Hello fairygodbosses,

Hello fairygodbosses,

I’m at a dilemma of what to do in this situation. I have been unemployed for 3 months now. I got a job to start soon but the caveat with this job is that it is 5 days a week on-site. This job is direct hire.

I also got another offer, temp to perm, this job however is only three days a week onsite, slightly better pay than the one I mentioned in the first paragraph. Its also closer to me than the first one.

I don’t want to make a wrong decision. I prefer the second one as its hybrid and more flexible. However the first one is permanent. Please can you kindly advise me on what to do?

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22 Comments

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  1. Anonymous

    Go with your gut. Unfortunately, no one here met with the hiring staff, knows the commute nor the specifics.

  2. Anne Krook

    if you are confident you can do a good job at the second, where the pay and location are better, I'd trust yourself to make the transition to permanent. A lot of places are hiring this way now -- it's an extended job interview, essentially.

  3. Anonymous

    It depends on your personal risk tolerance and private financial situation on how to weigh the pros and cons .

    It is highly subjective based on your personal situation. There is no 100% right answer. Everything in life presents risk.

  4. Kim Pfeiffer

    Take the permanent one

  5. Trie Angeleva

    It really depends on your current and future needs and goals. If income and security are pressing now and for the near future, the 'permanent' job may be the way to go. If those two factors are less significant, consider where you'd like to be in 2 or 3 years and see which position might lead you there better.

  6. maria rose

    I have to agree with this response, because the main reason why we all primarily have jobs is for a means of support. If you can pay all your necessity bills and deal with a “temporary job” that MAY become a permanent job OR MAY NOT because you are financially secure and independent enough to live with that uncertainty because it fits your lifestyle. One thing you will learn is to have a “lifestyle” that you are comfortable with you do need a financial support ongoing system that you get income from and you can’t live a champagne life with a beer budget. You are responsible for your own cost of living expenses and can’t rely on a benefit program to pay your costs.( contrary to popular perception, because that’s not free ). Choose wisely

  7. Anonymous

    Are benefits, bonuses and perks the same at both or will you have to wait for those until you are brought on as permanent?
    Many times this will be where the higher compensation comes from.

  8. Anonymous

    You need to decide what is best for you and your life's flow. Another thing to consider is benefits, do you need them and if so is it available for both offers? Permanent is so important, but love the benefits of hybrid.

  9. Anonymous

    No one can advise you on this - it's a very personal decision and if the temp to perm doesn't pan out you're the one that has to live with it.

  10. Sarah Borders

    Congratulations! What does your gut tell you? Make a pro/con list. Tell yourself that you’re going to take one of the roles, and observe how that feels. If it feels good, that’s the right choice; if it feels bad, then choose the other opportunity. Talk it out with a friend.

    I know what I would do, but that’s not helpful for you, lol. We don’t know enough about your situation (and nothing about you) to tell you which opportunity to choose. Take a moment to appreciate and celebrate your situation. After three months of unemployment, this is a very good dilemma to have! Good luck!

  11. Anonymous

    I'd pick flexibility any day. 5 days a week in an office is old school thinking. Why waste your time doing that?

  12. Paulla Fetzek, MSEd

    While Covid did bring to light the fact that people can work from home... This doesn't mean the WFH model works best for every company. It's not "old school" thinking as some people call it. Each company has to decide how it feels about the dynamics/interactions of employees. Is it better in office? Or remote?

    Pick the job you will be most happy at. If that's the remote temp job, so be it. Never pick a job if you don't like something about it. I did that for 4 years and was absolutely MISERABLE.

    The president/owner of my company wants employees in the office. He has every right to. We're in the process of buying our building, and many of us collaborate with each other (and other departments) all the time. However, he does make allowances to WFH. I happen to be extremely grateful for this right now - as I've been dealing with badly injured left foot for months and have a difficult time getting around.

  13. Anonymous

    It is old school thinking to require employees to be on-site if they can perform their work remotely. Forcing employees to be onsite does not increase productivity and strengthen social interactions in any meaningful way for everyone.

  14. Anonymous

    regardless number o days, the "closer to home" position sounds enticing. Most people don't add up the HOURS you spend weekly, driving around trip to work. Gas, wear and tear, time on the road...Take the temp position and give it all you've got. it sounds like you're very employable, cause you have two opportunities...so take the closer one, which pays a wee bit better, and you'll love the better situation.

  15. tiffany birch

    Sounds like you are in demand, and leaning towards the temp to perm because it offers you what you are looking for, close to home, only 3 days onsite and better pay.

    When you do what makes you happy, you become in alignment with more of what makes you happy, thus, who is to say, this job doesn't turn permanent. Many temp to perm do. Much success!

  16. Anonymous

    ALWAYS take the temp to perm option if you're given it.

    It gives you the chance to see if you are a good fit for the company and vice versa. Plus the job has a flex schedule and pays better? This is a no-brainer. Just by giving you better pay and benefits from the start, and they're smart enough to want to check you out first without committing, tells you that this is a better company to work for. MUCH better than getting hired on as a FTE and then discovering you're stuck working in a hellhole.

  17. Anonymous

    What is “direct hire?”

  18. Susan Farrington

    You are permanently given the job vs temp

    to hire meaning it may work out eventually that you are permanently hired…or it may not depending on company needs at the time or job performance. The first is less risky in that you’ve been hired and probably get benefits.

  19. Anonymous

    No brainer : 2nd position that offers more flexibility, hybrid, closer to your home and better pay

    temp to perm is ok. These days nothing is secure even when it is permanent

    you are gonna be happier because of all those reasons above and you might not like the first one because of the reasons above so perm position could become no position

    take the second one

  20. Kia Harris

    2nd one - fingers crossed that permanent placement occurs!

  21. Anna Gilmore

    Choose the one that makes you most happy. Jobs can let you go at anytime, nothing is ever really permanent. At least with the 2nd one you have the possibility of permanent.

  22. Anonymous

    It already sounds as though in your heart, you already know which is the better option for you. Even though the first is permanent, that is no guarantee - especially in this climate. Best of luck and blessings for you.

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