Accepted a job but have now found a closer job (not sure what to do)

[Sweetcorn]

I have a job dilemma, please help a girl out . I’m a qualified health care professional, I graduated a few years ago. Currently looking for a new job - I don’t have a job, I just left my last job but didn’t have anything lined up prior to leaving.

I currently live with my parents in my home city. It’s really difficult to get a job in my home city so I was happy to take a role in another close by city. I’ve recently had an interview for an NHS job (call this Job A) in another city (this would mean me moving to that city - I don’t know anyone there). I was successful in the interview and yesterday I received my employment condition to accept the job. So I’ve just got to accept that job and then I’ll have to make plans for where I’ll live etc. When I accept the job it could be 4-6 weeks before I can actually start due to all the checks and HR stuff that is needed.

However today I saw another job (call this job B) in a different city (slightly closer to my home city but I’d still have to move there), my boyfriend lives there and I have friends in that city (who are also HCP so would work in the same place). And now I don’t know what to do. I’d need to apply for this job, be accepted for an interview then be successful in my interview. If I apply it could be weeks before they get back to me with an interview (if I’m successful) equally it could be a few days so I just don’t know in terms of time frame. Then after interview it could take another 6 weeks before I start. This job closes in 3 weeks so I don’t have long to get the application in (I have an application ready to go so it’s just a matter of submitting it but what I mean is I don’t have months to wait and see what happens)

I don’t know if I should:

1. Still go ahead with job A (I have no idea when my start date will be, could be 4-6 weeks away) but still apply to job B. I just don’t want to walk in on my first day at job A and give my 8 weeks notice :/ I think that would be really bad.

OR

2. Turn down job A and pursue job B. Only issue here is, I don’t know if I’ll definitely get job B. I could interview and not get the job meaning I turned down a job and now have no job.

In terms of salary, holiday time, job conditions etc both jobs are exactly the same as they are NHS jobs for the same role, same band etc so these factors don’t really play a part. Job B is the better option for me in personally terms of moving there, knowing people etc, but it’s not a definite that I’ll get it.

I just don’t want to accept job A then actually get job B and be in a really sticky situation where I can’t take on job B, the better option, because I feel bad or because I feel like I can’t leave job A so soon etc. I hope this is making sense. I don’t want to waste anyone’s time, I’ll feel really bad. The fear of annoying someone gives me so much anxiety so usually I just do whatever to avoid making people angry, even if it’s not what I really want to do.

Has anyone been in this situation? What’s the best thing to do? Im not sure if I can let job B know that I’m interviewing for other jobs and if they can hold off? Is this really rude? Ahhhh what do I do?!?! What’s the etiquette here?

 

[under the ivy]

I would take job A. I once applied for the same job (clinical trials assistant) but at 2 different universities. I got offered both so I had to decide which one was better for me overall in terms of salary etc.

It's better to be in a job where you're getting paid. Give it a few months and maybe job B may come up again? I'm sure if you're NHS, they'll be plenty of opportunities

Good luck with whichever job you decide to choose!

 

[newtoyou]

Tricky one! How essential is it that you take job A? I.e. could you decline it now and pursue job B (and still be ok financially?). Are there other jobs going that you could apply for at the same time as job B so you have back ups?

 

[Jmx]

I would accept job A, who’s saying that you’ll even get an interview for the other one, I just think it’s too risky. If you had already applied and been offered an interview then fair enough, but that’s not the case.

 

[judgejohndeed]

I would take job A. Normally would say do what’s best for you - but be careful with the NHS, people talk, move Trusts a lot etc. You don’t want to burn a bridge at one hospital and then end up trying to go there later, or the manager moves to your department, etc etc.

 

[Pixipoppy]

I’ve been in a very similar situation here. You have to ask yourself how important is it that you’ve got a job right now, can you afford to potentially end up with no job if you pursue the new one? I’d say apply anyway, you won’t be in your new post by the time you have your interview for post B and that will give you a much better idea if you’d even get job B. In my experience NHS recruitment can take ages, mine took 3 months and that was internal!

Also how much does being near your boyfriend and friends matter? Would you be happy to live in a different city for a year? If your main priority is being near friends and loved ones and you know being away from them is going to be hard I’d hold out for job B. If you just need a job and experience and are prepared to work somewhere you didn’t really want to, then you know you definitely have a job lined up with job A.

In my particular situation I had 2 interviews a week apart. The first was for a job where, like you, I knew nobody and didn’t particularly want to live! The second was close to my boyfriend in my university town. I got the first job but was so torn - I accepted it as I had been unemployed for 4 months and needed something to get on the career ladder. I went to the other interview, and I didn’t get it anyway. I was glad I didn’t turn the first one down. I reapplied to the other one a year later and got it, so I ended up where I wanted to be in the end

 

[Kim Mild]

Id apply for b and peruse both .

A is a real scenario and b is hypothetical until you've got a job offer .

 

[Notworthy]

I would take job A and still follow up Job B if it's better for you. I used to be very ethical about how I conducted myself re jobs but then I turned down a job that meant I'd have to start immediately and put my current employers in the tit and about 3 months later my employers got rid of me anyway, so now I'm like duck em, this is my life and I'm going to do whats right for me. I would'nt choose to put someone in the tit but i'm not going to turn down opportunities on that basis anymore.