What should I do?!

[shady_jady]

I'm in a terrible dilemma! As I may have mentioned, I've been made redundant and am really struggling to find another job. I'd like to get into Buying and have an interview on Monday with John Lewis for this. The offices that I'm currently working in (different company) need a trainee Paraplanner. The boss is a very nice man and has basically offered me the job. He'll pay to train me up and the opportunities are fantastic (quite a high salary after a couple of years)! This is something I've never considered before and am slightly intrigued about the job. He called me into the office today to chat about the job. Now I know a bit more, I'm starting to become more intersted. However my ideal career is in Buying (I have no experience though). Basically this man wants me to 100% want the job, therefore he wants a decision by tomorrow. If I decide to take the job, I have to forfeit the John Lewis interview and potential job there. There are pro's and con's for both positions and I have to make a life-changing decision by tomorrow. Even if I choose the Paraplanner job, I'd like to go for the John Lewis interview, just to see if I could get the job. Oh I don't know what to do! Help guys!

[eyebrows]

accept the job

tell him you can start on Tuesday

go interview

make diceision on monday after you have both sets of information...

[Reverandfunk]

whats a paraplanner???

[shady_jady]

Thanks eyebrows. But we work in the same building, so he'll know that I've gone to the interview anyway. Unless I prentend I'm ill. But my current boss (who's his friend) will probably tell him that I've gone to the interview. Plus it could be a week or so before I find out if I've got the John Lewis job. It's such a pickle!

Reverend, a Paraplanner helps and Financial Advisor. They do all the hard work in that they choose which policies suit what each client is looking for. They investigate various options and put it all together in a report for the client.

[CheekyChops]

I would go for the Paraplanner job but that's just my preference out of the two. If you went for that one, would you be sitting at your desk everyday wishing you had gone into Buying?

If you have always wanted to get into Buying then maybe go for the interview on Monday. Senior Buyers can command a high salary so don't let that be the thing that sways your decision in the other direction. On the other hand, the job as a Paraplanner is guaranteed, what happens if you don't get the one at John Lewis?

I would imagine that Paraplanning involved more paperwork and you would be more deskbound than Buying.

At the end of the day it is your decision which job you go for but you don't want to get to 50 and regret that you never tried to get into your ideal job.

Sorry, I don't think I've actually been much help there have I!

[shady_jady]

No that has been helpful! I would be deskbound, but when I get more experienced, I'd be going out to see clients. I think my heart lies with Buying, although I've never had any experience. And you're right, the Paraplanning is a guarenteed job. There are pro's and con's for both as I've said. The Buying would be in London, so I'd have to pay the excrutiating season ticket price, whereas the Paraplanning is in my local town centre.

I know I can't have my cake and eat it, but I'd like to go to the John Lewis interview, and if I got that too I would have to make a real decision. The situaton is not equal at the moment. If I were to get both jobs, that would be a different kettle of fish, if that makes sense. If I could find some way of going to the John Lewis interview without the Paraplanning man finding out, that would be good. Any ideas anyone?!

[Twenty20]

Personally, if someone was trying to force me to accept a job by giving a deadline that I wasn't comfortable with then I'd say 'no, thanks'.

Why not tell him that yes you're very interested but you've already got an interview lined up at John Lewis in a few days time and you'd like to attend the interview. If he can't accept that then he's not likely to be a very good boos long term is he? Don't get forced onto something that you're not 100% about. Do it on your own terms. If he wants you he'll wait.

[shady_jady]

Thanks Twenty20! This is exactly what I've been thinking. It's a question of changing the whole direction of my career path and personally I think that needs more than one evening to think about it. I'd like to go to the John Lewis interview and if I get that, then sit down and have a hard think. I understand that he doesn't want to be 2nd best, but even if he was, I'd still give it 100%. I'm going to tell him all of this, and hope that he accepts it. Because if he says fine, then forget it and I don't get the John Lewis job, I'd be screwed! Also there are lots of plus sides to this job.

[Postdog]

Probably no help, but many years ago I was in the weird position of having a choice of three jobs to go to on the Monday. I spent the whole weekend trying to decide, and still hadn't decided Monday morning. In the end, I went to where I felt I'd be happiest.