The Careers/Jobs thread

[lapal_fan]

 

 

CVByrne - how did the interview go?

Gentleman, I have a situation and I need major advice.....

Higher paid - pros - big salary increase, mobile & laptop, small internal recruitment team in a FTSE 100 company, working with old boss(?)

Higher paid - cons - 40min travel time, pure internal recruitment role - could I get bored?, working with old boss(?)

I have no idea what to do!!!!!!!

Whatever you decide, good luck. What strikes me is the bit I've quoted.

The travel time and salary. If you're spending an extra 30 mins each way travelling for the higher paid job, that's 5 hours a week (or 6 if you work on a saturday. That's something like an extra 15% of your time devoted to work activity. Plus there's the extra fuel or ticket costs of the longer distance, plus mileage in your car leading to depreciation.

5K (after tax) is going to end up being about 3.5K, or around £300 a month, £75/week in your pocket. take off your extra time and fuel costs, and is the 5 hours extra travel time and fuel costs worth 75 quid a week to you? might you actually be better off with the time and lower costs than the £75 quid?

My advice would be to consider the extra money and the extra cost as one thing. Then maybe the decision might be easier for you to make.

Cheers Blandy.

The higher paid role is in the same town as where I work at the moment. So I am used to the costs of the travel, and I will be earning more on top of what I do at the moment. The lower paid role will involve me using my own car to travel to Dartford and Reading. (I live in oxfordshire). Meaning I will have to get travel insurance. I also drive a fiesta ST which isn't the best when it comes to fuel consumption! However, I won't be travelling all the time and the base office is 10mins from my house. It's just an account management type role which could lead to greater things than a pure internal rec role for a FTSE 100 company.

The lower paid job is 25k, the higher paid 30k, which at 26 years of age is a good amount to be on....

Grrrrrr! So hard to decide!

 

 

As Blandy said, work out how much fuel you'll be using, how much more wear on your tyres, you're insurance will go up because you'll be doing business miles and travelling further.  I once left a job for a £5k increase, but because it was a 60 mile commute (one way) I should have just put up with my other job.

 

I was 25 at the time, so exactly the same as you money wise etc and I regret taking the job.

 

It doesn't matter earning an extra £5k a year, if you'll be travelling way more anyway.  In reality (or your pocket) they're offering you a £1k, maybe £2k a year rise, but you'll have less time doing shit because of travelling.

 

Stay close would be my advice, my situation turned out ok in the end, I left that job after 6 months, because it was shit.

[Stevo985]

Don't underestimate how much a commute can make you miserable.

 

Traffic on my commute has gotten a lot owrse over the past 6 months.

It's a 45 minute drive/ coach ride anyway when traffic is good. That's manageable. But nearly every day now there's significant delays each way.

 

It makes me miserable every **** day.

[Tayls]

Don't underestimate how much a commute can make you miserable.

Traffic on my commute has gotten a lot owrse over the past 6 months.

It's a 45 minute drive/ coach ride anyway when traffic is good. That's manageable. But nearly every day now there's significant delays each way.

It makes me miserable every **** day.

Thankfully, I have just found out that it will be travelling to 3 sites once a week whilst I am getting started and then this will go down to once a month. Which shouldn't be an issue. My main base is 10mins from my house along country roads so, should be ok. The other job is 40 mins away but I do it every day for my current job anyway, so very used to it.

[lapal_fan]

 

Don't underestimate how much a commute can make you miserable.

Traffic on my commute has gotten a lot owrse over the past 6 months.

It's a 45 minute drive/ coach ride anyway when traffic is good. That's manageable. But nearly every day now there's significant delays each way.

It makes me miserable every **** day.

Thankfully, I have just found out that it will be travelling to 3 sites once a week whilst I am getting started and then this will go down to once a month. Which shouldn't be an issue. My main base is 10mins from my house along country roads so, should be ok. The other job is 40 mins away but I do it every day for my current job anyway, so very used to it.

 

 

Then you'll adore the 10 min journey

[Stevo985]

Thing is, when my 40 minute commute is a 40 minute commute, weirdly I actually quite like it. I read a book or listen to a podcast or play a game or nap. It's great.

 

But when it's an hour and 15 minutes, and the extra is due to being sat in traffic or roadworks or an accident or whatever, it really gets to me.

 

It's psychological I think. If it was a 1hr 15 minute drive I probably wouldn't mind. It's because it SHOULD take 45 minutes. That's what annoys me.

[Eames]

Thing is, when my 40 minute commute is a 40 minute commute, weirdly I actually quite like it. I read a book or listen to a podcast or play a game or nap. It's great.

 

But when it's an hour and 15 minutes, and the extra is due to being sat in traffic or roadworks or an accident or whatever, it really gets to me.

 

It's psychological I think. If it was a 1hr 15 minute drive I probably wouldn't mind. It's because it SHOULD take 45 minutes. That's what annoys me.

So when the roads are clear you read/nap/play a game and you only concentrate when the road is busy? 

[Dr_Pangloss]

Well I had an absolute technical grilling in an interview today. The interviewer would get me to 'visualise' a data set and then asked me for the precise R code required to solve a particular data manipulation problem. 

 

I managed to answer the questions, but perhaps didn't keep my composure at all times, I don't exactly think in R code, so obviously I would have come up with better solutions to problems if I had the console and data in front of me. 

 

He then asked a stats question, but his question didn't really make a lot of sense from a technical standpoint, so I spent about 5 minutes debating the question with him. He got a little bit impatient. So I'm not expecting a call back, shame because it's an enormous company and would have been a great opportunity. But, ya know, you win some you lose some. Two more irons in the fire. 

Edited November 17, 2014 by Dr_Pangloss

[Tayls]

Well I had an absolute technical grilling in an interview today. The interviewer would get me to 'visualise' a data set and then asked me for the precise R code required to solve a particular data manipulation problem.

I managed to answer the questions, but perhaps didn't keep my composure at all times, I don't exactly think in R code, so obviously I would have come up with better solutions to problems if I had the console and data in front of me.

He then asked a stats question, but his question didn't really make a lot of sense from a technical standpoint, so I spent about 5 minutes debating the question with him. He got a little bit impatient. So I'm not expecting a call back, shame because it's an enormous company and would have been a great opportunity. But, ya know, you win some you lose some. Two more irons in the fire.

Haha. Sounds pretty tough. This may sound stupid, but what do you do?? I have no idea what any of that R stuff is....

[Stevo985]

 

Thing is, when my 40 minute commute is a 40 minute commute, weirdly I actually quite like it. I read a book or listen to a podcast or play a game or nap. It's great.

 

But when it's an hour and 15 minutes, and the extra is due to being sat in traffic or roadworks or an accident or whatever, it really gets to me.

 

It's psychological I think. If it was a 1hr 15 minute drive I probably wouldn't mind. It's because it SHOULD take 45 minutes. That's what annoys me.

So when the roads are clear you read/nap/play a game and you only concentrate when the road is busy? 

 

Whether I concentrate depends on if I'm driving or not.

 

My post wasn't very clear. BAsically what I meant was even though the extra time isn't that much, and a lot of the time I'm not driving so I'm just reading anyway, it annoys me because it takes longer than it should.

Edited November 17, 2014 by Stevo985

[Baselayers]

Hmmm had my first "Interview" today I suppose in my life.

 

I had no idea what I should say or how I should say It. Don't say i didn't roll in prepared!

 

I am 34 years old.

 

Tragic

[Ginko]

Hmmm had my first "Interview" today I suppose in my life.

 

I had no idea what I should say or how I should say It. Don't say i didn't roll in prepared!

 

I am 34 years old and an Olympian.

 

Awesome 

 

Fixed.

[AVFCforever1991]

Well I had an absolute technical grilling in an interview today. The interviewer would get me to 'visualise' a data set and then asked me for the precise R code required to solve a particular data manipulation problem. 

 

I managed to answer the questions, but perhaps didn't keep my composure at all times, I don't exactly think in R code, so obviously I would have come up with better solutions to problems if I had the console and data in front of me. 

 

He then asked a stats question, but his question didn't really make a lot of sense from a technical standpoint, so I spent about 5 minutes debating the question with him. He got a little bit impatient. So I'm not expecting a call back, shame because it's an enormous company and would have been a great opportunity. But, ya know, you win some you lose some. Two more irons in the fire. 

 

Just send him a youtube link to Ximena cordoba to make up for it...

[jonno_2004]

The missus has been totally f'd over by her current employer - she's had an offer from a 'Big 4' firm, which is exceptionally good given where she started from.The current employer is trying to go back nearly 4 years claiming various training expenses (bearing in mind she's also been through 2 acquisitions so those expenses weren't incurred by the current employer). Considering some form of legal advice, but it will most likely just end up too expensive and stressful given we're saving for a house. Feel so sorry for her, elated earlier on this week to feeling totally deflated by Wednesday.

[Xela]

The missus has been totally f'd over by her current employer - she's had an offer from a 'Big 4' firm, which is exceptionally good given where she started from.The current employer is trying to go back nearly 4 years claiming various training expenses (bearing in mind she's also been through 2 acquisitions so those expenses weren't incurred by the current employer). Considering some form of legal advice, but it will most likely just end up too expensive and stressful given we're saving for a house. Feel so sorry for her, elated earlier on this week to feeling totally deflated by Wednesday.

 

I might be missing something but why can't your missus accept the job and hand her notice in? 

[jonno_2004]

 

The missus has been totally f'd over by her current employer - she's had an offer from a 'Big 4' firm, which is exceptionally good given where she started from.The current employer is trying to go back nearly 4 years claiming various training expenses (bearing in mind she's also been through 2 acquisitions so those expenses weren't incurred by the current employer). Considering some form of legal advice, but it will most likely just end up too expensive and stressful given we're saving for a house. Feel so sorry for her, elated earlier on this week to feeling totally deflated by Wednesday.

 

I might be missing something but why can't your missus accept the job and hand her notice in? 

 

She (and by that I mean, us) will have to repay the training fees should she leave - which given the majority of which occurred prior to the subsequent acquisitions, the current business has no real idea of what they were and as such they will most likely be plucked from thin air. 

[penguin]

Would definitely seek some legal advice on that one jonno even if only to settle your minds one way or the other.

[CrackpotForeigner]

The missus has been totally f'd over by her current employer - she's had an offer from a 'Big 4' firm, which is exceptionally good given where she started from.The current employer is trying to go back nearly 4 years claiming various training expenses (bearing in mind she's also been through 2 acquisitions so those expenses weren't incurred by the current employer). Considering some form of legal advice, but it will most likely just end up too expensive and stressful given we're saving for a house. Feel so sorry for her, elated earlier on this week to feeling totally deflated by Wednesday.

 

I joined a company in the UK about 15 years ago. There was a training course overseas for a few weeks at the start of it. When we joined they said we'd have to pay back the training costs unless we worked for them for six months (or whatever, I forget because I worked for them for a couple of years). People who had worked for the company for a while told us it was bollox and wouldn't stand up in court. I believe this was so, because quite a few people did quit in less than the time, and none of them got hit for the cash.

 

So my guess is that the same is still true. If it isn't I'd be amazed: When you think about it, it'd be a bit like slavery. I know that companies are pissing on their employees more and more all the time, but I doubt it's got that bad. My advice would be to first find someone (not the Yellow Pages!) who can recommend a lawyer who won't rip you off, then it should only cost you an hour's consultation fee, at worst.

[Tayls]

Did she sign anything when took the courses on? Or is there anything written in a handbook of some sort that outlines all the company policies? Or, does she have an email from a senior or HR dept which makes it clear that she will need to repay the costs of the course if she leaves?

I took on an open Uni course earlier in the year. My company paid for it, but I had to sign a form to say that if I leave within 2 years I will have to pay back the full amount. I left on Tuesday this week, so I have to pay it back. I knew that and agreed to it so wasn't a shock to me.

Check contracts, policies etc just to make sure! If there is nothing, then they don't really have a leg to stand on!

[Nicho]

So I leave my job on the 19th December, I just couldnt handle it anymore. Leaving without another job to go to could be the stupidest thing I ever do.

[Ginko]

What job will you be leaving, if you don't mind my asking? Any idea on what you do next?

 

I went on a couple of long periods over the last two years without working and it's tough out there. It really makes you appreciate having a job, though I think I am lucky that I'm not working for a really good company who treat their people right, are on the rise and I'm pretty good at what I do by all accounts. I've never been in a job like that before. 

Edited November 19, 2014 by Ginko