Decisions over job search/about be be unemployed

determined_new_ms

So last week I found out I wasn't successful in applying for my job during a restructure. I am due to leave in just over 4 weeks. I'm a FTC who has been in post for less than 2 years so no redundancy rights.

Currently looking for other positions. The day after finding out I applied for a FTC position within a company I worked for for many years and did this particular job about 8 years ago. I feel I have a very strong chance of interview & of being offered. It's doing a job I did well for a number of years, in a company who know my work, and as it is a FTC until March 2015 they are going to want someone who can hit the ground running. I left there 2 years ago so am assuming the databases, processes & procedures won't have changed very much in that time.

However it is a step back in my career, several steps. It is also 55% of my current salary. Since applying I have now started to see several vacancies that are in my current level, good match to my skill set.

Now appreciate I am counting my chickens... But if I was offered the 1st position I would commit to it for the duration of the contract. Would this be a good move career wise? I've done my sums and we *could* survive 6 months on our savings if I was out of work, but obviously wouldn't want to dwindle what savings we've worked hard to save. I have applied for hosting students over the summer, which we have done before so am hoping we will be accepted and that will bring in some income. If I was offered and didn't accept there's no guarantee I'd get one of the other positions I'm applying for.

KentishLady

Difficult one isn't it.


Things I would want to think about before deciding on accepting a job would be:

• Length of the FTC being offered
• Could I afford to live on the wage offered
• whether taking a contract with a signficant wage drop would limit earnings in subsequent contracts - I dont know your industry and don't know whether taking a pay cut to avoid claiming benefits would be seen as positive or negative

I faced a not disimilar situation at the end of 2012 - i was made redundant from a company where I had worked my way up for 10 years and had got to a wage level I was comfortable at (not hugely rich though!!!!!). I got a decent redundancy package luckily but was determined not to use this to live off (I am the only wage earner and we desperately needed to adapt our bathroom to make it safer for my disabled husband so I wanted to earmark the money to get the work done).

I took the first job offered to me which was a pay cut of 1/3 - enough to live on but not enough to pay for luxuries like foreign holidays - we are reduced to one UK holiday a year in a caravan. But it is local, and stress free so it is swings and roundabouts.

Ultimately only you can decide whether to take the contract with the 55% pay cut. At least you'll be earning something rather than living off your benefits / savings. However, you'll be cutting down on your job searching time because you'll be working and from the sounds of it you will feel obliged to fulfil the full contract term so won't be free to take up a better paying role until the end of the contract being offered.

So I guess it comes down to how likely you are to secure another better paying contract quickly.


Personally I'd apply for all the other positions too. After your four weeks is up you will be able to start immediately whicever position you get offered (I'm thinking positively here!). I'd draw up a list with pros and cons but make my decision only once I had a final job offer (ie written offer after they have received your references). THat would hopefully give some time to see if you get job offers with the other employers without burning your bridges.