Hi,

I am a newly qualified management accountant, having just completed T4 in March.

 I joined my company (a globally renowned FMCG company) 3 years ago on their grad scheme, and have completed all my exams and experience since. I have had a number of interesting roles, most recently whereby I was asked to play a key role in the integration of a new company.

 However, the downside of this is that now I feel that I have plateaued in my learning curve, and have repeatedly asked my company for another move. They have been accomodating in trying to find me a new role, and I have interviewed for a couple of positions within other functions (logistics) to give me a broader view of management. Unfortunately these didn't work out, and now they are offering me a role within a larger business unit of the organisation.

The problem is that whilst this role would be a step up in terms of £ turnover of the business unit, the job description itself involved much more operational, administrative tasks, which I feel would be a step backwards for me, having been used to being much closer to key stakeholders in my current role.

Having panicked, I sent my CV to a recruitment consultant, and they have since got me two interviews with a well renowned international travel company. So far, the feedback has been good, and I have been told that I am in the front-running for the job.

 My dilemmas are two-fold:

1. The external job seems like a much more interesting role, which could serve to widen my financial and business knowledge. It would also provide me with a change that I feel I need. However, my worry is that this company might not provide me what my current employer provides in terms of long term career progression. What do I go for, the more interesting job, or the career progression? Just to add to the mix, the external job would cut my commute time down from 1h15m to 30 mins - another big plus.

2. I feel I am betraying my current employer, by asking them to move me onto another role, and then behind their back finding a role with another company. I am envisaging the scene when I hand in my notice and they look at me and say "look at all we've tried to do for you"... Is it normal to feel in some ways indebted to your current employer? Also, if timing doesn't work in my favour, there is a chance that I could start this new role, and then have to hand in my notice immediately, will make me looking like a lame duck...

Any advice welcome.

Thanks