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.

[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.