I'm looking at two jobs right now (currently transitioning out of previous career). One company would be a significant commute--hour plus each way to another city. The other would be a subway commute in current city with a lower salary.
Both would be covered/subsidized but everything else would roughly be the same, except salary, which is about $10k difference. How much is a commute worth/what should I consider? Commute would be by train so late nights would be subject to the train schedule. I'm single no kids and want to date. I moved to this city I love the city and my life here. I like going out for happy hour, seeing friends, networking, etc. Moving isn't an option.
How much of a salary difference would you need, all other things being equal, for you to commute and give up a lot of what you love/only to be able to enjoy it on the weekends? $10k? More?
Honestly - I don't know if there is a price that I'd be willing to take a long commute for. I've done 1+ hour commutes before, and at the time - I SWORE i'd never have a commute like that again. And over the years, I've whittled it down and down and down. For a couple years, I even WALKED to work. That was wonderful.
I'm at about 20 - 30 mins now and I really don't know that I'd ever be willing to go to anything longer than that.
Granted, I'm married and have a kid and I do have to take that into consideration, but even thinking back to when I wasn't married/ had a kid - I loved going out to happy hours where I was close to home and didn't have to drive home. I liked living relatively close to my coworkers because many of them became friends.
The one job where I had the hour + commute - I'm not friends w/ any of them anymore and distance is absolutely a factor in why those friendships eventually went away. Work brought us together, but because of the distance, we weren't really able to create any other bonds beyond that.
How long is the subway commute? If you don't currently have a car, would you need a car in scenario 1? Have you factored in difference in commuting costs? (If your city is like mine, taxes and train would eat up a considerable amount of that $10k).
I'd lean towards staying in the city so you'll have more after work options. If I was able to afford it, that would be worth $10k post tax to me.
Honestly - I don't know if there is a price that I'd be willing to take a long commute for. I've done 1+ hour commutes before, and at the time - I SWORE i'd never have a commute like that again. And over the years, I've whittled it down and down and down. For a couple years, I even WALKED to work. That was wonderful.
I'm at about 20 - 30 mins now and I really don't know that I'd ever be willing to go to anything longer than that.
Granted, I'm married and have a kid and I do have to take that into consideration, but even thinking back to when I wasn't married/ had a kid - I loved going out to happy hours where I was close to home and didn't have to drive home. I liked living relatively close to my coworkers because many of them became friends.
The one job where I had the hour + commute - I'm not friends w/ any of them anymore and distance is absolutely a factor in why those friendships eventually went away. Work brought us together, but because of the distance, we weren't really able to create any other bonds beyond that.
I have the same issues with making friends at work because of the commute. I couldn't join many of the outings or happy hours with coworkers because I have to go home.
I guess it depends on whether the extra money would change your lifestyle enough to justify the major quality of life hit that is a soul-sucking commute. (I did a 75-minute commute for two months, pre-kids, and I was never more miserable.)
I would take the lower paying job in your current city just long enough to make the career transition and then perhaps try to find something higher paying for your next move.
v the commuting costs would be paid by both companies. Subway commute would be 10-15 mins and a short walk. I walked took the subway/walked in my last job and loved it. I would not need a car for either job.
@rock-n-voll the difference would be after negotiating either offer--10k would be the rough estimate of the difference. Career-wise both are roughly the same, what I want to do, and would give me good leverage down the line.
pearl yes the commuting job would be $10k more. They also would have catered lunch daily. The other job doesn't.
Post by perkyderky on Aug 26, 2014 13:57:32 GMT -5
An hour long commute, each way is pretty much a deal breaker for me. I used to work 45 minutes away and it was too much. It was tolerable when I could take the partial mass-transit option (I would drive 1/2 way and get a bus) but I wouldn't even consider anything longer than that that didn't have a mass transit option. I've become MUCH "softer" since moving from NY and as I've gotten older. I think I would need more than $10K to make it "worth it" to me.
A long commute is worth more than 10k, that's for sure. Living in an urban area myself it's rough. I have a great commute now. And I know my limits in terms of what I would accept
That said, you do need to consider the "cost" and value to your new budding career field. If you were more established in your new role I say consider commute WAY more. Which would be better for you and the direction you want to take?
They're both the same level job doing roughly the same thing. Both companies are growing and have great leadership behind them.
All other things being equal, $10k less salary for an easier commute is a no brainer. I would do it in a heartbeat.
We pay probably 20%-30% more rent than we could be paying if we were willing for H to have a longer commute (in H/VHCOL). Significantly more than 10k a year and worth every penny.
All other things being equal, $10k less salary for an easier commute is a no brainer. I would do it in a heartbeat.
We pay probably 20%-30% more rent than we could be paying if we were willing for H to have a longer commute (in H/VHCOL). Significantly more than 10k a year and worth every penny.
This is where I am. I chose to live in my awesome neighborhood in this great city for a reason. I was only looking at jobs inside the city and never considered this company. They recruited me. It's an awesome company. They have fridges of flavored water and a snack wall and my boss would be awesome. But water and laughter aren't going to make me happy when I'm on the train at 8pm on a snowy night to go back to an apartment alone because I have no life outside of work.
I would do the 10k more, and read/text friends/GBCN on the train. Especially if the career trajectory is the same at both companies, that 10k difference can mean a lot over the course of a continued promotions and raises.
DH and I are realizing that he probably was at the lower end of the range when he accepted his job at his company, and now even though he's gotten several promotions and raises, he is continually at the lower end. All because he didn't get the high range right off the bat.
If you are renting a place, you could try moving closer?
It depends on so many factors. I hate commuting, so my inclination would be to go with the job in your city for lower pay, but I don't know what your financial picture is like. Assuming you work 250 days a year, saving 40 min each way would save you about 330 hrs total, which is equivalent to $30/hr.
My commute is about 50 min each way but 1/2 of that is walking and the other half on a nice bus with few stops. It still took a couple of years to get used to it and I'd still apply for a closer job if an equivalent one were available.
@choco that's what I'm leaning towards but ugh, the company is so cool. And free lunch! I still need to meet the rest of the team this week at the company in the city. If I like them, I will take that job I think.
my3bears moving isn't an option. I moved here last year without a job because I love the city. There's no way I'm leaving it.
Are there any other benefits to the 10k more job besides the extra money?
The higher paying job has catered lunch, free snacks, slightly better health benefits (100% paid vs. 75% paid which would be an additional $2k a year that I don't have to pay), 5 more vacation days, and no sick policy. Equity is the same, roughly, although the lower paying job vests over a longer period of time. The higher paying job is going through some growing pains and I would be part of a department restructuring/growth.
Ah gotcha. Then my only consideration would be to think about what that 10k difference would mean in 10 years? If that means your next promotion/raise would be a 20k difference and the one after that a 40k difference, just as examples of course, that would make me question... Maybe try to negotiate more with the one in the city, like a PP said?
Just realized both of my points are exactly what Rock-N-Voll said... so ditto her post.
This is where I am. I chose to live in my awesome neighborhood in this great city for a reason. I was only looking at jobs inside the city and never considered this company. They recruited me. It's an awesome company. They have fridges of flavored water and a snack wall and my boss would be awesome. But water and laughter aren't going to make me happy when I'm on the train at 8pm on a snowy night to go back to an apartment alone because I have no life outside of work.
Decision made!
.::gavel::.
and congrats!
Ha, thanks but first I need to make sure I like the rest of the team in the lower paying job and negotiate base a bit. I also need to find out about bonuses.
Do you know what the environment is like for the city job? It sounds like the commuter job has a pretty good one (awesome boss, perks, etc). Do you know if the city job will have a positive environment as well?
I'm all about not working for assholes even if that means I have to commute.
To me, it would depend on which city you're commuting to for the longer-commute job and just how often late nights happen where you'd miss HH opportunities in the city. If the smaller city is still a nice place and you'd enjoy occasional happy hours with your coworkers there, but still spend the majority of your nights in the city, I don't see the big deal about a longer commute and I'd love an extra $10k to put towards living in the higher COL city. And if you commute by train, you can still get stuff done or pleasure read or whatever while you commute. If the job is in a crappy small city where you would not enjoy spending any of your time, I'd stick to the big-city job.
v the commuting costs would be paid by both companies. Subway commute would be 10-15 mins and a short walk. I walked took the subway/walked in my last job and loved it. I would not need a car for either job.
@rock-n-voll the difference would be after negotiating either offer--10k would be the rough estimate of the difference. Career-wise both are roughly the same, what I want to do, and would give me good leverage down the line.
pearl yes the commuting job would be $10k more. They also would have catered lunch daily. The other job doesn't.
10K is not worth it. Your time and quality of life is worth a lot more.
eta: I had a job with free kitchen for lunch and free snacks every day. Coupled with the longer commute that great perk packed on plenty of pounds. And the rage of commuting further deteriorated my health/quality of life. Stay in your great city!
I guess it depends on how much 10k is worth to you and what your hours are like. Is this a job with a regular 8 hour a day schedule or will you likely be working long hours in addition to a commute? An hour commute when you leave the office at 5pm is a lot more workable than if you leave at 7 IMO.
The culture, extra vacation, faster vesting schedule, and low health costs add up to more than the 10k pay difference to me. Those are also valuable. I guess it comes down to your personal priorities, which only you can decide.
No way would I commute that long for $10k unless I couldn't afford not to. would either have to love the commuting job markedly more than any local options, or it would have to be a major plus for my career trajectory. If everything else about the local job and the commuting job are equal, it would take really serious cash to get me to consider commuting.
Post by hbomdiggity on Aug 26, 2014 15:01:28 GMT -5
I think the lunch thing can be a negative - it could also mean that work is intense and could be some very late nights. If that's the case, I don't want to be 1 hour from my bed.
Post by crashgizmo on Aug 26, 2014 15:05:32 GMT -5
We live in So Cal, where commuting is often the name of the game. My DH has 45-hour and hates it. I have 60-75 minutes, but only once per week. On the rare occasions I have to go into the office 2 days a week I get rage-y. I would not do it for an extra 10K.
I think the lunch thing can be a negative - it could also mean that work is intense and could be some very late nights. If that's the case, I don't want to be 1 hour from my bed.
This is a good point too. Providing lunch means they keep you in the office and people probably end up taking shorter lunches!