Is it worth going for this new job?

[Pushpop]

I?m in tough predicament. I?ve been selected to go for a second interview at a large and famous company that Ive always been keen on working with. It should be great news but we are looking to move out of the current area and move out of London which will mean a large commute time of one hour and half. I?m also in the process of trying for a baby although unsuccessful of yet plus the job position, although it?s an interesting role will not be any more money. The reasons why i?m looking is that I dislike where I currently work and feel if I have a baby I will be stuck here for some more years although it is flexible and quite easy to get too.

I wanted to know what other people who have children and live out of London feel about the commute into London, if it worth considering this role with so much against it?

[Heroine]

we-ll:

1. a change is as good as a rest
   
2. Commuting is a grind in winter, but can be fun in summer - as the sensible commuter will perhaps join cafe culture for an hour or so to make the journey back more pleasant
   
3. You should have reduced living costs (but will that compensate for additional travel costs?)
   
4. Are you commuting by train or car - train is a pain, but if you travel late or early can get work done too
   
5. jIf you are paid the same, then is this definitely enough to cover travel too?
   
6. If you change now, you will find it easier to change again as your career develops - staying in a place you hate is like chopping off half of your ability as well as half your motivation so you'll find it difficult
   
7. Starting a new job is enlivening, and you can behave as you wish you could in your current role with no baggage - that too is enlivening
   
8. Its an interesting role! That's like gold dust!
   
9. go for it, if you hate it, get a local job, but at least give it a go
   

10. Many people commute to London, and as they get more trusted are allowed to move their hours around to make commuting more acceptable
11. could you negotiate working from home in the future at least partially (i.e. is is a job that could be done with a PC and phone..
12. You are keen to work with this new company - that will show and is more likely to get you promoted than working for an employer you hate in a job you hate
13. Commuting (by train) means a big season ticket so you can have even more fun on the trains than you did before
14. you'll be quite tired for most of winter
15., But you'll see the most fabulous dawns!

[flowery]

First thing I would ask is whether the hour and a half is actually realistic.

I used to commmute, but decided I didn't want to waste such a large proportion of the day travelling with small children so gave it up and now work for myself from home.

My DH still commutes. Technically his commute should be just over an hour. Trains from here are supposedly 45 minutes then a couple of stops on the tube and a short walk.

However once you factor in trains being late and/or problems with the tubes, more often than not with one thing or another, it's more like an hour and a half.

I loved working in London but for me personally, with a big commute, it would have been a long day away from DCs and I wouldn't do it now.

I also agree when you say 'not more money', are you factoring in what will probably be astronomical travel costs? I think my DHs is about £5000 a year for just the train iirc. If you are travelling by car have you factored in petrol/parking?

I do agree with a lot of Heroine's plus points though, my view is just that I wouldn't do that now I have DC. DH doesn't see our boys more than once or twice during the week for about 10 minutes if they wake early enough in the morning. He leaves at about 7.15 and is back around 8.30.

Is it the kind of job where you can literally work 9-5 and be out the door by 5.01? Because if so, you could in theory be home by 6.30 or not far off, which wouldn't be so horrendous.

[kiwibella]

How will you feel once you have children and you have moved away? We left London with our dds for the lifestyle which is brilliant however, just like flowery's dh, mine often doesn't see the girls during the week. Our travel costs are also way more that we considered when we moved so we aren't any better off financially. However, you can weigh this up with what the job means to you.

[StillSquiffy]

If you pass the job by though and it takes a while for you to be sucessful with a baby, you may have a lot of regrets?

My experience is that I have commuted into London for last 8 years. my train journey is 65 minutes and it takes 95 minutes door to door (2 hours if I miss the peak trains). Depending on the line you may have difficulty finding a seat if you are travelling standard class. you should do a dummy run of the commute to see.

When my DCs were very young I loved it because I had the luxury of peace during my train journey every day - a cup of coffee and paper were perfect - I was rushed off feet at work and rushed off feet at home. But it only worked on a 4 day week basis with me & DH doing a bit of juggling so that we spent time with DC before rushing off each morning. You need a DH who can be a bit flexible and if you go nursery route and are not sure you will always get home on time otherwise you may need an au pair to provide wrap around care (which in itself has pros/cons).

I have found it very tough to do now that the DCs are older (around the 3.5yr stage) - they simply need me or DH around more than when they were babies - when they were younger I had very reliable care and they didn't mind who gave them breakfast and who put them to bed, but they do now and it is much more stressful as I am forever compromising on either side.

Given what I know now and the knowledge that it would be about 5 yrs before the problems would arise I personally would not hesitate to go for the new role, but I am more of a risk taker than the average person and always feel that I will have other options open job-wise if I make the wrong choice. If you ar enot in that position you may want to be more cautious.

[Hassled]

An hour and a half commute with a baby will be bloody hard going. But you're not there yet - presumably you have to find somewhere to move to and as you say, you're TTC which can take time. I'd say take the job and see what happens - you might love it and decide to put plans on hold and stay for a couple of years or whatever, and you might hate it. But as you dislike your current job you have nothing to lose - you're not tied to this new place forever.