Help!

Okay, so after weeks of waiting I have two interviews in one week! Both as support workers; one is for the elderly and people with learning disabilities, from home to home and involves personal care (toileting/showering etc) and taking shopping, helping to tidy up and make food etc. Not great money, 0 hour contract and some 12 hour waking night shifts which I can't say I'm keen on BUT it's a start.

The second is as a support worker for adults with autism in a residential home, full time hours, 6-8 hour shifts (and some sleep ins but you do get to sleep   ) and basically just helping with all aspects of day to day life; taking to college, going on day trips, cooking food, watching tv, making sure routines are the same, doing paper work etc. Great money, secure hours, permanent work and you can complete your nvq's through them.

My problem is, the interview for the first one is on the Monday, and the second one is on the Thursday. What happens in the one on the Monday offers me the job straight away? Can I say I've got other interviews that week and I'll come to a decision after the weekend? I don't want to mess the first one up and then end up not getting the next one. I don't know the etiquette for this sort of thing? I've always worked on shelter yards; you turn up in wellies and prove you can work   HELP!

Oh dear, what a conundrum. Play it by ear and see what they say on Monday but let them know you have other interviews that week that may result in other offers, so you wouldn't be able to give a final answer if offered the position. Just be polite and give the facts, nothing wrong with that.

Nothing wrong with being honest. It will also make you look like a stronger hire if there is intrest from other companies.

hi sweetheart what a hard one to call, honesty is thee best policy but if you say about the other job they may well feel second best and employ some one else.

For me personally I would take the autistic people one but that is just me,

also I believe it is hard in the job market out there so maybe you could think of a way of not telling the full truth but letting them know what they need to know, you ill be just great xxx

Yep, honesty. Also, you'll get a better feel on Monday when you're there if it's for you or not and with any luck they'll take their time deciding which will buy you time

I agree with J Rach be honest   

Definitely honesty is the best policy xx good luck rach.

Oh Hun, I honestly don't know! Normally I would say that honesty is the best policy but recently my friend went for a job and was asked how he was from to come to the interview, he told them he had worked from home that day which was the truth and he regularly works from home but they took it as he was skiving and didn't fine him the job based on that!

I think you should tell them you have another interview. If they like and want you, they should be willing to wait for your decision.

All the very best of luck Rach.

To be honest they can hardly expect that if you are looking for a job all their applicants will only be interviewed for their place. Play it by ear, they may have a week of interviews to do yet, if it comes up of course be honest.
Lots of luck Rach, let us know how they go x

I'm such a numpty, I thought I replied to this! SO, what a palava! As I imagined would happen, I just got a phonecall saying that I got the job, I said I've got another interview on thursday and they just sort of said "well you don't need to go to that one now, you've got this one!"   helpful!

I'm still really holding out for the second one   turns out that the one I got is end of life care, mostly. I just don't think I want to go back into such a challenging role, I want to do something a little more positive for a while, hence getting out of kennels! I've got the next interview on Thursday, but the first company are really pushing to get the references and CRB put through. I asked again for a few days after my other interview to decide, but I don't think they're quite getting what I'm saying! What do I do?!   

Well done on getting the offer!
Hmm tricky one. Imo you have been up front and told them you have another interview, so if you think you might accept this one if you don't get the other, let them get refs and crb. Go for the other one too and see how it goes. If you feel the one offered is really not for you let them know asap.
Good luck Thurs Rach

Well done on the job offer Rach, I would let them go ahead with references - buys you time for the next interview Xx

Okay good ideas, thank you, just didn't want them to pay for a CRB, would feel awful as they're a fairly small agency and quite desperate for staff! I'll wait for a few days before I send CRB docs but send references.. Nothing for ages and they all come at once!    xxx

Sods law hun!

Have you had the other interview yet Rachel ?

Just got back from it! Really stuck Lovely company, and think the interview went well, but they've just dropped it on me that the role that they're offering may consist of 13 hours shifts, 3 days a week. With an hours travel there and back on top of that, you're looking at a 15 hour day. While it's great that i'd have the other 4 days to spend with Bis, I don't know what I could do on the 3! Martyn works 7.30-4, but often doesn't home until 5.30 so even that's too long for her really, plus he's away most weekends.

They did say that rota's can vary, do you think it's worth asking about spreading the hours out over 4/5 days rather than 3 if they offer me the job? I'm just not going to be able to take it otherwise. Even if I got a dog walker in half way through, I wouldn't be comfortable with her being left for up to 10 hours.

Worth asking if you really want it Hun xx well done on the other one xxx

Oh rach that's rubbish, right job wrong hours! Alls you could do is ask I guess well done in the other job Hun and good luck with your decision. Xx

Tricky one there Rach, no harm in asking if you could spread your hours I guess, depends what they want to do really.

Please make sure you give it plenty of thought before accepting either position, which place did you feel more happy with as you first went in ?

I don't think I could go back to working that many hours a day (I have worked in the catering industry with 18 + hour days and it made me physically sick in the end and I had to leave, my health comes first these days).

Do you see yourself staying in this position or is it just a job until you find the job you really want to do ?

So many decisions to make, good luck hun, take your time and think it all through thoroughly.

Thank you guys! I'm definitely going to ask if they make the offer, but after talking to friends who are support workers, I'm not holding out. 13 hours just isn't right for me or Biscuit, my endometriosis makes me verrryyyy tired and 9 hours in kennels left me wanting to sleep as soon as I got home! So a 13 hour shift would kill me, don't know how you did 18+ Kathy    it's barbaric! Understand that it helps with consistency for the clients, of course.

Your questions gave me a lot of food for thought, Kathy, thank you! The management were so lovely for the first job, but yesterday I could hear the staff all slagging eachother off, and the manager was a little bit "short" with me I guess you could say!!!

I wanted to come away from animal care and try people care, my dream was always to work in dog behaviour or with children/teenagers in care, so felt that it was time to make the change and get some experience. How that goes will decide what I do eventually! Thank you for the luck! It's a long weekend, so thankfully I have a few more days to decide xx

Lots of thinking to do Rach.
Was the dog walking not bringing in enough? Will you still be studying dog behaviour? X

Good luck hun, all I can say is you can make the hours work for you, they do adapt, Moo did go with your gut feeling Xx

Wasn't bringing in enough Sue, client's are building but our rent is extortionate Not sure if I'm going to continue with the dog behaviour, I really love it, but it's a very over crowded industry already and I don't have the finances to support building a business.

Do you do mega long shifts Janey? If so, how do you work them? 13 hours just seems crazy, even with the hours commute either side, it's on a rota too so you can be doing 67 hours one week and 13 the next, she's sooo sensitive just think the lack of routine might mess her up? xxx

I was fortunate with Moo as she is very placid, when I was frequently doing 13 hour shifts she came to work with me - was in her bed out back but I suppose I was there - now I do 9 hour shifts and she is left at home - sometimes I am out for 12/13 hours but I do rely on dog walkers/mum/friend to help me out, I suppose if it wasn't for them I couldn't do it, but then I will get a few weeks when no one can help - but yes I can pop home at lunch for half hour and always worry but she is fine.

Yes its a tricky one, I guess that's one of the reasons I stay with the job I have as it fits around Moo, but she would be ok for longer periods as I have found Xx

Ah okay, do they just come in once during the day? Or a few times? Biscuit was left for half days initially, and then full days which were 9 hours with a 20 minute commute either side when I was doing behaviour at BDH, but only 3 days a week. Her behaviour was hideous, she's very calm but needs routine walks for her anxiety. I was thinking of getting a dog walker in just for a visit rather than a walk half way through the day, but then that still leaves 14.5 hours alone, plus I'll be home, walking her and then going to bed myself so she'd be alone all night too. xxx

If mum has her she is picked up at midday and dropped home at 4ish, same if my friend has her, if I use the walker they come in once but will take her for a couple of hours as she gets on with all dogs and is easy to walk. But that was chance it fell into place when I had to change my hours, and I live 5mins away from work so can pop back to do the feed and keep a normal ish routine.

Between you both you could make it work, if that is the job you wanted to take Xx

Rachel33 wrote:Wasn't bringing in enough Sue, client's are building but our rent is extortionate :(Not sure if I'm going to continue with the dog behaviour, I really love it, but it's a very over crowded industry already and I don't have the finances to support building a business.

That's such a shame Rachel. In the end you have to do what you have to do. Hopeing it all works out xx