The Mock Turtle

Good luck!

Good luck!

Veel succes!

Good luck, Dutchie. I’m in a similar situation myself. I’ve been with this company 13 years & in the same job for 8 years, and my job has got stupidly busy due to lots of unnecessary new processes. I feel like a need a change but it’s scary

Also the return to the office mandate has really pissed me off

Thanks guys! And yes Lola, it's immensely scary, terrifying in fact! My colleagues are like family to me and the last year or two quite a few have jumped ship, so I would also feel rather bad. But at the end of the day, you do have to think of yourself...

A quick update from me...I had the interview for the secondment role on Friday and the internal recruitment lead has confirmed that they would like me on the team. Considering I wasn't sure I had done well in the interview, the feedback is that I interviewed very well.
I do feel vindicated on all the work I have been doing especially since it's a grade above where I am at the moment.

Congratulations Wiggle!

Thanks Pip! Just hope my old team don't kick up a fuss and stop this

Well done Wiggle - congratulations

Congratulations!

Congratulations Wiggle!

Good news, Wiggle!

Congratulations!

Congratulations wiggle! How soon do you think you can officially move?

So I am coming in hot in a bit of a panic. Sorry in advance. TLDR: do I take a temporary job for 11 months and maybe get moved home, but give up my permanent job & benefits of 10 years?

I have been keeping my eye out for internal (and external) roles over the last ~year. My aim was to either move up in my job track (and get paid more) or get a move to London probably in a different team in a more technical role (ideally both but that’s unlikely). There were a few things last autumn I applied for but didn’t get past screening. And since then openings for roles I could and want to do have dwindled off.

Anyway, as many know my ex-flatmate (who got moved to London in December), is actually on my team and since she’s on parental leave they are looking for an 11 month backfill for her role (we do different things, my role is operational, hers is more technical). They did an internal only recruitment and I applied, honestly not thinking I’d get a look in knowing the other candidates. But I just found out I did! Which is great! BUT. It because it is a backfill it’s an LTE (temporary) role, and my manager has just told me that they would NOT hold my FTE (permanent) job for me to come back to. So if I take it it’s basically me agreeing to leave in ~a year’s time*

The reason they would not hold my job is that I’d apparently be too hard to replace on a temporary basis (!) and they’d also want to add different things to my current role (which incidentally I’d find more interesting) and would want to hire for that. Apparently they wouldn’t let me do those things if I stayed and didn’t take the backfill job, as they want a ‘private sector’ type person

If I take the backfill LTE role, I could ask them to relocate me, basically as a condition of taking the offer and giving up my permanent job. My manager has said that although this isn’t typical the would ‘go to bat’ for me with HR to try and do it. There’s definitely no way I’d consider giving up my permanent job security without at least that.

I am quite risk averse. I have been on the team for 10 years now living in the States. I’ve just signed a lease for this very nice but very expensive flat that I would be breaking. Plus I’ve just spent a fortune on new fucking furniture for it I do want to move home (or at least somewhere else), and ideally buy a place of my own. But I wouldn’t be able to get a mortgage on a temporary contract (and in these market conditions) anyway, so I’d still be stuck renting in a mad market (or living with my mum again please god no). Also: Tories. Brexit. Cost of living - it’s still high here but at least I can buy tomatoes ;)

What the fuck do I do? I’ve been given until Tuesday to decide (I interviewed over a month ago), during which time I am flying back home and going to Geneva for work next week My boss also gave me this news after giving me a massive long list of things to do which is just WTF?

*there is a side story here where I think he’s always wanted to get rid of me and hire an ex-management consultant like himself, and he gave me a really hard time early on, but we have been in a better place recently.

Congratulations Wiggle!

Oof, Epp, that’s a tricky one. Congratulations on being successful in the process. I’m very risk averse like you and to be honest on the balance of things, I don’t think I could take the uncertainty of such a short term role so would stick with the perm position. I can see how the potential move back to London would play into it for you though. The only thing I can suggest is a good old pros and cons list written down and weigh it up logically from there.

I'm also very risk averse but you really don't seem valued where you are. If they can give you the relocation, can you just see it as eleven months to find a permanent UK job? (If you find something quickly I'd feel no compunction to do anywhere near the eleven months if they can't even hold your current job for you.)

Congratulations wiggle!

Do you want out of your current employer Epp? They’ve always sounded very demanding and full on, and your manager doesn’t sound like he has your best interests at heart! ETA - and based on how upfront he is about wanting somebody in post who isn’t you, I wouldn’t feel particularly secure.

That would definitely be classed as a secondment here and actively encouraged IME, with no threat of not holding a job open.

Would the new temporary role put you in a stronger position when looking elsewhere (internally or externally)?

Thanks everyone, Epp I would start at the beginning of July and spend this month doing knowledge transfer.

Like the others I am risk averse and would prefer to relocate on my terms with a permanent role and have the security.

How much do you want to leave your current job? If you took the temporary role and relocated, would 11 months give you enough time to look for a permanent position?

I think I’d be tempted to look to the longer term and take the risk to get back & get it paid for. 11 months is both a really long time and also no time at all, and if my boss had been clear there was no future, I’d be looking externally. I bet there are loads of companies here who’d fall over themselves for you.

I guess this is a no because it’s the US, but don’t you have a potential grievance claim here too? It sounds awful.