The Careers/Jobs thread

[choffer]

15 years in London now so commuting is just something I put up with. I think the best commute I've had is an hour and a half each-way. Currently it's nearer two hours each way. I don't mind it so much as I can either get some work done, listen to some music, read a book or have a nap. 

It helps a lot that my boss is very relaxed. If she didn't see me for a week, she wouldn't bat an eyelid. I can work from home any day I like without telling the boss and so long as I'm in the office by about ten in the morning, that's fine too. 

Having said that, I do miss the days I worked in Birmingham when my commute was about 8 minutes in the car.

[omariqy]

I've pretty much always commuted a fair distance. First proper job was in Nottingham. I lived in city centre (Lace Market) and had to get the bus out of town to work. Then I got a job in London and commuted from Leamington for a good year and a half. I didn’t mind it as the Chiltern trains were brilliant and reliable. Used to watch sleep on the way in and watch a film on the way back. I then moved 10 mins from work until recently. Now have the standard 1 hour commute each way that most Londoners do. I long for the day that I live close to work. I will definitely make a lifestyle choice of working outside of London and living near work. I want to be able to see my daughter whilst she is awake rather than coming home and not seeing her awake till the next morning.  Ideally I would move back to Leamington and work for a local firm.

[jonno_2004]

3 hours ago, omariqy said:

I've pretty much always commuted a fair distance. First proper job was in Nottingham. I lived in city centre (Lace Market) and had to get the bus out of town to work. Then I got a job in London and commuted from Leamington for a good year and a half. I didn’t mind it as the Chiltern trains were brilliant and reliable. Used to watch sleep on the way in and watch a film on the way back. I then moved 10 mins from work until recently. Now have the standard 1 hour commute each way that most Londoners do. I long for the day that I live close to work. I will definitely make a lifestyle choice of working outside of London and living near work. I want to be able to see my daughter whilst she is awake rather than coming home and not seeing her awake till the next morning.  Ideally I would move back to Leamington and work for a local firm.

Yeah - I think in the short term my commute time will increase as it will be too expensive to purchase this close in.

Although I only moved to London 9 months ago to what is essentially a dream job at 25, there are still lurking thoughts to eventually get out of the rat race to start a family one day.

[Kingman]

On 21 November 2015 12:50:52, Warnock said:

Started my new job this past week in a completely different field to what I was doing before. Bearing in mind this is my second ever job I can't help but think how easy I had it before. I've taken a £5K pay cut (may not seem a lot to some of you but for a young person of 23 living on my own I've had to make a few sacrifices) but I've gone into something that is considered more of a career where I can work my way up and it offers a lot more opportunities down the line, rather than before I was stuck in a factory working 3 shift rota I'd say was a dead end job.

I've been very overwhelmed by it all. I start and finish and normal times so my commute is ridiculously long and I get so stressed out that I'm stuck on the road when I'm not getting paid for it. A couple of days this week it's took me 1 hr 20 mins to get home, where I finish at 4 I'm not getting back until 5:20. Again, this is probably nothing to some of you, but from travelling 10 minutes up the road where I worked before, to now driving loads has hit me a bit. 

First 20yrs are the worst pal...

[Davkaus]

I've just been offered a new job with a pretty decent payrise, about a 25% bump. It's also half an hour closer to home, , so saves me 5 hours a week plus cheaper travel, it's a more junior role which just goes to show how much my current company have been taking the piss, but my priority is paying off my mortgage, I couldn't give a shit about the job title.

Also this morning I've been asked to interview somewhere else...same job role, another 15 minutes closer to home, and potentially higher salary. The interview isn't until the end of next week though, and I doubt I can not give the first company an answer for two weeks, plus I'm not that keen on telling theem I want to wait until I interview elsewhere. I definitely don't want to stay where I am though.

My initial plan was to accept the offer, hand my notice in when the offer letter comes through, and if the second place makes a better offer, accept that and just tell the first place I changed my mind. Which does seem like a slightly shitty thing to do, I guess the other option is just to count myself lucky, accept the first offer, and don't get too greedy for more.

[Xela]

1 minute ago, Davkaus said:

I've just been offered a new job with a pretty decent payrise, about a 25% bump. It's also half an hour closer to home, , so saves me 5 hours a week plus cheaper travel, it's a more junior role which just goes to show how much my current company have been taking the piss, but my priority is paying off my mortgage, I couldn't give a shit about the job title.

Also this morning I've been asked to interview somewhere else...same job role, another 15 minutes closer to home, and potentially higher salary. The interview isn't until the end of next week though, and I doubt I can not give the first company an answer for two weeks, plus I'm not that keen on telling theem I want to wait until I interview elsewhere. I definitely don't want to stay where I am though.

My initial plan was to accept the offer, hand my notice in when the offer letter comes through, and if the second place makes a better offer, accept that and just tell the first place I changed my mind. Which does seem like a slightly shitty thing to do, I guess the other option is just to count myself lucky, accept the first offer, and don't get too greedy for more.

That's what i'd do.

Don't apologise for putting yourself first. Companies wouldn't think twice about doing you over if circumstances were different.

Oh, and congrats 

[Stevo985]

What if you waited a couple of days, accepted the first job offer, then interviewed for the second. If you get the second tell the first guys you've had a change of circumstances and have had to reconsider.

Unless you sign a contract I'm not sure they can hold you to it.

Probably a bit of a dick move, but legally you'd be ok I think.

[Davkaus]

Well as long as I'm in good company amongst selfish dicks, I'll go for it.

You're probably right about putting myself first. I turned down an external offer with a payrise a year or so ago out of a misguided sense of loyalty (I've been here for 6 years), and I've been kicking myself ever since.

I think I'll prefer the first place anyway, it's a small software house with no dress code, flexible working, etc. The second place is a big multinational, and I'm not certain until I go there but I think I'd have to suit up. Not a deal breaker but it does mean any payrise has to be high enough for me to buy a new wardrobe. They're more likely to offshore as well, which absolutely is a dealbreaker.

[AlwaysAVFC]

All you lot getting new jobs, bastards the lot of you!!

 

 

 

 

Congratulations, just extremely jealous 

[Dr_Pangloss]

1 hour ago, Xela said:

That's what i'd do.

Don't apologise for putting yourself first. Companies wouldn't think twice about doing you over if circumstances were different.

Oh, and congrats 

Absolutely spot on. It's not a dick move at all, it's called looking out for your own interests. Companies will **** you over badly if they have to, so you need to behave in exactly the same manner. 

[Davkaus]

I had a really shit afternoon so I started drafting my resignation letter. I'll take out the "P.S. go **** yourself" before I print it out. Probably.  

[TrentVilla]

On 23 November 2015 14:47:33, omariqy said:

I've pretty much always commuted a fair distance. First proper job was in Nottingham. I lived in city centre (Lace Market) and had to get the bus out of town to work. Then I got a job in London and commuted from Leamington for a good year and a half. I didn’t mind it as the Chiltern trains were brilliant and reliable. Used to watch sleep on the way in and watch a film on the way back. I then moved 10 mins from work until recently. Now have the standard 1 hour commute each way that most Londoners do. I long for the day that I live close to work. I will definitely make a lifestyle choice of working outside of London and living near work. I want to be able to see my daughter whilst she is awake rather than coming home and not seeing her awake till the next morning.  Ideally I would move back to Leamington and work for a local firm.

You should move back to Notts!

[omariqy]

13 hours ago, TrentVilla said:

You should move back to Notts!

Apart from Leamington, it was definitely my favourite place to live. I loved it. The city was a good size to walk around and enjoy and the people were great. It also has the best curry place I have ever been to. Desi Express in Hyson Green. Looks like a normal takeaway place but the food is fantastic. Lived in Lace Market and Mapperley Park, both great. If I ever went back I would look to live in Mapperely Park again I think.

[chrisp65]

If you can get yourself to a point where you have two real written job offers you can be quite straight with both companies.

Tell the lower offer company that you'd love to take the job but someone else has offered more, and you unfortunately can't turn down more money. Very often, for the sake of a slight uplift, they'd rather pay you more than go through the grief of looking for someone else again.

 

 

[omariqy]

22 hours ago, Xela said:

That's what i'd do.

Don't apologise for putting yourself first. Companies wouldn't think twice about doing you over if circumstances were different.

Oh, and congrats 

I was in a similar position with 3 offers on the table this time last year. I was thinking of doing the same thing but I felt bad about it so didn't go through with it in the end. It worked out for the best anyway. However, my brother this year was again in a similar position to me and decided to do the right thing. He rejected the other company and went with the first company. Anyway to cut a long story short the first company ended up saying to him that there was no job to go into and they had made a mistake. He would have to wait 6 months. By doing the right thing he ended up back at square 1 as the other position had been filled. So yes, put yourself first.

[Davkaus]

Well, decision made, tomorrow is quitting time.

Do people still write official resignation letters? I've never had to quit before!

[Genie]

9 minutes ago, Davkaus said:

Well, decision made, tomorrow is quitting time.

Do people still write official resignation letters? I've never had to quit before!

Just ping your boss an email to formalise it.

[mikeyp102]

Left my job after 6 yrs about two months ago in not the best circs.  Started a temp job 3 weeks ago, and now have been offered a new job on more money and more development than my original job. Happy days.

[Stevo985]

13 hours ago, Davkaus said:

Well, decision made, tomorrow is quitting time.

Do people still write official resignation letters? I've never had to quit before!

Yes

[Rodders]

Yes, although the last time I did it, it was literally just one line going "Rightio Boss, I've decided I'm off. In keeping with the one month notice policy I'm skidaddling on X date." ( more or less, I may have been a bit more formal when I wrote it.