Would you bother continuing with interviews process?

[CE0194WN149]

I’m at second stage (out of potential 6 stage) interview for a huge tech company, great role annd step up and will mean at least a £10k wage increase.

But the company has just announced they’re switching from hybrid to full time in office starting from January which is hugely unappealing to me. Currently on a hybrid model which means either DH or I are both able to be at home every day of the week. My DC are older so no childcare as such but I just like catching up with them.

My current job also includes lots of meetings in LA (remotely) so being able to take later calls from home works for me and them. Current employer doesn’t seem to have any intention of making us go back into the office full time, they’re really flexible and I really like my team (for context they are another global company but not tech).

BUT a pay rise would be great, this is a really good opportunity and great company to have on my CV. Although I would obviously have to factor in commuting costs.

any advice would be much appreciated.

Only you can decide if your current set up is worth more to you in terms of time, convenience, family time, free evenings, no commute than the new role.

The new role will offer, career development, more experience, new opportunities and of course more money.

Do a pros and cons list and see what you come up with. Good luck x

This company also anounced they need to reduce the number of managers for 15% so it would make me think. And my friend's husband works in sales for Apple and they started firing people as well. Maybe not the best time to work in IT/Tech.

How much is left of the 10k payrise after tax and additional commuting costs? Personally 10k would not be enough for me to push me into commuting again. It would cost me £500 a month minimum plus the tiredness of 5 days a week commuting is awful. It’s so draining too and I like to see my kids than sit on a train. But we don’t know how long your commute is or how challenging.

6 stages of interviews!

I’d estimate the pay increase after tax and additional costs of more office work (travel, lunch, clothes!) If that brought the pay difference down, eg to £5k. I’d not want to work FT in the office, unless money was tight and/or the company provided good opportunities for further progression and pay increases.

I wouldn't go back full time.

If you add the cost and time of the extra commuting - is the 10k even worth it?

Doesn't sound worth it to me.

Nah. I wouldn’t, op. Life’s too short to be spent on a train or a congested motorway, and how much of the extra £500 pcm will you get after tax be spent on commuting costs?

I wouldn't want to be back in the office full time. Flexibility is more important to me these days. How long is your commute?

I’d agree with Pp to do your sums carefully. I switched to a wfh job and save myself £80 a week commuting costs plus that hour a day. My current job is pretty flexible on both sides so worked with clients in the evening for two hours and took off time for afternoon school run and dinner. An extra £500 a month post tax wouldn’t be a big pay rise if I had to go back to paying commuting costs.

Another one for whom this wouldn’t strike the right balance. Most importantly for me, I’d not like to work for a company that’s making these sorts of decisions.

I can't comment on the hybrid vs FT but re. evening calls, even employers that want a 5 day week don't expect evening calls to be done from the office.

To be honest, it's not even the commute that would put me off, it's the attitude to your team that you have to have to insist that they're only productive when in the office. Eff that.

I’d want more than a £10k rise if I was going through six rounds of interviews.

I thought she was more pointing out that flexibility goes both ways! If someone wanted me sat at a desk in their office from 9-5 I'd be reluctant to then do evening calls too.

I wouldn't go back full time. It would be a no from me and I would let them know the reason why I was pulling out too.

I'd not even consider it to be honest personally, I'd never go to full time office work again from Hybrid. The two days of colleagues talking non stop about their lives and getting less work done in the office than at home in comparison is more than enough and I like being at home and able to tidy/cook dinner on my lunch break, it's just a better life balance for us.

Personally I would consider 6 stages of interviews to be a red flag in itself. It shows they are overly bureaucratic and poor at decision making.

The lack of hybrid working is the second red flag. Get out before you become too invested in this process.

I echo what everyone is saying. I’d never go back to the office full time, the extra cash just can’t compensate for the soul sucking commute. It’s such a waste of precious time.

And 6 rounds of interviews??? I’d also make sure to tell them why I’m pulling out.

Once on big company jumps with back in the office 5 days others will follow.

I wouldn't. 6 stages of interviews for a 100% office based job and only a 10k increase, it's not worth it.

Yes this. I would finish the interview process and, assuming you’re successful, negotiate: First of all, regardless of the hybrid vs in office setup, I’d ask for more than 10k (assuming your role not a junior role) given that a move from a place you’re happy and established at means taking a bigger risk. Secondly, it is possible that you may be able to contractually negotiate an exception to be assigned hybrid - again, if they really want you they will likely want to extend some flexibility. So I would not just drop out of the interview process. Even if they offer you the job and you don’t end up taking the role, you may open up opportunities for the future. 6 interviews is not much coming from tech and banking.

I'm not sure I'd want to work somewhere where they think 6 rounds of interviews is a good way to treat people.

I think if it was just one more interview round I would go for it, just to see if there was any flexibility if the role was offered, but tbh with 2/3 of the interview process still to go, it's simply not worth it.

Maybe the company will take note if good candidates remove themselves from the process because of the in office requirement. I mean it's madness, even pre covid most people worked 1-2 days at home for paperwork or being in for children coming home from school. I can see expecting people in 2-3 days per week but every day just seems silly.

I think it depends where you are in life, how long the commute is etc, to me £10k gross is no where near enough to cancel out hybrid working. I will consider office working again when my youngest is in secondary, but I'd need at least a third more on top of my pay to convince me I think.

I agree with @Doingmybest12

Six rounds of interviews takes the piss and definitely shows the arrogance of a company!