To consider this job?

[1CantPickAName]

Would I be unreasonable to consider this job?

I am currently a childminder and have been for 9 years. It allows me to take and collect my youngest child from school and easily attend school plays/parents evenings etc. I look after 3 children aged 1, 2 & 3, 3 days a week and some after school children 5 days a week, Term time only and I regularly get contacted to see if and when I will have vacancies.

My plan was to give up childminding in 4 years, when my youngest starts secondary school, I regularly check job websites to keep an eye on what’s out there and what salaries are like. None of the jobs I’ve seen would pay me anywhere near what I’m earning now. But childminding is hard, there are a lot of great things about it but my own children hate having babies in the house and often ask me when I’m going to get a ‘real’ job. I was successful in a previous career but it had a terrible home/work balance, hence why I became a childminder.

I have been asked if I would like to apply for a job that I really like the sound of and I absolutely am qualified for. I haven’t been offered the job, I have the opportunity to apply before it is advertised. It pays a salary comparable to what I earn now, even when I factor in childcare costs. It pays a lot more than any jobs I have seen and I doubt any similar opportunities are going to come up.

There are 3 major downsides;

The first is that it is about an hours drive from my home on the m25, and that is if there are no delays. It is actually only about 20 miles from my home but that would mean driving through London in rush hour or it is 40 miles on the m25. It’s about an hour on public transport but that too can be unreliable and expensive.

The second downside is that it is 9-5 mon-Friday so means leaving home at 7.30 and maybe not getting back until possibly past 6.30pm, depending on travel. That is not striking a great home/work balance. But the salary does make up for it and I will be able to take time off for inset days etc.

The third downside is that 6 families would have to find alternative, suitable childcare (7 families if you included mine)

I’m really torn as it is a great opportunity. Any advice or insights would be very much appreciated

From what you’ve said I personally wouldn’t consider it. You would have a long commute, a considerably worse work/life balance and by the sounds of it you wouldn’t actually be any better off financially as the salary is comparable.

I would go for it. How old are your own children? I would hate to be a childminder when my own kids were grown, so would want a ‘real’ (ie long term, exciting and with progression) job. An hour commute on public transport would be ok with me (to get on with other things) probably would not want to drive round the m25 every day.

Point 3 is irrelevant. You would have to give them notice, of course, but that is what happens. Points 1 and 2 (and especially point 1) are more serious. Is there any possibility of doing some work from home to reduce the commute time?

Thank you @Expressedways

I’m worried that when the time comes to give up childminding, I will be late 40’s and face a massive salary shortfall. Plus, how difficult is it to change career or find a decent job in your late 40’s without retraining?

Oh and yes, definitely do public transport rather than drive round M25.

It’s all about what you value though. I’ve previously done a long commute and couldn’t go back to it unless I literally had no other choice. If you think you’re done with the childminding and wouldn’t mind taking public transport and zoning out with book then it might work out well for you. You could apply and test out the journey when you go for the interview?

@FridalovesDiego my own children are 13 and 7. The eldest is very keen for me to go for this job and has even suggested that she take the youngest to and from school, very sweet but I wouldn’t do that to her.

I don’t think an hour on public transport would be too bad, if there are no delays but not 2/3 hours a day on the m25

@bridgetreilly there is the possibility that I could do occasional days from home and they seem open to some flexibility

Well, I think you should at least apply, because they seem keen to have you and that may give you some bargaining ground about more flexible hours/work from home etc.