Long Distance job?

Hi all,

I work in a specialist secondary school for autistic children, iv been here about 3 years now, I am starting to feel in need of a change of scenery, I would ideally like to shift a little and get involved in communication systems so not too far from IT. I have considered army but have only just got married and the lady wife flatly refusing anything to do with soldiers or army its a big NO to enlist (although I keep my eye on the civilian jobs) There are some civilian IT jobs down in Cheltenham but, I ive in Derby which equates to 2 hours roughly by car or 1.5 hours by train each way. I have been looking at jobs for 6 months now, and the prospects ofthis job look VERY tempting, it offers me around £5000 more per year, plus a structered and varied career plan (which I dont get in my current role) BUT, there is the travelling time to consider, I cannot afford to relocate maybe in the future, plus I think my wife would want me to come home each nite.

So what do I do do I go for it?

Craig Dunn

Tough one ... In the end you'll have to choose between, either the same routinous job or a new and more exiting job with quite an extensive commute ...although the commute isn't very bad with the train, if you don't have to switch trains too much.

You could do some reading/studying finish up some work (provided you have a laptop offcourse ;) )... And if you really can't handle the commute anymore you atleast have learned something and provided yourself with a sturdy base for another opportunity ...

Well ... The extra 5000£ isn't bad either is it ;)

That's my view on it ...

.C.

Good Day,

That traveling time will significantly reduce the time you are with your wife (family). I know of several folks who have a fairly rough family life and they enjoy the extra commuting time. However on the other side of the coin, that is almost 4 hours a day just in travel. Getting up much earlier and getting home much later will be a part of your life. Less time with the new bride. Obviously I don't know what impact that will have on your marriage, but I'd say nay unless you can move closer to work in a few months.

cheers

The commuting thing would only be a tempory mesure anyway eventually We would move closer but, money is VERY tight at the minute and we cannot afford the initial outlay of a move. It would save quite a bit of money as I could get rid of my motorbike (my main form of transport so no insurance or Tax) but, eventually I think we would have to ove closer.

Craig Dunn

Hmmmm,

Hi there Craig, this is Johnno. Like yourself I live in the UK, so I have a vague idea of what I am talking about?

Derby............. yeah, Uncle Alan was head cashier at the National & Provincial Bank there...... back then........... I have worked in Cheltenham on numerous occasions..............

If you have just got married, consider what she expected?............... I am married to my third! and I have rejected three job moves because of being married.

I really would not consider working in Cheltenham for less than around £75,000 per annum. That would be about £200,000 at my age ;)

You will not be able to afford a hovel for less than £200,000................ trust me or check the property market. Why do you think that they are offering this money? They cannot get people on what they normally offer, and will soon die as a result...... it is the job equivalent of "overgrazing"

;)

If they offer you +£2000 locally, take it..........

As an indicator, the heap of crap I lived in whilst working in London was £350,000.............. this is about £250,000 but has 5 bedrooms, garage, utility room and is detached.

"The time has come the Walrus said to speak of many things........... of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and southern, lardy tosspots"

£1000 per week minimum............or you will be looking for your second?.......... and does she earn? will she get a job?

Please be careful my friend

thanx Nihil,

at the moment I am a technician in a school, I dont have any certs or a degree I have a HND in IT, so I suppose you would call me at the bottom of the ladder career wise although I do have 5 years of working in schools. The place im looking at is offering the sort of work I really want to do and I feel it maybe my easiest or best opportunity of being able to do the work I really want to do, and being offered to develop my skills. Iv been a bit stagnent latly and in my present work dont feel like im being offered anything new or any challenges anymore.

Maybe im geting goggle eyed!!!

Well, you will need to look at other things than the time in travelling. You also need to consider how much it will cost to commute, and remember that you need to gross that up for the tax and national insurance as you pay for it out of your NET income :(

Another thing is that in IT you are expected to work out of hours, and commuting that distance does not really give you that option?

I would also suggest that you consider your wife's position. Does she work? does she want to move?

Given your location I would look at Councils and colleges/universities. There are plenty nearby and, given that they are much larger and somewhat more sophisticated than schools, should give you the variety and increased experience that you are looking for, as well as having more career potential. They can also afford to pay rather better than schools.

Another one to look at are the Police Forces, who also employ civilian IT support staff. Not to forget our glorious DHSS and Customs & Revenue either :D

You really need to look at the cost of actually living in Cheltenham. You are much closer to Birmingham, Manchester, Loughborough, Nottingham, Leicester, Sheffield. I would be inclined to look there first.

If you lived in London it would be no problem, because Cheltenham is certainly cheaper. In your situation this is unfortunately not the case.

EDIT: Single rail fare is about £27 so I would guess that a season ticket will be around £5000..................that will leave you about £30 per week worse off

Check the real numbers but you would have to travel at peak times to get there for 09.00Hrs.

I know your pain. I worked as an IT tech in a Public school for 3 years.

I used to commute 1.5hr each way to it. £5000 will dissapear very quickly on petrol/diesel, depreciation and repairs.
2hr a day is a big hit. You would feel very tired driving it, not for a few weeks but it would get you.

If the train is economical it would be the only real option but then you could get hit by out of hours issues like Nihil mentioned.

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iven your location I would look at Councils and colleges/universities.

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A good idea and a good thing if you can get it but they are notoriously clique ridden with jobs often going to known/internal applicants. Saying that I did move into a local authority but I moved away from support into Infosec.

Can't comment on property prices, it's a LOT cheaper up here but getting more expensive everyday.

I am stuck between a rock and a hard place, on one hand I really want to get out of my current position, but, on the other I dont want to take a drop in pay whether it be because of travel or anything else.

I do keep a close eye on all the police websites including derby, notts, and leicester, but they dont have anything and havnt done for last last 6 months or more, local council is pretty much the same.

Nihil: I thought about rail figures, I wouldn't have my motorbike to run though (Petrol, Insurance, TAX) so that would acrew some savings, but I do take your point it is a hefty chunk per year out of my wages.