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To take a new role or not

Good Afternoon,

I have been offered a maternity cover contract as a HR Assistant for a SME for a period of 14 months (It states that it may end sooner with appropriate notice being given), however I have been verbally informed that at this time the person I am covering for will be coming back part time, if at all and that they will be looking for a second assistant to help take the recruitment in house anyway as they are paying nearly £9000 per month just on agency fees. The role will take me back to doing a proper HR role rather than the shared services role that I am doing at the moment where I am only dealing with acknowledgment letters and recruitment. This contract lasts till the end of June but the head of HR is hoping to put together a business case to keep me and another girl on. There have been some changes in HR in my current role which looks like I won't be able to progress whereas the new role they want to train me to be able to work as the HR Manager in their absence which I think will greatly help my HR Career. The salary is £1000 more but the hours are longer slightly longer Monday to Thursday but its a much shorter working day on the Friday.

The two things I am worried about are having to tell my current employer that I am leaving as they are having numerous issues at the moment and me leaving would mean them having to get someone else in for 3 months (I have to give 4 weeks notice) and me then having to work in this environment for the next few weeks. The other is that my landlord is seeking possession of his property at the end of March for personal reasons so I need to find somewhere else to rent and not sure with this all being up in the air in regards to the job that I am putting myself in the best position in the short term. I suppose I am looking for reassurance that I am doing the right thing. I really want to continue to learn and develop and although the people here are lovely it's not the right place for me (I've been here 8 weeks now)

L

752 views
  • I cannot really comment on the housing situation but it sounds like you just have to bite the bullet and tell them you are leaving followed by a nice letter
  • I probably should say that I was headhunted for the HR Manager job they had but said I wasn't quite ready, hence the offer of the maternity position which they have said that they know is beneath me but want to help me develop into an effective delegate HR Manager.
  • I would take the job. Seems an obvious choice to me.
  • Hi Laura

    If there's no guarantee that your current role will be extended, then I would accept the maternity cover contract. I appreciate that you don't want to leave your current employer in the lurch, but if they were in your position I'm sure they would do the same thing - we all need to be able to pay the bills!

    Good luck

    Ishbel
  • In reply to Ishbel:

    Hi Guys,
    I have accepted and now my current employer has asked if it would make a difference if my role was to be made permanent. I have said no as it is the development that I need so I'm hoping the 'gamble' pays off, if not I'll have a little while before I need to start looking again.

    Laura
  • In reply to Laura :

    If it helps, 2 years ago I left a perm role for a mat cover, whilst looking to buy a house. Everyone thought I was mad but I am now on my second mat cover contract and am likely to be made permanent in the next few months - I have no regrets as the job has given me the opportunity to learn which is what I wanted and if I don't get made perm I have some extra experience under my belt. I haven't found a house but that is more because I am too fussy! Good luck in the new role.
    Elsa
  • Hi Laura,

    Sounds like the new co want to develop you and the old co think its just a 'perm v temp' problem - you need to do what's best for you (albeit whilst being respectful/not burning bridges obviously)! As you've said, development is the most important thing at the moment so I'm sure your gamble will pay off.

    Rent wise the new co will be able to confirm the length of your mat cover (and as far as I know normally for rental applications anything over 6 months is fine). I feel like I've been saying this a lot this week but... 'diamonds are made under the greatest of pressures' :)

    Sorry if this doesn't read well/make any sense - I am, as ever, on a train!
  • In reply to Catherine:

    Thank you guys. I have handed my notice in and making plans to hand over my work over the next few weeks. Just focussing on uni work outside of work to ensure I pass my first year and I've managed to get 6 months rent together to offer instead of a guarantor should I need to. I'm feeling a lot more positive after 'venting' on here even though in my heart I already new the answer and that everything would work out ok.
    L