Not sure what to do, jobwise.

[SlugLobber]

It's my appraisal day, today and despite being here a year, I don't feel settled in this job, at all. I took the position to be closer to home and for the challenge. I supervise 3 labs here plus the office and have trained a Scientific Officer plus a PhD student, but it was TOO easy. My office has a TINY window in one corner, it is overcrowded (will get worse in a week, then two more come in during October) and the labs are fragmented, meaning that I am split between 2 buildings and it's doing my head in!

I looked on the Novartis website this morning and there's a job that I could do standing on my head, but with more variety than I have now. My old boss did say that this seems too routine for me and he was right - not telling him that, though, lol! I know he'd take me back, but a good friend took over my position when I left, so it's not available.

Gah! Not sure if I should just apply to this other position. Facilities are even better than here (I know, I went for an interview there before I took this job) and it's much closer to the ponies and home. Downside - it's industry, not academia, with all the red-tape and uncertainty that goes with it. Thinking aloud, really, but would you give it more time, or go for this other job?

[di]

No harm in applying is there???Unless it got to the point that they were about to offer you a job & therefore need a reference your current boss wouldn';t need to know you'd applied.
If you don't apply & in 6 months you're even more miserable than you are now in this job,you'd only look back with regret.

[SarzWix]

Gosh.. tough choices... I can see why you'd be wary of heading for an 'industry' job, from what I've heard they often push in the direction of money making. But then this can also be of benefit to the end-user...

The only thing I can suggest is the old-fashioned Pros & Cons List, plus the reaction of the OH, who may have comment to make about the affects of stress Vs boredom on how you act at home - my OH is difficult to live with under stress conditions, and quite frankly I'd rather he worked in a Yorkshire Pudding factory than go back to the job he was in before!

[FionaH]

No harm in applying you dont have to take it after all

[SlugLobber]

I'll dig out my CV later and have a think.

OH would definitely say go for it. Not because of the way I behave at home, but he encourages me to do all sorts of things. Probably he'd like the fact it's round the corner from one of his parts suppliers and yours truly would become a parts mule, lol!

I'd have to find find out re: the reference situation. More and more employers are looking at references BEFORE offering a job (including my present one). Makes things very awkward!

[Hilary B]

You could ask potential employer not to mention to present employer without warning you, and encourage him/her to talk to previous employer instead. It can't hurt to apply.....

[jackie j]

Apply for it and see how far you get. If you are not happy where you are now you wont be happy in another six months and then maybe no jobs to apply for.

[miffy]

Go for it, what have you got to loose, you aren't happy and obviously need new challenges. I have done the same, it is scary at first but i am so glad i did. Keeps the old brain cells going. Good Luck

[spennysaint]

I'd have to find find out re: the reference situation. More and more employers are looking at references BEFORE offering a job (including my present one). Makes things very awkward![/QUOTE]

They can only ask for references before interviews if you give your consent. They are not allowd to not give you an interview if you don't give your consent (as long as you meet the essential criteria). Hope this helps

[SlugLobber]

I'd have to find find out re: the reference situation. More and more employers are looking at references BEFORE offering a job (including my present one). Makes things very awkward!


They can only ask for references before interviews if you give your consent. They are not allowd to not give you an interview if you don't give your consent (as long as you meet the essential criteria). Hope this helps

In my case, they took up references after the interview, but before offering the job to anyone - it used to be after they'd offered the job! So, no law breaking, but a shift in employer priority, I guess. We were going to offer a Post-Doc position to someone recently who performed well in interview, but had appalling references as it turned out, so I do kind of see their point!

[selfraising]

Nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say!! Go for it cos if your feeling like that now, imagine what it would be like 10 years down the line.

[SlugLobber]

Ok, just to let you know, I sent my application online, about 15 minutes ago. Having been for an interview there before (before I got this job), I know at least what it's like and that they look at refs after the interview, so I'll ask them to contact me, first.

Eep!

[Eyren]

Good luck, SlugLobber! Sounds like you could easily get a job around our way, but it's bit far to commute from Surrey