Need some serious advice!

**mummy2Kaitlyn** · October 21st, 2007, 02:43 PM

Ok this is a little bit of a long one...but I am really stuck on what to do .

here it goes.....

In 2000 I started at a very large multinational company , I worked in this company until Aug 2005 when the company sold of my division world wide to a smaller company. At this time I went on Maternity leave and when I came back i went into a non sales focus role and within 12mths I was made redundant ( along with a large handful of non sales staff). The company offered me contracting work at a VERY good price but I spoke with my old company ( the large multinational company) who happily said I could come back into a sales role again.

So ...currently I am working in my old large company. The benefits this company offers are 3mths paid maternity leave ( we have been trying 12mths to give Kaitlyn a brother or sister). They also have 2yrs sick leave if required and they are located 10mins from home. However...I dont like the job and I have expressed this to my current manager. As I have only been back there 4mths he has asked me to stay until Dec and then I can look for another role within the company. But if timing is not right and they find a replacement before I find a new role I may need to resign. Plus the new role may be located in another office which is 45mins away.

OK ...so this is my dilema. The company that made me redundant rang me on Weds. The exact words my old manager used was ..Cass I want to meet with you and find out what we have to pay you so you will come back. So I met with her..the deal is:

1. Approx 30K more in money - and they have said this is negotiable. (20K if I was to get 100% of my commision at my current company).
2. It is a fixed term hire for 12mths...sick leave, holiday but no maternity leave. During this time they will try and make me permanant at 3mth intervals.
3. Work from home 2days and office 2days(45mins away)
4.Flexible hours (ie 7-4 / 730-430 ect)
..downfalls .>I am a Contracter so after 12mths I may lose my job..although I have not seen this happen to any contractors as yet. And all the people that were made redundant when I was were also offered jobs to stay or offer contracting positions.

If I go back ...the money is GREAT...all my friends are there and I can work two days from home again which I miss. However I will NEVER be able to get back into the large company I originally worked for.

My friends are saying..go for it ...and telling me I dont have to work for one company all my life ..there is more out there.

My heart tells me go for it....but we have JUST bought a house and I am nervous about losing security.

Oh I should also mention ...the higher paid role I have been offered I can do with my eyes closed...so I could really relax and enjoy Kaitlyn while settling into our new home.

Sorry all ..really long one. ...just son ocnfused and I need to get back to them tomorrow. Any thoughts???

**krysalyss** · October 21st, 2007, 03:00 PM

Go for it! If you were chopping and changing then you should worry about security but only two different jobs since 2000? Nothing to worry about.

**Beach Mama** · October 21st, 2007, 03:04 PM

I would go for it hun - sounds like you will be much happier and with the extra $$ you will make - that will make up for not getting paid maternity leave - you could even put a little away into your own mat leave fund if you wanted to with the extra money.

Good luck making a decision - I know it must be tough!

**all girls** · October 21st, 2007, 03:09 PM

Go for it!!!! You will regret it if you don't.

**Phteven** · October 21st, 2007, 03:11 PM

My thought is to do the job you enjoy more.
They both have thier advantages but you'll be there for hours every day so you may as well be at the more enjoyable one.
Also for me any job that I can do with my eyes closed loses its lustre pretty fast - I get bored easily and without any challenges I get sick of my work.

Then again I left paid employment 4 years ago and I plan to never go back so maybe my advice is irrelevant lol.

Can they share you? Part-time with both, or is there sensitive information?

**Karina** · October 21st, 2007, 05:50 PM

These are my thoughts on it:

The extra money will be great! And it may make up for the fact that you will not get paid maternity leave. What are the chances like of them making you permanent? If the chances of them making you permanent are very good or guaranteed, then I'd go for it. That is, if you think you'd like to do the job and dont mind the travelling time. The work from home thing sounds great too, and the flexible hours would be excellent for you. Like Chloe though, I get bored and frustrated with jobs that I can do with my eyes closed, so that would also be an issue for me.

Having worked in those labour hire jobs on 12 month contracts before, it can be pretty sucky when your contract is coming to an end and they dont wish to renew it. That has happpened to me before whilst working at a relatively large organisation in 2004/2005. There were about 7 of us whos contracts werent renewed and it was for no good reason at all and with very little notice too. I absolutely hate not hving a permanent job. Its too easy for them to get rid of you.
When would you start at this job? and would there be any chance of them offering you another 12 months at the end of the first 12 months if you havent gone on mat leave by then? Its a bit of a blow if they decide not to renew your contract/make you permanent, and if it happens to be at the beginning of your pregnancy are you going to want to go through the hassle of applying for new jobs elsewhere or are you going to sty off work for the rest of your pregnancy? Will you NEED to get a new job very soon if they decide not to renew your contract? Or can you cruise around jobless for a while?
Also, do you think you'll want to go back to work after having this next bubba?
Will the fact that your job is not permanent affect the home loan?? I know I had big issues with the fact I was in labour hire and my mortgage lender didnt want to lend the money to us, just because I wasnt permanent.

ok sorry I wffled on so much, but I was just writing down all of the things I would consider if I was in your situation! Good luck and hope you can make the right choice for you and your family.

**tiggerlinda** · October 21st, 2007, 07:11 PM

Katlin if you were a candidate of mine I would say go for it. Job security is just not something that is there with perm or contract roles anymore. The money seem right and the lack of stress may help with TTC. The only thing I would say is make sure your work form home expenses are covered.

**mummy2Kaitlyn** · October 21st, 2007, 09:59 PM

Thanks so much girls! Karina in response to your note...I have worked with the management team of this company for 5yrs and in this time I have learnt I can trust them ( as much as you can a management team!). One of my girlfriends at work has just fallen pregnant with her third child since being in this Company ( which used to be a division of the larger company) ..she had just signed a 12mth contract with them and she will now need to leave the contract early. She told her manager ( the one trying to get me back ) that she will now stay off until her son goes to school which is 2yrs away , and her manager said to call her if she ever needed work and they will re-employ her.

They also offered me Permanant roles when I was made redundant , however I wanted the redundancy. So they offered me Contracting work , but I left and went back to the company that sold us ( hope this makes sense).

So ..I do think there is a chance they will make me permanant. I just need confirm they will pay me the same money ..I am also worried if I do sign a new contract will they reduce my pay on the second contract now they have bagged me!....my gutt says I can trust them. And if I was to fall pregnant I dont think they will make me permanent as then they have to pay me maternity leave.

Our loan is safe as it is all approved and ready to go . And we would settle pretty much the day I finish at this company assuming I was to resign this week.

mmmm I guess there are risks in both cases. I miss my old team....and I love the freedom of working from home.

I think you are right "all girls" I will regret it if I dont go for it. I regret ever leaving once I got to this new job, and now I can go back ...I guess I should just do it .

Thanks so so much girls...I really appreciate you honesty. Sometimes you need someones view from the outside looking in as it can get so clouded when you are in the middle of the situation.