Job help!

almoststew1990 · 3 May 2013 at 12:34

I havea 2:1 in geography. I am currently an Assistant Transport Planner at a County Council. I respond to planning applications.

I've been working here for 6 months so obviously i'm not responding to 2500 house MDA planning applications. I am currently doing smaller applications and being trained up.

I have applied for internal sponsorship towards a Masters in Transport Plannign and Engineering, as advised by my line manager and team leader. Most of my team have completed this accredited course over the past 15 years.

Whilst this is interesting work that I enjoy and learn from daily, It isn't as geography-y as I might have hoped. I earn 19.4k gross.

Reading between the lines of my Performace reviews, my managers are happy with how fast I am learning and the contribution I provide to the team. I think they'd be sad to see me leave the team.

Today on the intranet i noticed an up to 12 month maternity leave cover position for an environmental officer, to draw up, manage and deliver a wide range of environmental and sustainability initiatives. This sounds like more my kind of thing- the sort of thing i have envisaged myself doing ever since I arrived at uni. I'd earn £23.5k gross. the money isnt essential, as I live at home (due to not being able to afford to mvoe out in my town!), but obviously would be nice.

Now, my concern is that if i leave my current job for this job, what is the likelihood of being able to return to my current job after the 12 months? Whilst my line manager is young and very work-life balance / public sector-y, and may well agree to me changing jobs for a year and coming back, my team leader who is older would understandably see this as a lack of commitment and may not agree to my returning. how would you react to me mentioning a) a wish to move job? and b) any chance of being abel to return? I would only apply if i was able to return.

If i talk to my line manager and they say i cant come back, i would stay here, and with a damaged 'reputation'- may not get the funding which would stump my advancment here. i've gained nothing and lost a lot.

If i talk to my line manager and he says i can come back, i would go possibly with a damaged reputation, and would stay at the new job if i got the chance.

So I'm asking, should I mention it to my line manager?

pingwing · 3 May 2013 at 12:36

A. does the 4k now matter much?
B. are you a shoe in for the new job?
C. can I have your old job?
D. will the masters open other doors regardless of your current job?

fastwunz · 3 May 2013 at 12:39

pingwing said:
A. does the 4k now matter much?
B. are you a shoe in for the new job?
C. can I have your old job?
D. will the masters open other doors regardless of your current job?

Lol question C.

Scam · 3 May 2013 at 12:46

Look after number one. Do what makes you happy and try not to think too far into the future. Sod everyone else.

(Seems clear cut to me)

almoststew1990 · 3 May 2013 at 12:59

1 to 4...

The 4k isn't essential.

I'm middle-y confident that I'd get the job.

No I like mostly like my job!

The masters will allow me to work for private consultants fir transport schemes. So yes, but pretty narrow specialisation...

DaleTheWhale · 3 May 2013 at 13:06

There's no reason why you shouldn't chase a job role you would enjoy more. Your looking at it with a negative perspective. Your line manager should understand your career path and if something like that interests you more and could potentially open a few more doors for your future then it seems a reasonable choice & 12 months of doing that wouldn't damage your reputation, being stuck in a job role you don't want to do forever is a lot worse than your line manager being a little upset with you.

pingwing · 3 May 2013 at 13:43

E. does the new job open up new doors to future employment? (as maternity cover could end up just being maternity cover and no new roles like it are on offer).

Staying and going both have their pluses which makes it a good position to be in really. What you might want to do is have a chat with your manager about progression in your current role (as a longer term thing) and say look I have been thinking about taking on this role but what do you think can happen if I stay.

fastwunz said:
Lol question C.

If you don't ask you don't get

Puzzled · 3 May 2013 at 14:19

Sure they wouldn't mind, I used to work for the council and they seemed to encourage people to move between departments.

Put a positive spin on it, something like wanting to explore different roles available while still at a relatively junior level and being able to bring in experience from other departments.

Most of the guys I worked with had been doing the same thing for 40 odd years so encouraged me to try everything.