Help me choose between two jobs

74jax

MrBrindle said:

Back for more advice.

Another issue going through my head right now, which I don't I mentioned previously is that the University job is a 3 month initial fixed contract with a view to extend. The informal discussion I've had with the line manager is that there will be a discussion between month 1 and 2 about whether to extend the contract and for how long - 6,12 months or permanent etc. He sounded positive about this over the phone yesterday, but obviously I can only take that in good faith and it's nothing written.

The e-commerce job is permanent, with a 6 month probationary period.

Really at a loss at what to do about. The university is the job I'm most keen on, however I'd be stupid to throw away a full time job over a fixed short term contract won't I?

 

How can they decide after only 1 month if they want to extend?  Did they say what they would base this on, as surely they won't know much about you in just 1 month?

6 month probationary doesn't mean anything, could be 3 months, 1 month or 4 months, I wouldn't give that a consideration.

MrBrindle

74jax said:

MrBrindle said:

Back for more advice.

Another issue going through my head right now, which I don't I mentioned previously is that the University job is a 3 month initial fixed contract with a view to extend. The informal discussion I've had with the line manager is that there will be a discussion between month 1 and 2 about whether to extend the contract and for how long - 6,12 months or permanent etc. He sounded positive about this over the phone yesterday, but obviously I can only take that in good faith and it's nothing written.

The e-commerce job is permanent, with a 6 month probationary period.

Really at a loss at what to do about. The university is the job I'm most keen on, however I'd be stupid to throw away a full time job over a fixed short term contract won't I?

 

How can they decide after only 1 month if they want to extend?  Did they say what they would base this on, as surely they won't know much about you in just 1 month?

6 month probationary doesn't mean anything, could be 3 months, 1 month or 4 months, I wouldn't give that a consideration.

I'm not sure what that 1 month discussion will be based on, I guess that's important to ask. And exactly, 1 month isn't really enough time to make an informal decision on someone, especially considering I will have only worked with people online.

If I go back to them again with another 'barrier' they will probably think I'm not interested in the job.

General_Grant

The decision on whether to extend might not depend on the performance of the OP but on internal politics and funding for the project - no money, no extension.

MrBrindle

General_Grant said:

The decision on whether to extend might not depend on the performance of the OP but on internal politics and funding for the project - no money, no extension.

Yes, that's also true.

It's my preferred job but I don't know if it's worth the risk, especially when I have a permanent offer on the table as well.

Do I go with the preferred job which is only fixed term for 3 months, but with discussions to be had for extending or go with second choice job which is permanent?

**Changed thread title to go along with the new discussion.

Savvy_Sue

I know what I'd do - or more to the point, what I'd want DH to do! - but I don't know your situation. 

I'd get out that big sheet of paper (or an Excel spreadsheet), and I'd list the pros and cons, possibly score them. 

I'd include at the bottom some 'what if' scenarios - whichever job you go for, if it doesn't pan out, could the family increase income / decrease spending while looking for another? (If you've described the family situation, I have no memory of it.)

Over the years we've flipped between which of us is the main earner and which of us isn't, but we've had that choice: when I took over that role for the first time after we became parents, the boys were old enough to be left briefly after school and DH was generally home anyway - if he wasn't there was another responsible adult on hand. It meant he could choose to do something which didn't generate much income. 

I do remember (some years before that) being HUGELY relieved when he got a local job rather than having to take one which would have meant commuting to Central London. It didn't help that he would have been working near the site of a bombing, but I knew he'd find the commute absolutely killing (I'd survived that commute for a year or so, and for various reasons he'd have found it worse than I did), and I'd have found the stress of him never being home at tea time / bed time pretty bad too. You do at least have the assurance that you wouldn't have to be at the Uni every day ... but it's still a factor. 

MrBrindle

Hiya Sue, thanks for the message again. Like you said, local jobs have a much more positive psychological effect on a family. Just being 5 or 10 mins down the road, or even 30 feels much nicer than over an hour away. 

No I haven't described the family situation don't think. In short, I've been the main bread winner for the last 6 years while my partner has been a stay at home mum, however I was made redundant last July. My only work since then has been a freelance designer for the local council from Sept - December. My partner is setting up her own business as a dog groomer, and will be taking on clients come end of March one we've finished the grooming room.

Yes I have done a pro's and con's for both last night! Both were pretty even tbh, with maybe the e-commerce job slightly edging the pro's

Right now, the crux for me is that I want the Uni job more but can't get past this initial 3 month fixed contract thing vs a permanent contract offer from the e-commerce people.

I will feel like a fool going for the Uni job if it only lasts the three months, after throwing away a permanent contract offer.

Thanks again.

strawb_shortcake

There is no guarantee the e-commerce job will be permanent, they could just as easily say in 3 months time that they need to make cutbacks for instance? 
The university post has that uncertainty upfront but the feedback is positive that it may lead to longer but is a risk but a known risk.

In your list of pros and cons have you factored in pensions as I suspect the council and university will have better offers on that front. 

[Deleted User]

Neither job has to consider you a fit just for getting an offer. No one knows the circumstance truly being walked into eg. Someone on the team having surgery which signs them off for 4 weeks which congrats if you are honoured to learn this during interviews 1 or trial day no 2... For all the nonsense that a month isn't long enough, I got up to a month even traveled into work place when it was snowy. 4 days after snow and just under a month of service, I found myself being asked if I was 'happy'. I've no idea how I wasn't asked this on the first snow day but I suppose I had someone's sick leave to cover. Pure and simple, no debate needed. You've been away from any work place for what 6 months but I imagine the choice is all yours...

MrBrindle

Deleted User said:

Neither job has to consider you a fit just for getting an offer. No one knows the circumstance truly being walked into eg. Someone on the team having surgery which signs them off for 4 weeks which congrats if you are honoured to learn this during interviews 1 or trial day no 2... For all the nonsense that a month isn't long enough, I got up to a month even traveled into work place when it was snowy. 4 days after snow and just under a month of service, I found myself being asked if I was 'happy'. I've no idea how I wasn't asked this on the first snow day but I suppose I had someone's sick leave to cover. Pure and simple, no debate needed. You've been away from any work place for what 6 months but I imagine the choice is all yours...

Hiya, thanks for the reply. Bit confused by the first statement, so neither jobs don't need to consider me a decent fit? 

You're right, I don't know the circumstances of the University unfortunately.

Am I correct in saying you started a job, but didn't know you covering someone's sick leave?

MovingForwards

Have you done a search of the university for news reports over the last 6 - 12 months? It's well worth doing as they're under a lot of pressure with funding, lack of foreign students (they pay a lot more than UK students do for the courses), pay, job freezes and redundancies etc.

They cannot guarantee this role will be anything more than 3 months.

Therefore base your decision on this job only lasting 3 months and then weigh that up against the other.

Unfortunately, being the breadwinner you need stability.