Twice a week we publish problems that will feature in a forthcoming Dear Jeremy advice column in the Saturday Guardian so that readers can offer their own advice and suggestions. We then print the best of your comments alongside Jeremy’s own insights. Here is the latest dilemma – what are your thoughts?
I am in my early 30s and have been with my current employer, a medium sized private firm, for a year and a half working in an administration role. I like working for the company very much and enjoy a good working relationship with my colleagues and line manager. After a positive appraisal and feedback from my manager, I recently accepted a promotion to a more senior administrative role with a pay rise and was very pleased.
However, a job opportunity with another firm has now come up in their legal department, and this is something that I have always harboured an interest in. I’ve not got the professional legal background they want from their candidates but as it is not a high-level role, I am confident that I have the relevant skills, already know the company and could learn what I needed to on the job.
My worry is that if I apply for the role, especially as I’ve not got the relevant background, I may not be successful and could annoy my line manager and the people that have worked to put my promotion in place so recently, along with the new team I’ve only started working in.
Is this too good an opportunity to pass up, or should I commit to the new role I was happy to accept? The salary of the two roles is comparable, so that is not a factor.
Do you need advice on a work issue? For Jeremy’s and readers’ help, send a brief email to dear.jeremy@theguardian.com. Please note that he is unable to answer questions of a legal nature or to reply personally.
