To turn down this job offer?

[YetAnotherElsa]

The job itself is good, exactly fits my current skills, room to learn new skills, and similar pay to my current role. It's a full time position located on an industrial estate around an hours drive from home and they start early so it would mean I would leave home before DC wake up. I currently work part time in a city centre office which is a 30min door to door commute and DC's nursery is on the way. I've been unhappy in my current job for a few months and can't see it improving that much in the short term but it's still an OK job.

I wasn't really expecting to be offered the new job so was surprised when they came back with the offer. WIBU to turn the new job down just because of the location?

Congratulations :o
Could you consider moving? How long has your ds got left at nursery?

Sorry ds or dd, don't think you said

How would it work during the school years?

Why apply if you didn't want.the job?

Moving isn't an option as we only moved a couple of years ago and we're in good school catchment area. DCs are 2.5 and 4 so still quite a long time before both in school. We will have to use before/after school club at least 4 days a week with whatever job I have in future.

I applied because on paper it sounded great and I wanted some options as I have been feeling very down about my current job. I work in a very specialist area so there are not many jobs to choose from.

If you start early do you then finish early? Early enough to justify taking it?

Why don't you accept and try it out for a year (or some other set term). If you're finding the hours / distance too much then apply for other jobs closer to home. Sounds like it'll be good for your cv. AND you're not very happy in your current job and that's unlikely to change. If you accept this new job, you don't have to stay forever!

PS Congratulations!

Thanks for the congratulations! I would be away from home 7am till 6pm 5days a week. Part time not an option with new job. Current job is 4 days and away from home 8am till 6pm as much shorter commute but I've been wanting to leave for about 6 months.

morale in the current office is pretty low, lots of others have left and not been replaced over the past couple of years so everyone is being stretched thinner and it's been quite stressful staying on top of the workload. But I've been there 15years so feel quite loyal iyswim

If morale is low and people are not being replaced you need to go really, before the job disappears and you end up with nothing. Is there a bit of fear of the change?

I'd do it if you can. What's you support like? DP? See how you can make it work.

Part time not an option YET. If you're doing a fantastic job fro them and they want to keep you, they might well agree to reducing your hours or allowing you to work from home (if it's that sort of job) one day a week or similar. Once you've got your foot in the door and they like you, they might be much more flexible. If not, you can look for something else.

How would the practical side of it work? Is that what's worrying you most or is it not having as much time? Is the pay better? Could you afford some help like an au pair or a cleaner to stay on top of the domestics?

Doesn't sound like the right job to me. Too impractical.

I guess there's quite a big fear of the unknown. But the practical stuff is bothering me, like being based on an industrial estate instead of city centre so can't do errands in my lunch break, having to drive every day and having less time with DCs.

DH and I would basically have to reverse our current roles in terms of who is responsible for drop offs/pick ups, doing errands etc except it would add 40mins to his commute doing the nursery run as well so he's not overly enthusiastic. But he knows I'm not happy and says he'll support me if I did take the new job.

Have you asked the new job to consider a 4 day week? Or a 5 day week with 1-2 days working from home (if you can?).

Would make sense to say how much you want the job but you hadn't realised the impact of the distance/early start when applying. Enthuse about how pleased you are to be offered and how you hope it will be possible to make it work.

Got to be worth asking rather than turning it down! The worst they can do is say no and you are in the same position as you are now.

5 days 7-6, ouch! Do you think you'll have the opportunity to request flexible working or working from home sometimes once you have a foot in the door?

I already asked and they already said no although the HR person said I could apply for part time after 6 months, but of course no guarantees

Hmmmm I wouldn't do it then.

Same pay and you have to leave before your child wakes? I'd keep looking if I was you.

I would advise you really test the commute. I technically work an hour from home. The reality is that unless I'm out the door at 6am, I can sit in traffic for 2h+ most days. There's also a very strong work long hours culture which is hard for me to break in a senior position. I'm out of the house for 13 hours a day most of the time. I wouldn't have taken the role if I had known.

If you are having doubts now, think hard before accepting.

Why did you apply in the first place then?

I applied because I've been feeling down about my current job, morale is really low, and I work in a specialist area so this is only the second job that's been advertised in my field in the past 6 months. I applied for the other job when it came up back in July and got through to the final round but then didn't get that one.

If you post on here wondering whether to apply the advice is usually to go for it and you can work out the details or change your mind later on.

Exactly! I wanted some options so I could see if it was right to move on or not

7 till 6 on an industrial estate is my idea of hell.

But if your job makes you happy then go for it.