Does Anybody Have Any Advice? I Have a Dilemma!

I'm in a bit of a dilemma guys, and I don't know what the best thing to do is, so I would love some advice if anybody has any.

I was job hunting. I had an interview with a couple of different places. Company One was with a very reputable company, which has great benefits like paid sick days (not normally given in the childcare sector), good pay (I think since they said they have a salary scale and that I would be on the higher end of the scale), and I loved the place when I was there. Management was lovely the interviews went well. I interviewed mid July , and then didn't hear back from them, which I was really disappointed by since they are the best company in that sector to work with.

I also had a interview with the last company I worked in, but in a different branch. The place is so much better than the last branch I was in, the manager is lovely and I really loved the half day I spent there. I was offered the job immediately after I finished the half day with them, which was three weeks ago. I hadn't heard back from them about a start date, though I was told it was sometime in September.

Friday, out of the blue, company one rings and asks if I'm working. I told them I had accepted a job offer, but that I had yet to start. They asked me to come in Tuesday (which is tomorrow) to 'talk about a position with them'. They need a reference from my previous employer (a different branch of the company I'm due to start working with), which I've been trying to sort out and have yet to receive after 2 phone calls (on on Friday, one this morning) but I hope to get later today or in the morning, if not then I'm not sure what will happen with company one of I turn up to the meeting without it.

Here's the thing - I get a phone call from the company I had accepted a job with half an hour ago. I'm supposed to be starting next week, I'm assuming Monday but I won't know until Thursday or Friday when the shifts are finalised.

I don't know what to do. Company one is a better company. It treats their staff well, it's award winning, the pay is better, it offers benefits that other companies in the industry don't. But, I don't want to be ringing up a person who offered me employment in good faith giving her such short notice that I accepted another position.

Should I take the job with company one if offered, and leave the soon-to-be-current job, or would that be really bad?

Advice would be greatly appreciated.
August 25th, 2014 at 05:55pm