Life vs Career question - new job?

[Trifid]

Safe and boring is good in a recession... How do the pensions compare?

For me, I value free time very highly. Even if I'm not doing anything productive, I'd rather do that then have to work for someone else. I personally keep on finding that the higher paying jobs are not worth the loss in time from the commute and I'm sure thee will be high demands on putting extra effort (read as time) in at the end of each day for the extra money.

 

[HangTime]

A while back I traded a job that was a 25min walk for a 2.25hr each-way commute (4 days a week). Personally, I didn't actually mind the art of commuting all that much, when it was running to schedule. The time away from home was more annoying that the actual commute. I also had to do the Waterloo & City line, big queues to get on the platform, very hot in summer etc, but you wouldn't need to do that if you can just walk from Waterloo. So a commute like that sounds not too bad, although there will be the odd day with many cancellations etc, being delayed by an hour or two.

Having basically worked from home since March 2020 aside from half a dozen days in an office I don't think I'd go back to that, I'd say max 2 days a week in the office and that would need to be a very good job.

 

[Rroff]

I also had to do the Waterloo & City line, big queues to get on the platform, very hot in summer etc, but you wouldn't need to do that if you can just walk from Waterloo.

Used to do the south eastern line Waterloo East, London Bridge, New Cross, etc. it was like a horde of zombies at rush hour waiting on the platforms and packed wall to wall...

EDIT: I was usually lucky though my timing and/or direction of travel meant I just saw it in passing rather than had to be in amongst it and/or on through trains.

 

[mid_gen]

Do it.

I made a similar post (well, I didn't bother actually). I had a nice cushy role 15 mins away at Aston University, or a role 50-120mins away in Warwick. I took the latter on the basis it gave me an ENORMOUS spring board. My trajectory with Aston University was £40k over 8-10 years. My trajectory now is 10x that.

If you don't mind the early mornings, and you can "make ends meet" so it isn't miserable - do it. Even if it is just for a while.

The last you want to do is wake up in 20 years time and be a boring old fart wearing rubber shoes.

I'd possibly recommend it if OP had said they're one of those people that lives for their job and absolutely loves spending 12 hours in the office and working weekends (these people exist).

But as they say fitness and leisure are a passion of theirs.....it just doesn't make sense.

I'd also be wary of giving up your comfortable job for another public sector role in London when the Tories are mounting another effort to dismantle what's left of the civil service.

 

[Deleted member 651465]

Stick with the comfortable job and request a meeting with your manager. Ask if you could take a secondment to another department or take on additional responsibilities as you feel a bit stale.

Worst case scenario: do some vocational training and look for something much more attractive, but I'm not seeing that in option B (of your OP).

 

[Freefaller]

I wouldn't unless it's a guaranteed career improvement. The commute for me is inconsequential but I work in an industry where 7am starts are normal so I've been getting up at 5am for decades. Yet still had time for gym, and tucking the kids to bed. However everyone is different and now everyone is slightly spoilt for choice with WFH.

For me it would be about development, skills and career opportunities. Sometimes you need a sidestep to progress. However if your job is as good as you say you need to make it exciting again. Either ask for some development work or take on a project that is going to stretch you. Or see if you can do a job rotation. If it's public sector it may have another directorate or department you can work in for a bit of newness?

Getting complacent and bored is toxic for career development as you'll fester and end up just being uninspired to progress.

 

[ultralaser]

It's difficult, I was in a not dissimilar position. I was both a little bored and to be honest in a rut but paid enough to have a decent standard of living and a large degree of autonomy in my role. I'd say is take your time selecting a role, I was very close to rushing into a role that would have been a great option but ultimately not the right blend of reward vs flexibility, I was lucky in that another option came out of the blue that allowed a bit of the best of all worlds.

I'll be honest and say WFH is a mixed blessing, and whilst 1:15 would certainly be on the higher end of my own threshold, it can be a very useful time too if used correctly.

Ultimately for me the decision came down to 'would I regret not trying something else in 10 years time' and the answer was a resounding yes in my case. Also it really helped chatting it through with my partner, she was really helpful giving me a fresh perspective without the years of my what was institutionalised thinking.

Good luck with whatever you decide.