Wibu to change jobs due to better commute?

[GorgeousGeorgiana]

I work part time in hospitality. I love my colleagues and the hours are great, work well around dcs etc. But I hate the commute. Most of it is along motorway which is no bother, but getting out of the busy town I work in, on the way home, is a fricking nightmare. I hate it. Massive range rovers containing people who cannot drive, cars parked all over the place (which I'll soon be adding to if I can't park at work).

Two things have happened; one, they've decided we cannot park in the car park at work. There are some residential streets nearby I can park on, but it means taking a punt on whether I find a space and a 5-10 minute walk in the pitch black (I have a very early start at work). I could probably speak to management about this and I'd like to think they'd be understanding but I don't know.

The other thing is that a job has come up nearer home. Commute would be shorter and much less stressful as it is in a rural location

The hours would be harder, but I would make more money as I would work more hours.

I've been planning to apply for the place nearer me, but wanted to wait till I'd been at my current place a bit longer as I have been there under 6 months and it doesn't look great on my cv...but that bloody commute! And I know hospitality workers are in demand at the minute and also I don't want to miss applying for the job I want.

Tricky! I could go either way, so want opinions please

I would apply for the other job. There's no guarantee you'll get it, but a) you will have more time to decide and b) if you get an interview, you'll have a chance to suss out the place and see if you think you'd like it.

How much time will you save on the committee compared to how much extra you'll have to work?

Go for what is less stressful. If you can do the extra hours, then go for it. As long as you can explain why you left a job quickly, it doesn't matter.

A colleague of mine has just changed jobs and the commute was a big factor. I'd apply if I were you - you'll only have to make a decision if you actually get the job! Good luck, whatever you decide to do.

Thanks - I've actually worked there before! So I'm reasonably sure I will like it. Whether I get it or not is a different question though. Management has changed since I was there last, so they may not like me!

Commute is in half from 30ish minutes to 15ish. Hours would be totally different, so I wouldn't be able to do school pick up as I currently do. Kids would need ASC, but they have been a few times before and love it, so think that would be OK. I'd cover that cost with additional hours. I'd also need to work Saturdays which I don't at the moment, but not Sundays.

Salary would be the same as my current one pro rata, but I'd be doing more hours so would increase by a decent amount overall.

I voted YANBU, but then I saw you need to work Saturdays in the new job, that’s a good chunk of time missed with the kids, and you will be working later in the afternoons as well, so I don’t think it would be worth it.

Working Saturdays and evening goes with the territory in hospitality unfortunately. If I want to go closer to full time which I do at some point soon, I will have to accept working Saturdays and evenings. Actually, guaranteed Sundays off is pretty good in hospitality! I would not get this if I went full time in my current restaurant where they are open every day of the week from 8am till 11pm. The place I'm applying for is only open lunch and dinner. Last sitting at 9pm, so finish around 11pm (this sounds terrible to anyone who works office hours, but I assure you it is good in my industry)! You also get two days off in a row every week in the place I want to apply for. At current place it would be a fairly random 5 days. They let me work set days at the moment as I'm part time, but if I want to go full time eventually, the other place would be better for me.

I would definitely change roles based on commute, as it can really have an impact on your stress levels even though it’s separate from the job itself. I used to have a terrible train commute for work which wasn’t long in theory but there were always signalling issues and cancellations - I’d either get to work frazzled and in a bad mood or I’d get home feeling the same way. It wasn’t a great headspace to start or finish my day with. I still commute by train but it’s a much smoother journey and the franchisee seems less chaotic than the one on my previous route.

In your specific situation though I would also weigh up the Saturdays as a pp said. But I guess being able to get home quicker is a big bonus when you weigh it up.

Based on your follow up posts, the new job looks like the better option.

Has posting on here helped give you any clarity?

Absolutely apply for the new job. And I don't think 6 months is a problem because, as you point out, hospitality is desperate for people. Plus, it's completely true to say that while you like the job, this job appeals because it's more hours and an easier commute. Both of those are perfectly reasonable statements.

Good luck!

@FluffyBooBoo

Based on your follow up posts, the new job looks like the better option.

Has posting on here helped give you any clarity?

I am sure I want the new job actually, after posting here and it isn't just the commute. Longterm, it's better for me.

The timing is possibly not ideal due to short time at current place and obviously having to arrange ASC, but maybe it's manageable! And I do want to be more like full time.

I'm sure it is manageable. There's usually a way.

Good luck!

Thank you! And thanks all for comments

Given that it doesn't sound as if you'd plan to move on from the potential new role quickly, I wouldn't worry about not staying long in your current role.
Just enthuse about how much you enjoyed it there before in your application, and if it comes up at interview, the commute and parking issues. By the time it gets to the role after that, I doubt people will care.

Good luck :)

"I could probably speak to management about this and I'd like to think they'd be understanding but I don't know."

If you do this, you might add that you like working there, but the parking issue will make your commute rather worse and so you may have to consider looking for work nearer home. They might rethink.