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Distance to work

5 replies

Hanl30 · 07/01/2011 22:29

I'm a nanny looking for work and i keep coming up with an issue regarding my commute to positions i'm applying for. I had double figure interveiws last year then managed to sort out a nanny share which sadly has came to a end. My first interveiw and the same thing yet again! I have another interveiw and just wanted some advice from your
about how to address this if it comes up again. The jobs that i'm looking at are 27miles/40mins drive from me.

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
nannynick · 07/01/2011 22:44

27 miles sounds a long way to me. I used to drive 18.4 miles to a job 6 years ago. Looking back on that, it did mean getting up very early and getting home fairly late. There could be hold-ups on route.

These days I work less than 10 miles from home.

Parents do look at how far someone has to travel, as the longer the distance the more potential there is for a problem to occur. However a problem could occur near their home and thus affect anyone travelling to them, regardless of it being 1 mile or 20 miles. So it's not really logical but I think it is how it's looked at by some parents. With luck some parents will come on here and give their thoughts about travel distance.

Something to consider at the moment is the cost of that travel. Fuel prices on the rise, so your costs of getting to/from work need to be factored in by you in terms of how much salary you are wanting.

Also, if working some way from home... do you know the local area well? Parents might be concerned that you don't know the area - though actually that applies if you work 10 miles away from home, as I don't know the local area I work in that well.

I suspect the biggest factor may be "will you turn up to work on time". Hard for anyone to say that they will always be on time... things are unpredictable. Thus I don't know how you can address this at interviews.

Hanl30 · 07/01/2011 22:55

If it was up to me i would work closer to home but no jobs! The parents know where i live before they interveiw me yet still interveiw me. I don't know the area well though didn't know where i work now 4 1/2yrs ago!! Its so frustating!

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Blondeshavemorefun · 07/01/2011 23:30

Agree 30miles each way is a fair way to travel - it must take you longer than 40mins

So can understand why some employers may be put off with it

Guess all I can suggest is that you make sure in all your ref that they mention that your time keeping is impeccable

Can you move nearer the area you are looking for work in?

Hanl30 · 08/01/2011 08:56

I'm planning to move closer which would take 13 miles off the journey but any coser and it gets too expensive! Its duel carriageway all the way so quite an easy journey.
I'm going to see if it comes up as an issue at the interveiw 2moro. If it does then it looks like i will have to leave nannying.

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Karoleann · 08/01/2011 14:37

I think they're probably worried that you may get stuck in traffice and be late regularly. When you go for the next interview - turn up a bit early and mention how easy the journey was!
Its probably especially relevent at the moment when people have been prevented from travelling with all the snow.
My nanny has a trip of about 50 minutes - a walk, a bus and a train. But, she doesn't nanny for me on my working day. She's probably late 1 x a month or so.

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