Looking for a New Job - Which One Do You Think I Should Go for?

Unacceptable on 22/11/2022 - 10:48
Last edited 22/11/2022 - 10:55 by 1 other user

I recently get back to a job market after spending 8 years in the previous company. There are a few jobs listed on Seek, but I tend to be more cautious about what I am applying for.

I have applied for two jobs lately.

  • One is paying similar salary to the previous job but very close to home which I value most. (35 minutes walk or 10 minutes by bicycle or 5 minutes by car).

  • The other one pays about 20% more but it'd be a traffic hell taking an hour or more to one way commute. I am 90% sure to get an offer from the one close to home, but also think the more pay is something that I don't want to miss out.

If both companies not allowing WFH, which one do you think I should go for?

Poll Options

  • 56
    Close to home
  • 5
    More pay
Education & Work

Comments

  • Donaldhump on 22/11/2022 - 10:53
    +1

    we need more info

    age / assets / wife_kids?

    if your comfortable do the one closer to home
    if your broke do the one further away but demand 3 days from home
    if your really really broke, do them both wfh

    by the way you havent got them yet so why even think too hard about it

    • Mcuser on 22/11/2022 - 18:17

      You forgot colour preference for undies

  • ballofspam on 22/11/2022 - 10:58
    +2

    Time is money. But also money cant buy time.
    Even when that time isn't making money, would you rather be doing something else like a hobby, sports, gym, etc.. then being in traffic?
    Also consider, Traffic = Stress = Less Work Performance + more likely you CBF doing anything after work

  • AustriaBargain on 22/11/2022 - 11:01
    +2

    If you included the commute and fuel time into your daily work time, which one pays more per hour? And do you like driving, would you want to listen to podcasts in your car, is your car climate controlled, is it easy to drive with power steering, enough power to launch smoothly, and comfortable seats? And would you be happy to "work" an extra 11 hours a week more?

  • kolorijo on 22/11/2022 - 11:07
    +6

    You have already made up your mind when you said "very close to home which I value most"

  • boomramada on 22/11/2022 - 11:09
    +2

    Apply for both, take the one closer, once you there for year, ask for pay rise, who knows you might get it.

  • star-ggg on 22/11/2022 - 11:10

    What conversation did you have with the higher paying company about WFH? Most companies are now on a hybrid model of 2 or 3 days in office.

  • Fredfloresjr on 22/11/2022 - 11:10
    +1

    Been a father for three years now and would not find any other job if I need drive to/from work if more than 15 minutes.

    TIME with my little boy is the only thing that matters now > small/medium pay increase.

  • freefall101 on 22/11/2022 - 11:10
    +1

    Company I work for recently put me on site at a client that's a bit over an hour's travel (and they're starting to push for more time in the office). It's hell, wouldn't recommend it, even though I'm only doing it 2 days a week. I don't mind a bit of travel time (good chance to listen to books, clear my head after work) it's just a massive pain to leave at 7:30am and be home around 6:30-7pm.

    Adding 2 hours travel a day means your work day extends by more than 20%. I'd take that time back in your life and do some extra study at home to build skills.

    That's assuming it's the only difference between the jobs and you can't shift your start/end times to be outside of peak hour. I usually leave work at 4pm, get home and do an hour or two work at home to avoid the peak. And you can also negotiate on wage, say you want 10% more or something and use the other job as a comparison point. It's an employees market at the moment.

  • Ghost47 on 22/11/2022 - 11:19

    Take the one further from home, work there a couple of years then wait for the one close to home to open up and apply for that? Or apply for another job closer to home later on?

  • Drakesy on 22/11/2022 - 11:21

    1 hour each way = 2 hours a day = additional 25% time spent not doing something you want to do.

    Take the closer to home option, however can you still go back to them and say company b is offering this and i'm considering taking it up. The market is hot at the moment.

  • Unacceptable on 22/11/2022 - 11:21
    +1

    Maybe I should add more info on here.
    I have been WFH nearly every day since the Covid. Though the office wasn't too far (30 minutes on highway) I got used to less traffic jam, so thinking of driving far & traffic jam is a really a turn off. But forfeitting the opportunithy to go for additional 20% pay is also a bit of pain to miss out.
    I am not financially strained that much (a sole breadwinner in the family but no mortgage) but good pay is a good pay for motivation. Oh… it is rare to find a company to have a walkable distance from home..

    • boomramada on 22/11/2022 - 11:27
      +1

      So you already decided the winner, but still apply for both.

  • harveyworld on 22/11/2022 - 11:38
    +1

    I has a similar dilemma many moons ago and I remember my old man telling me that our personal time has an intrinsic value and only you can decide what this is worth to you.

    I know people who are happy to commute and utilise this additional work time for winding down after a stressful day or listening to music/audio books etc

    Personally, someone could offer me 20% more tomorrow and I wouldn't travel any further as I just hate the commute to and from work as it is - but that's me and my own value that 30 minutes is my limit.

    I agree that it's important to interact so going to a workplace is healthy, but weigh up the hidden benefits such as flexibility, commute time, staff rewards etc as they so have a 'value' and often this is worth more than physical money.

  • Unorthodox on 22/11/2022 - 11:38

    First one personally.

    But many questions raised as above.
    I'll add another question, what is the after-tax difference and progression if your decision is mainly financially driven

  • netjock on 22/11/2022 - 12:06
    +1

    20% more for 2hrs a day 230 days a year. 460hrs. What is your acceptable rate? $70 an hour? $32k after tax? In theory you can spend that time listening to podcasts.

  • redpump on 22/11/2022 - 12:43
    +6

    I crunched the numbers on 100k vs. 120k (20% more, assuming normal 38 hrs a week):

    a) 100k + 1hr weekly commute = $49.31 per hr
    b) 120k + 10hr weekly commute = $48.08 per hr

    No brainer here to go option a)!

    • fossilfuel on 22/11/2022 - 19:11
      +1

      Petrol is another huge cost to factor into that 10 hour commute so the 100k works out better. With the time saved, it's possible to pick up a side gig or start a hobby.

  • cerealsmok3r on 01/12/2022 - 23:23

    home all the way

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