To ask which job you'd choose?

[ajobquestion]

Job 1:
Part time hours that fit well around school and home life. 2 hours commuting by train each day. Total hours out the house each day - 8.
Job role itself sounds quite boring and something you wouldn't enjoy greatly.

Job 2:
Full time hours, zero flexibility to work from home. Between 2 and 3 hours driving each day in total. Probably out of the house for 12 hours each day. Household name company, great place to work with a job role which you think you'd love.

You're a single parent so job 2 will probably involve needing an au pair.

Which do you choose?

how old are the children?

and how part time is the first role?

Neither, keep looking

How much does job 2 pay? Significantly more to cover the costs of an au pair? Honestly, neither sound fantastic.

Honestly neither I would want to be closer to home.

Do you need the money from job 2?
If not I'd either take job one or keep looking for something in between (something with some flexibility). Au pairs have a habit of disappearing last minute and leaving you in the shit. IME obviously.

Child is 12.

Job 2 pays £70k pro rata so works out at about £47k.

Sorry job ONE pays £70k pro rata.

Job two is full time.

Difficult to say. I would be considering which would allow me to retire soonest. I'd also move and not commute so far.

I appreciate it may not be quite as simple as that, but for that kind of money, I'd make it work.

Yeah, moving is not something I can consider for a few years. As a single parent I need to be near my friends, they're my sanity!

I'm over 35 years away from retirement, sadly.

Bumping

Neither. Too long a commute.

Commute is far too long. Unless you’re willing to relocate then I’d say neither and to look for something that’s maximum 1 hour from home.

Two. Think of it as more likely to help you progress up the ladder to better things.

So 1h commute each way? That's not that bad. Job 2 for me.

Yes, job 1 involves 2 hours on the train (1 hour each way) so I could work, read etc.

Job 2 would be 55 mins - 1 hour 20 each way, but in the car.

Oh I thought you meant that was each way! If job 2 is about an hour’s drive away then I’d go for that. Good luck!

Too long a commute - keep looking.