New Job Opportunity - what do you think?

[Nettie]

I have a very secure job in the State Government which I used to enjoy before a few restructures which have left morale very low. I'm a supervisor and am struggling with staffing issues of late (some people just don't seem to want to be there) which are really starting to get to me and I no longer enjoy going to work.

I have applied for a job in the city (I live in a town an hour away) in a project I'm quite excited about in a role I've never done with challenges that are really thrilling to me. However, I currently work no more than 5 minutes walk away from home, spend most lunchtimes at home and am home by 5.15 most nights.

If I get offered the city job, I will need to leave home by 7.30 am and won't get home until after 6pm and DS isn't normally awake until after 8.30 in the morning (so I won't see him before I go) and goes into bath & bed around 7pm.

The job will pay around an extra $10,000 a year (2 year contract) and the cost of the travel will take up about half that.

What do you think about the other 'costs' of missing out on time with my boy and the cost to my health and sanity with all the travelling?

I really don't know what I should do. I have an interview for this position next Friday - 15th. I assume they will let me know if I have won the position the week after that.

Oh, and I should point out that there is more than one of the positions, so the chances are better than average...

Any help is truly appreciated. Thanks for reading this far!

[fionas]

Ooooh, that's a toughie.

If it was a six month transfer it would be a no-brainer.

But you'd be giving up a secure job for something that has a lot of cons in terms of work/life balance.

That sounds like a really long day but I know when you're doing something you love that long days don't seem long.

I really feel for you because I know what it's like being in a job that you don't like but everything else that you find still seems to have cons too.

I don't think I've helped at all

[ladybird11]

Tough choice....

But I think I'd get jack of the travelling personally - however it would depend on how exciting the role was, and what your job prospects after the 2 yrs would be like. Will they improve if you took this job or be similar to what they are now?

Sometimes you gotta put in the hard yards (extra travel and not seeing DS as much) to reap the rewards it may offer in the future.

I'm really 50 / 50 on this one sorry hun. After a few months I think the travel would really irk me and outweigh all other positives. Ok, so I'm about 60 / 40 now...

[Nettie]

Thanks for your replies!

I should point out that as a permanent State Govt employee, I can't lose my current position - it waits for me to return. So no risk there.

I may also get the opportunity to have a different and higher position after the contract as it is based around putting in a new computer system which will need skilled support people once it's implemented. And they could be based anywhere (it's a state-wide computer system) Which means I could return at the higher salaried level to my home-town after the two years. But no guarantees...

[Lulu]

I found an hour travel...and dragging the kids out of bed really early very very hard.

I really needed the $$$$, but it took a huge toll on me.

GL xoxoxo

[Nettie]

Yeah, the travel is the big thing, isn't it?

DS won't get dragged out of bed early as DH looks after him full-time. No issues there.

Still eager to hear any other points of view... there might be something I haven't thought of yet.

I should point out that my current position is dragging me down emotionally so I'm not always in a good place when I get home now...

[Lulu]

Hmmmmm......

Oh don't make it sooo hard! I think it would be great to get away from your current position - will you be driving in or PT?

[anney]

Travel would be OK - I travel almost an hour each way (but it is on public transport so I get to read) BUT the missing out on the time with your son would take its toll definitely. I work in IT and my boss is very flexible so I can do things from home - maybe ask about those possiblities at interview. You might get into the job and find there is some flexibility to work from home or vary your hours. If you are the right person for the job they may be prepared to make it work for you. good luck. sounds like you need a change.

[Oorki Galoorki]

if it were me. NO way!
1 the travel from A to B is hugely rediculous when you have a little man at home. and that hour is a minimum... your max could be 1.5hrs (in winter dodgy tunnels)
2 your little man is only little once, you will miss out on SO much those extra hours you will notice when you have been spoilt with your current work

BUT
if you were to move half way between i think it would be more viable, although not sure how keen you are on moving.

[fionas]

Hasn't the government just legislated that everyone has the right to ask for flexible working arrangements from their employer too?

So that means you could ask about working from home or, as one of my friends did, ask about doing 5 days work in 4 days and then getting that fifth day off. That made for really long days but she reckoned it was worth it to get the day off.

[Nettie]

Funnily enough this is also an IT position and they have indicated that the right person may have the option to do some work from another site (my current workplace - 5 mins from home). I'm hoping they will allow me one day a week at 'home' or at least one day a fortnight. It will depend on the work I do and how well I do it I suppose, so it may not be able to be determined until after I start!

I would be driving. PT is useless and would take me nearly twice as long!

Orki - that's what concerns me most. And we can't move. DH has a business here that can't be moved.

[Nettie]

Hasn't the government just legislated that everyone has the right to ask for flexible working arrangements from their employer too?

So that means you could ask about working from home or, as one of my friends did, ask about doing 5 days work in 4 days and then getting that fifth day off. That made for really long days but she reckoned it was worth it to get the day off.

Yes, my employer offers flexible working arrangements, but usually it's just flexitime They're not too keen on the other stuff unless it's to their benefit...

[Lulu]

Funnily enough this is also an IT position and they have indicated that the right person may have the option to do some work from another site (my current workplace - 5 mins from home).

Ooooh - that would be awesomeness if you could do maybe 3 days in, 2 days close to home - maybe stretch it out a little further as time goes by?

[fionas]

Well if your old job is secure, I say give it a go for six months and see what you reckon.

Nothing to lose and if you can't hack it, at least you will have new skills to shove on your resume.

[Sopdet]

I would do a pro and con list.

I would also ask them about a 3x2 and 2x3 rotation, where you work 3 days one week at the main office, 2 days at the office near your home, then the other week do 2 days in the main office and 3 days near home.

Good luck at the interview.

[phynna]

I used to do the 1hr each way commute, it ain't that bad actually, enough time to really chill out after a big busy day and clear your head listening to your music or the radio!

But I didn't have a little one to think about. Did make it harder on my doggies though lol! And on my daily runs, they ended up as occasional events!

If my cars weren't converted to gas however, it would not have been viable in the slightest. And petrol prices will ALWAYS be on the rise. Also, tyres, gearboxes, oils, kangaroos, all your maintenance and chance of accident is on the increase, can be costly!

A cushy government job may be boring, but you'll be there for as long as you want to be, and your entitlements are above what private sector workers are ever entitled to?

But there's also nothing like being in a job that you love doing! While we don't live for our work, when you enjoy what you do, and the people you work with, it's like you're not working at all!

[Mak]

I just wanted to wish you good luck - perhaps go for broke and work out how many days you would be prepared to travel for/work at current workplace and just state your terms in the interview?
It is hard to manage both your needs and your kids. Could you perhaps try to do a few dummy runs in the next week, so leave early and get home later. Not very environmentally sound to suggest driving unnecessarily either, lol. BUT it may help you a little (not that it will mimic your reality of 1 year in etc).

[*Beema*]

I was in a similar position in my job about 5 years ago in Local Government, within 2 years I had gone froma Grad out of uni into a Senior position and then just Manged staff. It was a good challenge for a while but we went through numerous restructures and I was under three different Managers in the time and another restructure was on the cards.

I had spent 5 years a Uni to be come a Landscape Architect and I ended up being a Manager... Then an opportunity came up to go back to designing, get paid more and I ended up comunting to Canberra for 2 years from Adelaide.

We are now focusing working within Adelaide, Hills, South and North of the Metro area. Which I had been really enjoying but was feeling a bit "bored" like I needed a new challenge and I felt I was getting too comfortable in my position, even though I was managing staff and as a Senior Designer and working at the higher levels with the Developers. But just before Christmas I was seconded to work directly for that Major Deveoper in Adelaide as a Landscape Manager, I must have impressed them enough as when the person resigned my Boss received three phone calls from two Project Directors and the Head of Landscape in Melbourne .

So now I am travelling a lot further each day, DD is getting dropped off at DC earlier and my days are a lot longer as I am still doing my other work in the evenings.

But what is coming with the change of position is exciting, challenging and the change that I needed. I amd feeling much more happy with my work days, I feel as though I am achieveing more and I am learning more each day. The position I walked into was an absolute mess and I am cleaning it up, getting everything organised and getting things done - which hadn't happened previously

It is a short to medium term position, but we wouldn't be suprised if it becomes more permenant as it is difficult to find someone who has the varied experience to undertake the role.

It has basically given me a new lease on life, as I was really reconsidering my whole career.

I know the travel will be more, but I sometimes feel that we need to do things for ourselves, and I have been making up for being away from DD more during the week, by ensuring that when we are together that I really cherish every moment and I often sneak into her bedroom at night to watch her sleep or have and extra cuddle. We are also having a lot mroe extra cuddles in the mornings before work and evening safter work.

If the opportunity may exisit to do some work off site then definitely go for it, that is grea thing about IT you can do it anywhere, same with my design work, I can design from anywhere