Job opportunity - really don't know what to do!

timberflake

A bit of background first.

I'm currently living and working in Leicester as an Insurance Broker. I'm 28 and have been with the same company for just over 10 years.

I work 8am-4pm which fits in perfectly with my gym/social life. However, the money isn't great for the job I do and the experience I have. I'm doing a job 1/2 role levels higher than my current "official" title, and I'm still waiting for a pay rise from my last promotion in June 2011!

Anyway, a job opportunity has opened up for a broker in London. The monies great, around 75% more than what I'm earning now. Even after my rail fare I'll be earning around £7k a year extra.

The downside is the traveling. I'd have to get up at 5am every morning and wouldn't get home until around 8pm. I'd also have to go to the gym in my lunch hour and would have to ask for an extra 30mins lunch (which I would make up each day of course).

I've talked it over with the OH and she's not overly keen on the idea, mainly because of the long days, but at the same time doesn't want to move home to make the commute easier.

My current job is not really safe, the lease on our building is up at the end of next year, and people don't have a lot of faith we'll be around after that.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation? If so, what did you decide to do and did you regret it?

I'm really not keen on the long days myself, but the extra money/job opportunities are difficult to ignore!

InsideInsurance

I would be surprised if you'd get a 1.5 hr lunch unless it is with an underwriter. I obviously know neither the broker no your grade within it nor the type of business your looking at but the few brokers I deal with in London are fairly full on jobs (the long boozy lunches are much rarer than they used to be) and managing to have time to run outside to grab a sandwich can be a challenge.

My situation is a little backwards to your in that I had the job already and needed to move much further away therefore giving me the option of keeping the money and getting a fairly long commute or getting another job more local to my address but losing a significant amount.

Personally I am up at 5:30am and back by 7-7:30 most days. I find the journey out fine but the journey back is just annoying. I have aspiration re house, travel etc and so not a problem.

The one concern I would potentially have for you is your signature and the comment about an IVA. It is much more common with insurers than brokers but some will want to credit check, CRB etc for which the evident recent problems may be an issue. Certainly worth checking before burning any bridges.

timberflake

InsideInsurance wrote: »

I would be surprised if you'd get a 1.5 hr lunch unless it is with an underwriter. I obviously know neither the broker no your grade within it nor the type of business your looking at but the few brokers I deal with in London are fairly full on jobs (the long boozy lunches are much rarer than they used to be) and managing to have time to run outside to grab a sandwich can be a challenge.

My situation is a little backwards to your in that I had the job already and needed to move much further away therefore giving me the option of keeping the money and getting a fairly long commute or getting another job more local to my address but losing a significant amount.

Personally I am up at 5:30am and back by 7-7:30 most days. I find the journey out fine but the journey back is just annoying. I have aspiration re house, travel etc and so not a problem.

The one concern I would potentially have for you is your signature and the comment about an IVA. It is much more common with insurers than brokers but some will want to credit check, CRB etc for which the evident recent problems may be an issue. Certainly worth checking before burning any bridges.

The lunch thing shouldn't be an issue as a friend of mine recently got a job at the same broker and they were fine with him taking a 1.5 hour lunch as long as he made the time up.

The IVA isn't a problem either, it was wound up in March 2010, and fell off my credit profile in August 2011. I watch my credit report like a hawk and it's squeeky clean now so no danger on that front.

I'm just wondering how hard the long days are in terms of tiredness and social life? I'll be out of the house for around 15 hours each days and my only real chance to go out will be a Saturday. As for having a few drinks, forget about it as I'll have to be up at 5am on the Monday morning for work!

hcb42

I would say go for it, if you want career advancement, but not at the expense of life balance. So if I were you and wanted it I would move closer, to get the commute down considerably. It takes its toll long term, so it can only really be a short/med solution unless you can rethink the relocating aspect.

VfM4meplse

timberflake wrote: »

Has anyone else been in a similar situation? If so, what did you decide to do and did you regret it?

It is a hard decision to make. I made the decision not to compromise my grade when re-entering the job market 4 years ago (this was after a 3 month break) and had a daily commute of 4 hours....it did mean waking early and shooting out of the door at 6am precisely as you can't argue with a train timetable! It was actually incredibly difficult to adjust to arriving at the office in the darkness, and leaving it in darkness for over 3 months of the year. The role itself was also unnecessarily stressful because of some the line management, who were quite frankly a bunch of joyless b*tches. Unsurprisingly the resentment built up and as soon as an opportunity presented itself I took a role closer to home.

The issue I had was that I didn't have the life I wanted at the time, I was too exhausted to maintain a normal life and as for relationships - forget it! What I would suggest is that you go where the money is for the moment (because these are difficult times) and learn to nap on the train, but have a plan B in mind. That may well mean moving to London where - lets face it - everyone has a commute, but also a lot of fun in the evenings! The play hard added to the work hard is what I call living.

Dunroamin

timberflake wrote: »

I've talked it over with the OH and she's not overly keen on the idea, mainly because of the long days, but at the same time doesn't want to move home to make the commute easier.
!

This is the part I find rather difficult to understand - is she always this inflexiblel?

19lottie82

Dunroamin wrote: »

This is the part I find rather difficult to understand - is she always this inflexiblel?

This is a bit unfair. You can't really comment without knowing more details about their situation.

I don't think most people would be too keen to move away from (possibly) their family and friends. His OH may have lived their all of her life?

Acc72

timberflake wrote: »

I'll be out of the house for around 15 hours each day

Assuming that you will be sleeping for 8 hours a day, this gives you approx one hour per day free time (just enough time to have your tea before going to bed) - and all for an extra £7k per year (is this before or after tax ?).

This situation could be ok short term, but for me it would not be sustainable longer term.

Also, with 10 years with your current employer this gives you certain protection (plus redundancy if the worst does happen), whereas if you move you will be starting again with little or no employment rights for the first 2 (?) years.

Could you not speak with your current employer and hopefully negotiate a pay rise or a development plan etc. ?

magenta22

Only you can make the decision.

It does sound like a better job prospect but the travelling may become tiresome, but many people have long days at work for a good salary. Why does your OH not want to move? Does she work? Do you have children in school?

As for the gym, could you not do this at weekends?

19lottie82

OP, look at it this way. You say you will get a 75% increase, but how much will your hours (inc commuting) increase by? By my calculations, it’s roughly the same, or possibly even more. AND you have to pay your train fares?

I guess it all comes down to how much you value your job and also take in to account that this new role may put a lot of stress on you personally AND your relationship with your OH in terms of spending less time together and conflict over a possible move.

You say you don’t know if your current job is totally safe BUT you have been there for 10 years, so if the worst happened further down the line, surely you would be entitled to a decent redundancy pay out to support you while you looked for a new position?

Also, you might start the new job and totally hate it. What would you do then?

If I were in your shoes I would stay put and ponder a more long term plan without taking such dramatic action, but at the end of the day, you have to do what you think is best.

19lottie82

A quick calculation, shows me that if you are 7k up pa after you have paid for your travel, and work 232 days a year (52 x 5, - 28 holidays), then you will "earn" an extra £30 ish a day to compensate you for your travelling time. Is that worth it?