Job dilemma

[stickybackbob]

First world problems and all that.... and apologies for the wall of text

I'll start with a bit of background info. I'm a single parent with two young kids. I was working full time in a management position until being made redundant. My work was very specialised and there are no opportunities in my local area and don't want to move the kids.

3 years of unemployment followed the redundancy but I've now been working for a few months with hours to suit around school albeit for minimum wage. I enjoy the work (physical, very low stress/responsibility level - basically a personal shopper but in a cash and carry), get on with the other workers and managers. It's possible that in a few years time and when I'm ready to go full time, my current employer may be able to offer some progress along a career path that will earn a reasonable wage.

Before I got the job above, I went for an interview for another position (working in admin) and they've just called back and offered me the job. Only reason I didn't get the job months ago was that my ex-boss was slow to respond with references and another candidate got it. This persons circumstances have now changed and can't continue in the position. This work is more challenging and pays slightly better than my current one but is a funded position for an off-shoot of a county council. It would appear that funding should continue for at least 2 years. Prospects going forward are not clear cut but I'm thinking 'foot in the door' kind of thing for a council job.

Sorry if it's all too vague but given the info above, what would the BCF massive do?

Cheers all

[covent.gardens]

The council job pays a little more. They'll also probably be more accepting of single parent issues e.g. kid problems causing you to return home etc. My gut instinct is go with the council job. You're "only" leaving a minimum wage job in order to try the council one; if you don't like it then you should be able to find another minimum wage job if you try hard (you do, after all, have two offers at the moment). I've done picking for home shopping and it was never really considered a proper job, whereas a job in admin for the council is getting there. The fact it's only a minimum of 2 years work wouldn't bother me at all. It leaves you 2 years to work hard, get promoted, get promised other work, or find other work elsewhere.

[stickybackbob]

Thanks for that, hadn't really thought of it in those terms. Being unemployed for 3 years was not the fun it can be made out to be and finding school hours jobs is not very easy, dare I say even harder for a bloke.

[Hefty]

Whilst Covent Gardens makes a good point about a job with the council being a safer, more secure bet, & I would agree 100%.. One should never ever assume that you can just 'walk into' another miminum wage job should you find yourself short of options. Yes, you may have the skills and yes, you might be a motivated job hunter but despite all that sometimes it still just doesn't happen for you.

Always have your bases covered, have something to fall back on. Best of luck with whatever you decide to do
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[Itchy]

I'd be mildly wary of council jobs tbh.

There is a persistent view whereby council work isn't real work therefore some private sector types won't hire ex-council employees.
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[waffles]

You have two small-peoples depending on you, how would their quality of life change if you took the slightly better paid job? Personally I would go with the one that paid me more especially if it meant I could get experience working in a council (which could stand you in good stead elsewhere).
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[iooi]

[Itchy]

[iooi]

[Itchy]

[stickybackbob]

Thanks for the opinions.

Had a chat with the boss today about future prospects. The result is that my pay is up, I can have as many hours as I want (currently only do 16 to fit around school) and only have to tip the word and they'll put me in a higher paid job when the kids need me less. All this was offered without any 'I'm leaving' threats

With the questions around funding and no guarantee of the council job beyond a couple of years, I've decided to stay put for now.

Someone stated above that council jobs aren't what they were. Without wishing to be political (but I will be) with the Tories in power and Labour virtually unelectable (well their leader is in my opinion), council work doesn't appear to be too secure for the next few years.

If I didn't have work, I'd jump on council job without a thought but the long term prospects seem to be better where I am.

Cheers for the input

[Rogerborg]

Result. They don't want to have to replace you with some Daryyyl, it's a win-win.

Does passing 16 hours still stuff you regarding claiming any benefits though?
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[stickybackbob]

[Slacker24seve...]

I work in a shared office with LA staff. They are constantly being cut, redundancies come around every few months. Dare I say it, in some ways they have it worse than us civil servants.

Entire tiers of management have been wiped out, which might not be such a bad thing from the taxpayer's point of view*, and for those of a certain age the packages are good. For the rest, not so much. Remember, if you're looking for a foot in the door, cuts mean less staff over all and less people to manage them. You might find yourself without many options to move into on promotion.

*things largely seem to have continued as normal, just with less staff.
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[syl]

Gieven a choice of a job in the public sector and one in the private sector, I'd take the private sector any day.

The public sector is bring cut, wages are stagnating, pension contributions are rising and the gold plated pension is becoming just that - gold plated on the surface but junk underneath.
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