Changing Jobs

[jingo]

After being with the one employer for 11 years (I'm a teacher) and with a number of significant staff changes in my particular department, I have decided to look around for another position.

Since I found out that our Head of Department, who has been in the job for 17 yrs or so, was moving to a new position, I have been revamping my CV. Not having been done so for 11 years was challenging, but now I have a swanky new document, which, I think reads well and is a fair reflection of the experience and skills I have obtained in my current position.

Two jobs of interest have just come up. One of them is a replacement position - for 12 mths, with a casual income. The idea of moving for 12 mths is appealing, as it would provide me with the opportunity to freshen up my skills, meet new people and generally reinvigorate myself. It would also offer an opportunity to work on particular skills that I would like to focus on. My intention would be to return to my employer.

So I applied. Have gained an interview. In the meantime, I have duly let my boss know my intentions, with the view to returning within 12 mths.

Well, I never expected the resistance I am encountering from my current employer who can't see the value in my proposal.

The choice in the end will probably come down to staying where I am, or taking the new position with no chance of return to my current position.

What would you do? Am I being unreasonable essentially asking for a 12 months leave (without pay) from my current position?

Regards Jason.

 

[luckyone]

Nope, don't think you're unreasonable. People do it all the time. Make sure you convey to your boss that you'll be learning skills that you'll be able to use when you come back as well as making new connections for the business.

 

[The Y-man]

The choice in the end will probably come down to staying where I am, or taking the new position with no chance of return to my current position.

.

Well if the staff is churning, the person who said no probably won't be there in 12 months time

The Y-man

 

[Cherry Pro]

Hi Jason

If you kept an open mind, you might decide at the end of the 12 months that you do not want to return to your present employer. There are lots of opportunities available, I'm sure, for dedicated teaching professionals like you.
BTW, if you have the long service leave + avail of some leave without pay, do not foresee a problem with retaining your current role.

Good luck
Amelia

 

[MangoMadness]

A couple of thoughts from an employers perspective

If I have to replace you for 12 months then why should I fire the replacement to give you your job back?

I can understand someone wanting to go elsewhere for a year to get some perspective, skills etc but will you really come back? do you take valuable skills with you that are going to be hard to replace with the current staff or find staff with those skills?

If one of my staff left and they were a good worker and left on good terms and wanted to come back then I would rehire them if I had a position. Would i do it a second time? unlikely, but I would do it once

If your Head of Dept is leaving, why not apply for his job

Either way mate, good luck with your choice

 

[Rolf Latham]

Hi Jason


Its your life

You demand from it and your surroundings what you need it to be.

There is no unreasonable..........

ta
rolf

 

[pennyk]

Its not unreasonable to ask... but its also not unreasonable for your boss to turn down the request....

I guess it depends how complex your current job is, and how quickly someone can pick up the skills.
In my industry, we generally find that it takes around 18 months before people actually start to bring in sales and cover their costs.
So, if someone wanted 12 months LWOP, it would mean that our turnover would drop significantly, and it wouldnt be viable.

If you've been there 11 years, I would suggest that you are probably better off moving on anyway. Things will change alot in a year, particularly if there are lots of new staff, and I think you will probably feel like you have gone backwards.
I always think its better to move on to better things and not go back to places you've worked before, unless its a significant promotion.

 

[Peter_Tersteeg]

I imagine your bosses position is initially unfavourable becuase no one likes to see good people leave.

The economic relality is that he's got to replace you for 12 months, then is expected to sack that person to hire you back. Alternatively they can hire a casual for 12 months with no guarantee that you'll return. If you did return what's to say you won't get itchy feet and leave again? It costs a lot of money to employ someone (both you and your replacement).

Changing jobs will likely broaden your abilities and be a good thing, but don't expect your existing employer to keep a position open.

 

[gottabespotless]

A couple of thoughts from an employers perspective

If I have to replace you for 12 months then why should I fire the replacement to give you your job back?

I can understand someone wanting to go elsewhere for a year to get some perspective, skills etc but will you really come back? do you take valuable skills with you that are going to be hard to replace with the current staff or find staff with those skills?

If one of my staff left and they were a good worker and left on good terms and wanted to come back then I would rehire them if I had a position. Would i do it a second time? unlikely, but I would do it once

I assume you don't like the concept of maternity leave for female employees then?

 

[pennyk]

I assume you don't like the concept of maternity leave for female employees then?

As an employer, it is very difficult to manage, particularly if people then want to come back part time. It is probably OK in a large company, but in a small company where everyone is doing several roles, its really expensive to try to cover that absence, and then the part time requirements.

So, I recognise its value as a mum.. but as an employer, its a major nuisance.

 

[jaycee]

As an employer, it is very difficult to manage, particularly if people then want to come back part time. It is probably OK in a large company, but in a small company where everyone is doing several roles, its really expensive to try to cover that absence, and then the part time requirements.

So, I recognise its value as a mum.. but as an employer, its a major nuisance.

But like the intelligent res landlord accepts the nuiscance of the RTA in their chosen field of "business" ie investing, I would assume the intelligent employer would do the same about the nuisances of regulation they have to adhere to in business and, like resi landlord are expected to do, get on with it.... Paying sick leave is an inconvenience...

 

[pennyk]

But like the intelligent res landlord accepts the nuiscance of the RTA in their chosen field of "business" ie investing, I would assume the intelligent employer would do the same about the nuisances of regulation they have to adhere to in business and, like resi landlord are expected to do, get on with it.... Paying sick leave is an inconvenience...

Of course they do...... but it doesnt mean that its easy!

I suspect that there are many bosses of small businesses who simply dont employ women of childbearing age though, for fear of the costs should they happen to get pregnant.

it doesnt matter so much if its an easily replacable job, but if you have someone in a specialist position, you have to either have no one in the position for a year, or else employ someone and spend time training them when they are only going to be gone again in 12 months time. A business can really suffer. When I had a business, I had 2 of my key staff get pregnant at the same time. It was a contributing factor in me going out of business.

 

[weg]

Surely you're not the first teacher at the school to make such a request?

If so, and others have had their requests granted, what's changed that yours hasn't?

I thought it was not uncommon practice in schools for staff to go off on secondment or to take on short temporary contracts elsewhere (staff development reasons, to reinvigorate as you put it, etc) and then return.

I would also have assumed teaching is one of those jobs that you can slip in, and get straight to the job of teaching - minimal training/mentoring required.

Is this a private or government school?

 

[Jaggannath]

Use the word sabbatical