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AIBU?

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Original poster

Should I take the job?

37 replies

Clydethecaterpillar · 28/09/2023 16:22

I’ve been offered a job in the big smoke as it were.

one day a week in the office, im asking if they can do every other week and have it written into my contract. It would be a pricey train ride. But it’s a 10k pay rise.

im conflicted. If you’ve read my other thread, I work at the same company as a former friend, and they’ve gone on the offensive, started a few rumours and they are more snr than me but a different area of the business. I applied for this job in anger after one allegation was made (it was promptly dismissed) and truthfully didn’t think I’d get the job, but to my surprise they offered it me.

im conflicted. I live. 2.5 hr train ride away and it would be a long ass commute, but conversely people do more, people do Leeds to london.
more money BUT less benefits, 5 days less holiday, less Life Insurance, less Mat leave 4 months v 26 weeks full pay. I also really like my line manager and the role is easy but sometimes boring. There’s also the allegations and a corporate ‘reimagining’ has just been announced no details what that looks like yet. Truthfully I’m doubting my abilities a bit too and I’d feel bad for leaving, I feel like I’d be letting my manager down.

someone give my head a wobble (to use MN parlance) wwyd. Would you take it, if so why? If not, why not?

tia. Appreciate your help on this one :)

OP posts:
KnickerlessParsons · 28/09/2023 16:30

How much of the payrise, after tax, would be used on the commute?

Original poster
Clydethecaterpillar · 28/09/2023 16:35

KnickerlessParsons · 28/09/2023 16:30

How much of the payrise, after tax, would be used on the commute?

So 10k after tax and deductions looks like about £700 pcm extra. If they let me go in every other week about £200 a month would be travel, if they want every week about £400

OP posts:
Mehmehmehmehmeg · 28/09/2023 16:37

That commute would trouble me but some people love travelling.

Avatartar · 28/09/2023 16:39

Is it worth £20 every day to get up for, that’s what you have to think of. Is £20 a day worth the grief with the person who has an issue with you? For the time the extra commute would take, you could get a cleaning job at about £15ph to make up the difference in income and stay where you are. It all comes down to do you want it, financially I can’t see you are better off by taking it

EwwSprouts · 28/09/2023 16:41

You are assuming your line manager would be the same person after the reimagining for a start. I'm sorry but loyalty to a manager is not a great reason to stay anyway. You say the job is boring.

I would take the new job. If you don't like it or the travelling then leave after a year and your CV will have a greater salary on it when you look for your next role. I don't think one day a week commute is a barrier. Have faith in your abilities, they've seen something they want.

AgnesX · 28/09/2023 16:45

If there's going to be a "reimagining" or restructuring stay and see if there's the offer of a package to go. I can see a commute losing its novelty very quickly in winter.

Original poster
Clydethecaterpillar · 28/09/2023 17:00

AgnesX · 28/09/2023 16:45

If there's going to be a "reimagining" or restructuring stay and see if there's the offer of a package to go. I can see a commute losing its novelty very quickly in winter.

Any redundancy wouldn’t happen yet anyway, maybe 6 months plus down the line by that time the job offer will be off the table and as I’ve been at the company a short period of time it’s very unlikely I’d get a decent redundancy package. What seems to happen is that they half the work force and make 4 interview of 2 positions, no you don’t really get redundancy In these instances.

OP posts:
Original poster
Clydethecaterpillar · 28/09/2023 17:06

Avatartar · 28/09/2023 16:39

Is it worth £20 every day to get up for, that’s what you have to think of. Is £20 a day worth the grief with the person who has an issue with you? For the time the extra commute would take, you could get a cleaning job at about £15ph to make up the difference in income and stay where you are. It all comes down to do you want it, financially I can’t see you are better off by taking it

Edited

That’s an interesting way to look at things. I don’t know how deep or how far the allegations will go at work and if I’d be cut by the wayside anyway or if In a restructure I’d even be under my line manager or god forbid in an area closer to my former friend now arch nemesis

OP posts:
Original poster
Clydethecaterpillar · 28/09/2023 17:07

EwwSprouts · 28/09/2023 16:41

You are assuming your line manager would be the same person after the reimagining for a start. I'm sorry but loyalty to a manager is not a great reason to stay anyway. You say the job is boring.

I would take the new job. If you don't like it or the travelling then leave after a year and your CV will have a greater salary on it when you look for your next role. I don't think one day a week commute is a barrier. Have faith in your abilities, they've seen something they want.

That’s true and that would be my worry! Manager seems worried about their job with this news of the reimagined work order

OP posts:
Glorifried · 28/09/2023 17:20

For me it depends on age and circumstances.

So with a young family, no way to moving; no dependents you'd need to rush home for and looking for promotion / money then yes I would; looking to wind down / cba to chase opportunities then no I wouldn't.

Original poster
Clydethecaterpillar · 28/09/2023 17:22

Glorifried · 28/09/2023 17:20

For me it depends on age and circumstances.

So with a young family, no way to moving; no dependents you'd need to rush home for and looking for promotion / money then yes I would; looking to wind down / cba to chase opportunities then no I wouldn't.

I have a young family but my husband largely wfh

OP posts:
CC222 · 28/09/2023 17:30

If it's mainly the increase in salary that's appealing to you, why not approach your current employer with the offer you've had and see if they'll increase your salary?

ikno · 28/09/2023 17:31

I don’t know how much you earn but funnily enough I got a £12k pay rise this summer and I would say run to the new job. You can’t underestimate the impact of cost of living.

I have to travel occasionally and frankly travelling to London is a lot nicer than some of the random corners of the UK I need to go to. I’d take London any day of the week. Do you get a London allowance? Can you do all your monthly office days in a block? Will they offer you a train season ticket discount or something to alleviate costs?

Also when you’re the next level up, it’s easier for you to level transfer into a job closer to home so it’s beneficial for your future. Think long term vs short term.

HowcanIhelp123 · 28/09/2023 17:32

It sounds like getting out of your current work place will be best in the long run. You may end up redundant, you'd be easiest to remove if you haven't been there long, you wouldn't necessarily keep your manager and you have an arch nemesis. Even if shitty rumours are dismissed it isn't nice having stuff circulate about you and doesn't help career progression.

That said - whether the new job is right for you is a different question. It may have less benefits, but what about progression/training aspects? Do you currently work from office a lot so even if it was 1 day a week/fortnight in London office would you be home more overall? Could you use the 2 hour 30 commute to work on the train? That would be 5 extra hours of work when you go to london you could potentially use to shorten your other days and spend more time with kids after school.

If you don't take it I'd keep looking. If you take it and hate it, look and you have that new job on your CV.

ikno · 28/09/2023 17:39

Sorry forgot to say, but when I travel I do shorter days in the office so I’m not expected to arrive at 9am necessarily or start commuting at 5am

cocksstrideintheevening · 28/09/2023 17:41

Would tax / child benefit eligibility be affected?

I moved recently and needed a chunky increase to cover the loss in child benefit but I wouldn't drop benefit levels down. I do have to travel every other week London to Leeds but this is covered by work as my contracted office is London.

Original poster
Clydethecaterpillar · 28/09/2023 17:56

cocksstrideintheevening · 28/09/2023 17:41

Would tax / child benefit eligibility be affected?

I moved recently and needed a chunky increase to cover the loss in child benefit but I wouldn't drop benefit levels down. I do have to travel every other week London to Leeds but this is covered by work as my contracted office is London.

We already don’t get child benefit due to dh salary, I’d be moving into the same league as him, but I’ve done the salary after tax calculation and it’s about £700 a month more

OP posts:
Original poster
Clydethecaterpillar · 28/09/2023 17:57

CC222 · 28/09/2023 17:30

If it's mainly the increase in salary that's appealing to you, why not approach your current employer with the offer you've had and see if they'll increase your salary?

I’ve been in my current role less than a year and I’ve already have 3 rumours started about me, luckily I’ve got a solid manager and a good rating probably angering my nemesis

OP posts:
CC222 · 28/09/2023 18:03

Sounds like the commute from the new job won't be half as stressful as having to deal with that toxic trouble maker where you are now...

coxesorangepippin · 28/09/2023 18:11

more money BUT less benefits, 5 days less holiday, less Life Insurance, less Mat leave 4 months v 26 weeks full pay

^^

Hmm. Will you be taking another mat leave?? Does your husband have insurance?

5 days less holiday is a full week!

SatsumaNightmare · 28/09/2023 18:11

Take it. Stats suggest people rarely regret taking the job.

Original poster
Clydethecaterpillar · 28/09/2023 18:23

coxesorangepippin · 28/09/2023 18:11

more money BUT less benefits, 5 days less holiday, less Life Insurance, less Mat leave 4 months v 26 weeks full pay

^^

Hmm. Will you be taking another mat leave?? Does your husband have insurance?

5 days less holiday is a full week!

I would love a 3rd kid yes, so ideally yes.

after 1 yr service the annual leave increases.

yes dh has Life Insurance and I’d still get some but it’s a lesser amount of annual salary

OP posts:
Original poster
Clydethecaterpillar · 28/09/2023 18:23

CC222 · 28/09/2023 18:03

Sounds like the commute from the new job won't be half as stressful as having to deal with that toxic trouble maker where you are now...

That’s the thing this cow is like a HR case brewing because it seems unrelenting

OP posts:
Totaly · 28/09/2023 18:27

Take the new job. Think of it as a stepping stone. Give it a year, and then look to relocate to a new job.

Taking a new job does not have to be forever.

Original poster
Clydethecaterpillar · 28/09/2023 18:28

Totaly · 28/09/2023 18:27

Take the new job. Think of it as a stepping stone. Give it a year, and then look to relocate to a new job.

Taking a new job does not have to be forever.

Even with a young family and less Mat pay… im nervous, it’s a step up for me, all the rumours have left me a bit shaken confidence wise x

OP posts: