In my position, would you take this job?

Schmett100

I've got a job I'm going for, I reckon I'm up against a couple of other people and will probably find out the results in a week or two, so I'm jumping the gun slightly with not having an offer yet but really want to get thinking on what to do as it's constantly playing on my mind.

My current job is getting very stale after a long time there, I've been promoted several times and don't have anywhere else to go. The company is moving in a direction I'm not keen on. I'm busy there, but I'm bored of it.

The potential new job sounds more interesting. It's not in the area that I studied, but I have the right bits and pieces of experience from my current job and it's also in an area of my main hobby so very interesting in that respect as well as the tasks in the job.

The new job would involve a slightly shorter commute, roughly the same hours of work (maybe marginally less) but not with flexitime as I have now. Here's the important part: it pays almost 50% less than my current job. Take home pay would be about 35-40% less.

Along with my partner's salary, we could afford it, but it means we wouldn't be putting aside the savings each month that we currently do.

We plan to start a family shortly, and I don't know this company's maternity benefits (probably statutory, don't think they're known for great benefits), but my current one is the bare minimum anyway, statutory maternity pay. My current job would not allow me to go back part time instead of full time after having a baby, but the new one probably would. I don't know anything about their other benefits yet, I.e. whether I'll have more or less holidays (which is important to me as I'm always away visiting family around the UK etc) but I'm meeting them during the week so will ask then.

I suppose I don't know much just yet, but just want to know what other people's reactions would be from the information I have so far and advice from anyone who's been in a similar situation! I'm leaning towards going for it but want to make sure I don't jump in blind and regret it instantly. Any thoughts or advice appreciated, and lists of questions to ask (bearing in mind I don't have a job offer yet) would also be helpful! (I haven't really gone for a proper job since being in this one (5 years) so don't have experience of an interview going from a professional job to another - plenty experience of interviews as a graduate trying to get my first real job, or going for many part time jobs while I was studying.) Thanks!

HappyMJ

Yes as you are bored of your current role.

Yes as the job sounds more interesting.

Yes as the commute is shorter.

What would make me really consider saying no is the huge 50% cut in pay. Is there no way you can renegotiate that higher?

What I would probably do is stay where you are and try for a baby sooner rather than later and get some time off. You'd get more in maternity pay then when you're ready to go back to work I'd approach the other company and find out if you can work there instead of returning to your current employer.

I would go to the interview no matter what and really try hard to get the pay rate higher. I'd accept a 10% pay cut to move to a happier position.