Permanent to Fixed Term?

Justadmin88

Hi all,

Would appreciate some advice. My husband currently has a permanent full time job at a university which he likes but he has done for a couple of years now so is ready to move to something different.

A 12 month mat cover post came up in a different department at the same uni which he applied for, interviewed for and was offered the post. He said he would gladly accept if he was offered a secondment from his current role, but his current managers said no, sadly, although they did say that they would develop him further in areas he'd like to grow in.

Now he is saying that he still wants to take the mat cover job, leaving the security of permanent work. Do you think this is a good idea?

We have a mortgage, no kids. I earn approx £28k and he currently earns approx £30k, the mat post would bring that up to £32k. I can pay my side of the mortgage and bills but couldn't afford to support him too should the worst happen in a year's time. He has some savings and says that he could use that if he did end up unemployed for a couple of months, but I think it would be a shame to have to use his savings for that when really I know he's saving for a deposit on a second home.

I will say that I have a tendency to worry unnecessarily about things, and I tend to avoid risks, so if it were me I'd be saying no to the offer probably. I do imagine the worst to happen, which isn't good. Of course I want him to be happy and follow his dreams, so it's drawing a line between that and also being cautious and having a mind to our financial responsibilities! So I was hoping for some clear advice from some third parties with no vested interest to see what you thought!

Many thanks!

Guest101

Well he'd still be entitled to redundancy the same as any other employee, but ultimately it's a risk

getmore4less

Justadmin88 wrote: »

Now he is saying that he still wants to take the mat cover job, leaving the security of permanent work. Do you think this is a good idea?

!

The security in the current post is...... well unknown(notice period)

much the same as the maternity cover for the fixed term.

probably the only certainty is if the incumbent of the maternity post takes normal maternity leave they get their job back.

if they are taking(don't change their minds) extended maternity then there are other possibilities.

KiKi

There's no less security - other than you know the employment will end at a certain point in time. That means you can start planning for that earlier.

I'd love to follow my dreams - but whilst I'm not as risk adverse as you, I have no second income from a partner, so all the risk is on me.

Often the best selling points on a CV will show different roles, different levels of capability, that you're willing to step out and develop yourself, that you can do different roles...not stay in the same job forever!

Also - and I'm NOT saying you should support him financially! - but unless you have real debt that you're paying off, £28k should be able to pay for the two of you for a few months if you cut down. But, look - very few roles in education are secure at the moment. It's 12 months away. That's plenty of time to start planning the next steps in 6-8 months' time.

If your posting name is your year of birth, then you're still very young, so I'd say let him take this job and do something different whilst you don't have the commitment of children or other caring responsibilities, or the lack of motivation that can hit when you're further into a career! Taking ANY new job is risky - you can be dismissed in the first two years for any reason anyway, so going to this over a whole new job doesn't make it that much less secure!

KiKi