sippo Posted September 11, 2009 Posted September 11, 2009 I've been asked if I would be interested in a job which is payed about £10k more than I'm on now. All good, but the problem, if it is one, that its an extra 30 miles commute and its london bound on the m4. At the moment it takes me 20mins to get to work and is only 15 miles. Is the extra money worth it? Decisions decisions...
elsiegee40 Posted September 11, 2009 Posted September 11, 2009 Only you can make that decision. Commuting is a pain - I suggest you try the drive one morning at rush hour. If the job is something you really want to do, it will override the commuting concerns... if not then it won't matter how far you want to drive - don't take it
sippo Posted September 11, 2009 Author Posted September 11, 2009 Its the same job in a different school in a different town.
WStore_Dan Posted September 11, 2009 Posted September 11, 2009 Get yourself a motorbike licence! I commute 40 miles each way and it takes me about 45 - 50 mins on the bike each way. You should definitely consider it - although it does have its drawbacks in the winter!
DSapseid Posted September 11, 2009 Posted September 11, 2009 You need to work out how much more petrol, tyres your going to use on your car as this will reduce the £10k extra considerably and possibly only make it a few £k more and possibly not worth the extra hassle of the extra driving every morning and eve!
elsiegee40 Posted September 11, 2009 Posted September 11, 2009 Same job... if there's really no difference, I'd leave it unless you are urgently after a change of scenery. My other half has to negotiate the Clacket Lane - Reigate section of the M25 daily and he hates it. Journey time anything from 40 minutes to 3 hours. If you do take up the job, familiarise yourself with the Traffic England website and buy a satnav to get you round the problems
localzuk Posted September 11, 2009 Posted September 11, 2009 Extra distance travelled also means more time travelling, meaning getting up and leaving earlier and getting home later - so less home life. Is that worth the extra £10k?
Hightower Posted September 11, 2009 Posted September 11, 2009 I think the question here, or at least it would be a question for me, would be "is it worth moving house for?" I wouldn't like commuting all that extra distance, and I'm sure after 6 months in the job no-one would, so would you consider moving closer to the school to take the job?
broc Posted September 11, 2009 Posted September 11, 2009 If you look at it from a career viewpoint, the extra £10k 'earning' power you will gain on your CV may help you in establishing your credentials next time you go looking for a job..... The assumption tends to be the more you get paid, the more you are worth
apoth0r Posted September 11, 2009 Posted September 11, 2009 If someone offered me 10k more I would absolutely bite their arm off. You are probably looking at 600/700 quid a month extra! Which more then covers the commuting costs and as the above post states, once you get your foot in the door, the worlds your oyster!
Butters Posted September 11, 2009 Posted September 11, 2009 I've recently made the switch from a job that offered me the ability to walk to work to having to go into London via the tube. Suffice to say come pay day I will be ten times happier than I was at my old job
ahuxham Posted September 11, 2009 Posted September 11, 2009 I like commuting. Just depends on your point of view. I would ideally like to be one of those people that hopes on a train in Bristol/Bath in the morning, gets into London, and gets the train back. That would be my ideal situation Laptop on the train (as GWR now have power sockets inbetween seats) and sorted! I can defiantly see you being quids up with £10,000 pay rise, even if it costs you an extra £100 in fuel a month.
witch Posted September 11, 2009 Posted September 11, 2009 If the job offers more scope for advancement, or maybe the chance to work on a different system, then I would think seriously about it. As has been said, do the commute at a time when you would be doing it to find out how long it would take you. With a £10k rise, you will be in profit by a long way, even taking into account the commuting costs. Is your car reliable? It all depends how long it take: mrwITch commutes 75 miles each way up the M3 every day and it takes between 1.5hrs (at 6am) and 3hrs (on a Friday night). For him, he has to do it as there are no jobs around here
sparkeh Posted September 11, 2009 Posted September 11, 2009 Hmm personally I don't mind commuting. My old job was just over an hour each way (on a good day) and I quite liked the time to listen to the radio or just spend some time thinking (don't usually have much time where I have nothing I could be doing so the peace was nice). 10k is a lot of money but then its not all about money. If I was happy and contented I was have a hard think about what is important to me at the time, but if I was feeling ready for a move I would snap their hands off.
RichCowell Posted September 11, 2009 Posted September 11, 2009 I've been approached and may soon be faced with a similar decision... I currently have a nice 10 minute drive to work, and the alternative would be a 45 minute drive mostly on back-roads... But for that much extra, it'll certainly be worth it, so I wouldn't hesitate in accepting...
jamesb Posted September 11, 2009 Posted September 11, 2009 It might be worth trying the commute for a time, but keeping your eye open for places to live which are closer. Could also be worth looking at the difference in house/flat prices between the two.
SpuffMonkey Posted September 11, 2009 Posted September 11, 2009 I used to do a lot of commuting - its OK in summer - but I found it depressing when its dark on the drive there and back. Its a pig if you head east in the morning and west at night - always squinting into the sun.
sippo Posted September 11, 2009 Author Posted September 11, 2009 Thanks for all the advice people. Its one of those head and heart decisions. Enjoy my current job and quite content, but at the end of the day that doesn't pay the bills. Don't think I'll get anymore money in my current postion.
apoth0r Posted September 11, 2009 Posted September 11, 2009 The best of luck with whatever you choose chap!
ahuxham Posted September 11, 2009 Posted September 11, 2009 I used to do a lot of commuting - its OK in summer - but I found it depressing when its dark on the drive there and back. Its a pig if you head east in the morning and west at night - always squinting into the sun. Much like I do at the moment, Sun in my face all the way into work, and Sun in my face all the home. Really does aggravate me something chronic. Here comes Winter, and I'll be able to miss both events and will rejoice when that nasty, bright thing isn't in my face any more.
grumpy_git Posted September 11, 2009 Posted September 11, 2009 Does your (prospective) employer offer any scope to change your working hours? For example, if you could arrive and leave half an hour earlier it might help avoiding the rush hour. (I did some work in London, albeit temporarily, and agreed to work 6.30am until 3pm for exactly this reason).
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