Good luck Wookie. I think you're definitely right about support availability being greater in the uniform job than in the private sector. But their commitment to you comes at the cost of a greater commitment to them as well. It's a strange one, probably if you'd got this job when a bit younger before you'd had the freedoms and responsibilities that came with essentially running your own business as a karate instructor, it might have been easier to give yourself more completely to the job. I completely understand how it can feel a bit suffocating doing that now though when you crave certain flexibilities to work around the kids and school etc. These really are big decisions to make and you're right that gym jobs will come up more often than police jobs, but that said depending on how far through training etc you are, then you certainly retain a lot of value on future recruitment cycles, as the training received so far makes you a much cheaper option when vacancies do arise. I don't know the state of the Special Constable situation but lots of guys who leave military full time find a decent compromise in the Territorials, I wonder if something similar might be available for you if you wanted to keep your oar in. I worry that council coppers might have decimated the part time police force though, dunnno

Sat here waiting, all suited and looking fly. Now gotta avoid the urge to shout “£200k or we take it to Sky!” during the meeting

Fingers crossed for you mate.

Damn.
I assume you werent a million miles away, seems silly as the right person should easily make the difference up.


When you call tomorrow work it like you are giving them one last chance to meet your bottom line.

Yeah, that sounds like the right move.

On the off chance they are bluffing, have in mind a salary you would accept when you make the call in case they hail Mary you.

I'm impressed with the amount of thought you're putting into this decision. So often in life we just go with our gut feelings when it comes to big decisions, but it really sounds like you and your wife are properly thinking all this through.
I wouldn't begin to advise you as to what the right decision is for you, but I would worry that as Britain is about to leave Europe and perhaps plunge into a brutal recession, a hell of a lot of people might suddenly stop spending money on things like gym memberships, and you could find yourself in a hole if you go down that road.

LivDiv wrote:

£2k should be nothing to a business like that. Fucksake.

Yeah, gotta admit that's my thought too. Either they are being a bit too cheap or they aren't in a position to offer more which maybe tells its own story.

Your post about the good points of your current job on the previous page says a lot about it.

I think Wook made the right move. Sometimes staying put is the right move.

In times of disruption, public sector can be a good place, esp. if the someone is going to haggle over £2,000.

I think once employees in the public sector have realised there’s a problem with health/stress, they’re very good at finding ways to support and manage it though. I can’t speak for Wookie, but he seems to be a lot happier since he’s gone back to work and that suggests his employer is doing what it can to help.

Sounds very sensible!  And great to have put yourself out there to firm up that thinking.

Best of luck with it Wookie.
You have clearly thought long and hard about it so it has to be the right decision.
You gave the other options it's best shot so no regrets.

Good on you Wookie. I often interview even when I'm happy in a position, just to see what the market is saying and whether I'm valued correctly. Seems that this look elsewhere has given you a chance to appreciate the benfits of your current role a bit more, which is a greta thing as it's only going to make you happier in the day to day

To give her the benefit of the doubt, it could be that your back and forth on this has caused her to grasp the nettle somewhat and just say what she thinks is better for you personally and for you both?

I would definitely say that getting stressed out in any way about a hypothetical is a waste of energy. First, wait and see what they say - then you have a decision to make. And you have to make it, it's your life - it's up to you to decide how much her wants and needs influence that decision.

I'm not sure what her underlying message is other than "retail sucks and you'll be unhappy again, and we need the money anyway so", which may just be her looking out for you - it's important not to tie too many things up in a knot (such as what she wants to do) because it becomes very difficult to unpick. What she wants to do with her life is one thing, and what you want to do is another, and yes they both impact on other shit like getting mortgages but that's other shit - making decisions is hard enough without trying to think of countless other linked things that may or may not be impacted.

What I'll say is: wait for the feedback. Then take a the decision: you'll make the right one for you, so it'll be easy to make her understand it. Then talk about the other things. If you don't get the job, perhaps that drives a new conversation about your futures - but leave it to after.

Aye, don't stress it until you hear back. Remind me what the drop in earnings was between the two? Might be something to be said for earning a little less money but having much more civilised and predictable shift patterns, so more evenings free etc?

So I didn't get the gers job. I was in truth leaning away from it due to the drop in money, but it's still disappointing. No feedback either. Oh well.

Interviewed for a promotion in my current work this week. Waiting to hear on that. Crucially, it'll mean a permo contract, which is really all I'm after.

Cheers folks.