permanent" one) then you have very little employment protection for the first year.

Understood

How important is security to you? (If the answer is very then you stay put).

It's not my biggest concern. These past few years, I was in a lot of debt (managed to avoid repayment defaults by the skin of my teeth!), but it's 100% clear now, so since Christmas, I haven't had to work (just toiling away to pay my modest bills and to keep my employment history clean, ensuring good references and no gaps)

How likely is the temp job to become permanent if your face fits? (if not very then)....

That's my only issue. As per my first reply, the company has been slightly sketchy (though I should point out that they're a well-respected institution, and considered desirable to work for).

Would having done it lead you to better openings than staying put?

Almost certainly. It's one of the few positions of this type that doesn't require substantial, highly specific experience (i.e. at least a year's experience in an IFA's office). My work experience is a little more generalised than that (though the fact that I currently work for a bank helped loads), and there was a lot more emphasis upon my potential, rather than what I've already done.

Sometimes, particularly on this forum, people overvalue employment legal rights. Remember they will, at best, give you some compensation if treated badly. There are plenty of highly commercial companies who have an unwritten HR policy of "we will employ who we like, sack who we like and if all else fails pay up". There can often be a lot of grief involved in securing even modest compensation.

If worst came to worst, I'd accept being laid off in a mature way, and could pick myself up and move on without too much hassle.

liney

If you took another permanent post they could let you go without much of a reason within the first 12 months anyway. "Permanent" doesn't mean much nowdays.

If it's a job you really want, feel the fear and do it anyway

bristol_pilot

To me, it's a no-brainer - don't do it! Three months will soon pass, then what? A period on the dole probably in the current climate, which will outweigh any benefits of more varied experience on your CV. What you are contemplating amounts to resignation really.

wontfallforit

bristol_pilot wrote: »

To me, it's a no-brainer - don't do it! Three months will soon pass, then what? A period on the dole probably in the current climate, which will outweigh any benefits of more varied experience on your CV. What you are contemplating amounts to resignation really.

That's what a tiny voice in my head is saying. I'm currently split about 70/30 in favour of leaving, but I am naturally quite cautious.

However, incidentally, two things happened this afternoon.

One, an ex colleague at my old job told me she's got a new job lined up to start in May. I could easily go back take her job (in fact, she replaced me, as she went from casual to perm when I left). The money is c--p and the work is rubbish, but it'd be an almost foolproof plan, and I'm still really close to my former boss.

Two, I received an email stating that I'm through to stage 2 of 3 for a graduate scheme I applied for, which is actually with my current employer, and would start in September if successful. The fact that it's with my current employer is purely incidental - my dept. has nothing to do with graduate positions, it's a totally different role, and I had to be treated the same way as external applicants. If successful, the offer would stand regardless of whether or not I resign from my current job.

So feeling a bit confused! I'm very confident that I have a number of fallbacks, but as said, there's always that little bit of doubt.