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Job dilemma!! Advice needed :(

I'll try and keep this as simple as possible.

2 weeks ago I had an interview for a tax job. This is full time, £23K, and I believe involves assessing people's and businesses' tax records to see whether they've been paying the right amount.

1 week ago I had an interview for a social work job. This job is 3 days a week, £10k, and involves working with children who are regarded as child protection cases, and their families. It's not really social work because it's more about providing support and interventions to those families, but I'll stick with that name for simplicity.

Last Thursday I was offered the social work job, I accepted. However last Friday I was then offered the tax job!

Now here's my dilemma.

1. I've no idea when the tax job will start. They're taking on at least 100 people, and from what I've seen it could take months to start (there's been such jobs going across the country) or it could be 1 month. I've no idea!
Whereas for the social work job, I'll start as soon as my DBS and references are approved.

I have nearly no money at the minute. I am broke. So I feel I have to accept the social work job, as I can't afford to wait around for the tax job. But at the same time, the wages for the tax job are £23k, and for the social work job, £10k (because it's part time)! The tax job could enable me to save for a Masters.

2. Money aside, I really can't decide which job is right for me in terms of what is to gain from the job. Both are not long term, career moves, but both offer different sets of valuable experiences to gain.
My worry for the social work job, is that I might find it difficult working with families who are under child protection cases. I know it will entail working with families who've experienced domestic abuse, and substance misuse. I could find it really gratifying or I could find it difficult to deal with :dontknow:

And equally, I could take a lot from the tax worker one, or I could find it monotonous. I simply do not know.

This is what I think I should do, but I don't know whether this is a bad move, but I just can't see another way. Advice would be greatly appreciated!-

For now I've said yes to both, and I should stick with that decision. It might be months until I am offered a start date for the tax job, and in which case I'd have gained some good experience in the social work job.
I might hate the social work job and can't wait to start the tax job. Or I might love the social work job, and make the decision to sacrifice all of the extra money and stick with the social work one. Worst case scenario, I start working at the social work job and within a week am offered a start date for the tax job :frown:

I literally do not know what to do. And feel that the above is the best option for me, although the thought of letting someone down and ditching their team after I've barely started makes me feel awful.

What would you guys do? :/
Reply 1
go for the tax job and just let the social work people know the situation as they can just find someone else for the job but its up to you
This is common, I had the exact same problem with my placement. i accepted my first placement and explained to the boss that I can only commit for 3 months to which he agreed. I also contacted my second placement and informed them that i would like to defer starting for one month so I could spend enough time on my first placement. It works if you play your cards right. Having said that, the jobs you are applying for may not necessarily be as flexible as mine.

In your situation, I would accept both jobs and start the £10k. Nearer to the start of the 2nd, I would inform HR of my intention to leave. It is unlikely the 1st company will ever invite you back in the future but if it's a £10k part-time job, I'm sure they will easily find a replacement.


hamza ahmad luton 786 hertfordshire hamzaahmad786
(edited 7 years ago)
I would start the social work job and see what you think. If you get a start date for the tax job then at that time make a decision if you dislike the social work and would prefer the tax job. Hand in your notice. Move to tax job. Sorted.

Your real dilemma is you dont really have any idea what yo wnat to do and you do know its neither of them.
Reply 4
Original post by 999tigger
I would start the social work job and see what you think. If you get a start date for the tax job then at that time make a decision if you dislike the social work and would prefer the tax job. Hand in your notice. Move to tax job. Sorted.

Your real dilemma is you dont really have any idea what yo wnat to do and you do know its neither of them.


Thank you :smile:

I know you are right, it's so hard having enough insight to know which career would suit the most :unsure:
Reply 5
Original post by hamzaahmad786
This is common, I had the exact same problem with my placement. i accepted my first placement and explained to the boss that I can only commit for 3 months to which he agreed. I also contacted my second placement and informed them that i would like to defer starting for one month so I could spend enough time on my first placement. It works if you play your cards right. Having said that, the jobs you are applying for may not necessarily be as flexible as mine.

In your situation, I would accept both jobs and start the £10k. Nearer to the start of the 2nd, I would inform HR of my intention to leave. It is unlikely the 1st company will ever invite you back in the future but if it's a £10k part-time job, I'm sure they will easily find a replacement.


Thank you for your advice, it's appreciated :smile:

Yeah that's what I have to do I think, exactly I know I won't be able to go back to that company if I leave so soon, but I just don't see any other way around it.
It's not as if I applied for the tax office job and went to the interview after accepting the social work job. I'd just explain to them that I had the interview before I had the interview for their job, and it's over double the money. :/
Original post by Twinpeaks
Thank you :smile:

I know you are right, it's so hard having enough insight to know which career would suit the most :unsure:


If it helps normally i prefer nice clean answers, but there isnt one here, well not in the way you want. Ive noticed you tend to overthink, but that suggestion should be ok. Have an open mind and think at what best suits you at the time you need to make the decision.
Reply 7
Original post by 999tigger
If it helps normally i prefer nice clean answers, but there isnt one here, well not in the way you want. Ive noticed you tend to overthink, but that suggestion should be ok. Have an open mind and think at what best suits you at the time you need to make the decision.


That's intuitive of you, I get told I overthink all the time :tongue:

I think it's more the moral dilemma that got me, I know it makes sense for me, to say yes to both. But I was just more interested to know whether accepting the social work one with the intention of dropping it is a bad move in terms of ethics.
Original post by Twinpeaks
That's intuitive of you, I get told I overthink all the time :tongue:

I think it's more the moral dilemma that got me, I know it makes sense for me, to say yes to both. But I was just more interested to know whether accepting the social work one with the intention of dropping it is a bad move in terms of ethics.


I've answered your posts before and its a pattern. Nothing wrong with it, just raising it to your attention.

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