Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Work

Chat with other users about all things related to working life on our Work forum.

Original poster

Perfect job - but I can't get there!

163 replies

Thesisquibble · 19/04/2023 08:34

I have been made redundant a few months ago and have struggled finding a new role. I live in an area where jobs are usually seasonal so anything officey is quite unusual.

The perfect job, perfect pay and perfect hours has been advertised.

BUT I can't get there. There's no public transport. And I cannot drive for a while due to blacking out. I repeat: I cannot drive due to blacking out (and currently in the midst of tests / diagnosis). I had tomsay that twice for all the posters who say "learn to drive"... I can drive already, thanks!

Should I bother with the interview and hope that I can lift share? I live in a City and the role is in a town - 25 mins away by car. As far as I can tell they don't offer WFH. (WFH is unusual here)

DH can potentially give me a lift but he works FT and it'll be difficult to squeeze it all in to his workday.

DVLA won't reassess my driving license for a while.

I just feel sad about being made redundant and sad thst I'm stuck. And sad that my perfect role seems unattainable.

Wwyd?

OP posts:
Cleoforever · 19/04/2023 08:35

Sadly not the perfect job then

Original poster
Thesisquibble · 19/04/2023 08:36

Cleoforever · 19/04/2023 08:35

Sadly not the perfect job then

Oh thank you for your kindness. Have a wonderful day

OP posts:
Cleoforever · 19/04/2023 08:37

unless You can short term pay for taxis
I would not bother going for the interview

ClaraBourne · 19/04/2023 08:38

Go for the interview for the practice at least and see what happens.

There might be a lift sharing option, you never know. You'll always wonder if you don't. Good luck.

JorisBonson · 19/04/2023 08:38

How far away is it? Could you ride a bike?

Danikm151 · 19/04/2023 08:38

Is there scope to get public transport part way and then cycle( folding bike) just until your license is reinstated?

determinedtomakethiswork · 19/04/2023 08:39

But the other poster is right. A perfect job has to be on the right location. This is in the wrong location.

Willywanderer · 19/04/2023 08:39

Thesisquibble · 19/04/2023 08:36

Oh thank you for your kindness. Have a wonderful day

Show quote history

Well she's not wrong. Sorry op but if you can't get there you can't do the job. I would absolutely not be relying on other people/lift shares.

JennyForeigner · 19/04/2023 08:40

I'd apply and see what happens before mourning it. And then if it worked out, I would ask my husband to step up on an interim basis or get a cab sometimes and just... try. There is always room for a conversation down the road, but if you don't try, you won't find out.

(And if that doesn't work out, I need to be home around childcare this year and my answer was to start looking at London based ads. I'm nowhere near London and found an ideal 100% WFH post, it just helped to narrow the search that way).

Cleoforever · 19/04/2023 08:40

Should I bother with the interview and hope that I can lift share?

but you won’t be able to give them any lifts

swanling · 19/04/2023 08:40

Access to Work can fund transport costs for people who can't drive due to disability. It's intended to get people into work (or stay in work) who would otherwise be excluded, which seems to be what you're facing.

www.gov.uk/access-to-work

gogohmm · 19/04/2023 08:40

When you say no public transport do you mean none or it's really inconvenient and takes 5 x longer? To my work it's 15 mins by car or 1 hour 40 minutes by bus! If this is the case you use it if you can't find a lift. Also if you can't drive for medical reasons see what you can claim as far as assistance

Cleoforever · 19/04/2023 08:41

Odd that no transport if you live in a city
and the job is less that half hour away in a town

tanyaturneristhegoat · 19/04/2023 08:41

I agree, it isn’t the perfect job for you at the moment due to your medical condition.

badgermushrooms · 19/04/2023 08:41

My DH can't drive for medical reasons. If it was just difficult for me to drive him in these circumstances and not impossible I would make it work.

User8907 · 19/04/2023 08:41

You could be transparent with them and ask for a while (Not sure which point in the interview process I'd raise this), you could hire a room Mon-Fri temporarily, how long it would take in (electric) bike?

Original poster
Thesisquibble · 19/04/2023 08:42

Cleoforever · 19/04/2023 08:41

Odd that no transport if you live in a city
and the job is less that half hour away in a town

Odd yes. But there we go. The UK and all its towns and cities were not built and connected equally 😉

OP posts:
shintyminty · 19/04/2023 08:42

Could your DH drive you in the short term?

Can you get a bike for part of the journey?

How unsuitable is the public transport?

PotKettel · 19/04/2023 08:42

How long is “awhile”? is the blacking out going to affect you in other ways if you return to work (eg make you unwell)?

I would definitely go to the job interview - be enthusiastic and fabulous and then towards the end when they ask if you want to ask question’s THEN mention you have a temporary disability/health condition and explain how if at all it might cause you to struggle in the job, if not reassure them it only affects you if you’re in motion ie driving so if they think you are best candidate for the job you would be ver keen to have a conversation with manager + HR about making Reasonable Adjustments. Mention that it doesn’t all need to be solved on the spot in the interview but some ideas you have are, being able to start work early so your DH can drop you at work.

it shouldn’t stop you …. Hopefully! So go for it.

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 19/04/2023 08:43

If you can’t get there; you’d just be wasting their time by applying. It is not your ‘perfect job’.

Haus1234 · 19/04/2023 08:43

Could your DH drive you to some public transport? It would be very surprising if there genuinely was no train or bus at all from a city to a nearby town, so I assume you mean it’s far / infrequent?

IwanttoworkforThomasNightingale · 19/04/2023 08:43

swanling · 19/04/2023 08:40

Access to Work can fund transport costs for people who can't drive due to disability. It's intended to get people into work (or stay in work) who would otherwise be excluded, which seems to be what you're facing.

www.gov.uk/access-to-work

This. Ignore the people telling you not to apply!

SaltyGod · 19/04/2023 08:45

I'm sorry, it sounds as if you've had a tough run of luck.

If you really can't get there, and you've looked at all the creative options including part public transport and folding bike for the rest, or part public and a taxi, then I can't see that it's the right job for you.

If you feel that your medical condition will likely improve and your license will be returned it might be worth looking at making it work with taxis short term.

Would your illness be classed as a disability, could you ask for a reasonable adjustment?

Whilst the PP might have been blunt, I'm afraid that it can't be the perfect job if you can't get there.

carriedout · 19/04/2023 08:45

BUT I can't get there. There's no public transport. And this is why the Tory government's approach to cut bus services and rail services rather than improve them is so affecting our overall growth etc. - 70% of job seekers are reliant on public transport (because most are young, or not able to buy a car due to money, or have issues as the OP outlines).

We need better public transport.

As for you @Thesisquibble I am sorry to hear this. I would stop looking at jobs in places that are inaccessible as it will make you despondent! Good luck finding something else. Agree with others that the interview practice might be worthwhile but DO NOT cite the travel as a reason to not take the job as you might want to work there in future and it will mark you out as a flake. Say you 'have considered carefully but think it is not right for you at this time' or similar.

IwanttoworkforThomasNightingale · 19/04/2023 08:46

Further to which, I can’t drive for medical reasons. I once applied for a job in a location with no nearby bus service and spoke to Access to Work who said they would fund taxis for me if I got the job.

Swipe left for the next trending thread