Is it worth switching jobs if the new potential job is 70 miles away but a 20k bump in pay?

Long story short, I hate my current job. It pays well for my age (22)...at least I think so. I'm on a 60k salary with a 5 k signing bonus for a leading IT consulting firm. I have realized I hate the environment and maybe that consulting in general isn't for me, at least IT consulting. I have the possibility of joining a huge healthcare company on a 75k salary with 10k bonus.

Drawbacks: I would be driving 70 miles a day to work AND back but no crappy team members or slaving like an IT consultant. I have friends working with this latter company and they love it so far.

Do you guys think it's worth for essentially a 20k bump in pay, if you include bonuses, for a 140 mile total commute on the daily? Thank you for everyone's help in advance.

 

Is moving not an option for some reason? You make the world sound as if it is either A or B that is within the realm of possibility, when there are virtually an infinite combination of working and living combinations possible.

I mean, what if it was a $2MM bump in pay but was 2,000 miles away? Would you ask if a 4,000 mile per day commute was worth a $2MM bump in pay?

 

How bad is the traffic? 70 miles could mean 1 hour each way, or it could mean 1.5 to 2. If it's closer to 2, I wouldn't do it without a move. If it's closer to 1, I'd consider it even if for I couldn't move immediately (like if if you just signed a new 1 year lease). To put it in perspective, people commute 45 mins to an hour in large cities WITHOUT being 70 miles away.

But I agree with everyone above, just move closer. You don't have to move all the way there, but it can't be that hard to find a place ~30 minutes closer, so you can drive to where you live now (assuming you have friends or family there that you want to see)

 
Best Response

Why don't you give us an idea what kind of city you're in and what kind of city the job is in?

Or don't. The reality is quite simple: if the new job is in a small town, cop a crash pad. Your choice if you want to keep a spot in your current city. If the new job is in a city as bigger or bigger than your current, stop thinking small and just move there.

A 2 hour commute is not only 2 hours+ of fuel costs. It's 4 hours per day out of your life. We're talking 20 hours per week. You could easily do the CFA and get a finance job and stop complaining about IT bullshit in general with that kind of time. Your time is your greatest asset, and that's how you should measure your options.

 

Agreed with all of the above, but for another perspective: unless you really have something anchoring you to the place you currently live, and I mean really anchoring you like your wife has a great paying job and your kids are in school there, move. You will never fully commit to your new job if you're commuting a long distance and living somewhere else unless there's a really solid reason to do so. And if you don't fully commit, you most likely won't do too well there and you'll possibly blow a good career opportunity.

And take it from someone who has commuted long distances at different points in my career (and had the above mentioned reasons to do so): long commutes suck. Like @M-Weintraub said, that 4 hours daily (or three or whatever) is a lot of time taken out of your day that you could be doing something productive or you could just be doing something more fun than driving.

 

Thank you for everyone's helpful answers. To give better context, I intend on staying home for a year or so with my parents due to personal circumstance so moving is not really an option. If all works out, I think I will take this new job and just suck it up for a bit. I just know it's a much better situation for myself. I guess maybe I can work something out with my future boss where I can leave early/come in early or something.

 
RutgersUniversity10:
I guess maybe I can work something out with my future boss where I can leave early/come in early or something.
Don't do that. Before you even start your job, you're thinking of half-assing the job. This is exactly what Dingdong08 was referring to earlier about commitment (or lack thereof) when you are commuting long distance to a job.

I don't know what's 'making' you stay at home vs. get a place on your own closer to work, but I would rethink that again, if at all possible.

 

Wouldn't be half-assing it when I'm there actually working but it was just a thought. Also, like I said I have some personal circumstances that are making me need stay at home at the moment. I'd love to move out right now if I could, believe me. Thanks for your input.

 

A) 70 miles a day isn't necessarily all that bad. I did 80 for 6 1/2 years and got pretty used to it. You'll need to find a way that minimizes traffic though. That can make all the difference. A 35 mile drive when you're cruising and have tunes or a podcast going isn't the worst way to start the day. Doing that everyday in stop and go traffic will drive you out of your mind though.

B) I'd be careful when thinking that you won't have "crappy" members at the new gig. The easiest thing to do when considering new jobs is to view the grass on the other side as greener. When you're frustrated at your current gig, everything else seems better. I've certainly been guilty of it.

C) All that being said, that's a significant pay increase. If the actual job is something interesting and you think that the commute with be an a hour or less without enraging traffic, go for it. You've gotta take a chance sometimes.

 

I initially misunderstood. I thought the commute was 70 miles in total, rather than 70 each way. That's obviously far tougher. Given that you hate your current job, I'd probably still go for it though.

 

Yup, 70 each way. I think I'll be going for it too. I shouldn't be stressing about how much I hate my job on a Saturday night..to give you a better idea of how I am feeling at my current situation.

 

I listen to podcasts on my current commute to work, which is 1 hour via train into Philadelphia. For what it's worth, I'm used to driving long distances as long as I got my tunes and podcasts. I think I'll try to find some easier routes than the highways maybe.

 

I say go for it. 20K gross increase is too much to pass up when you already say you hate your current job. I don't think you will be spending so much more money on gas that it would offset the raise. Although it depends on the hours, I don't think it would be very sustainable if you had to work 90hrs a week AND commute back and forth.

 

Incidunt a delectus voluptatem blanditiis. Quo dolorem recusandae voluptatibus ut. Fugit molestias sint culpa similique voluptatum natus incidunt. Autem fugit dolore harum quis quis. Vel officia minus quibusdam veniam est necessitatibus. Laborum ex eum nihil pariatur.

 

Minima sed atque quae autem doloribus iure nostrum. Eum nesciunt voluptatem dolores labore aperiam. Aut et odit molestiae culpa. Voluptatem exercitationem ipsum facere ut facilis quisquam.

Enim fuga laudantium reprehenderit possimus. Explicabo dolor sit hic. Vero iste hic quis pariatur consectetur quo minima. Commodi nihil tempora esse et maxime. Ad mollitia id qui.

Quia explicabo itaque quis voluptatibus porro a. Doloribus natus eos deserunt exercitationem eos nesciunt. Quisquam dolor error minima non dolorem est quis veniam. Facere vero id exercitationem. Quia aliquid deleniti sed accusantium non consequatur voluptates dignissimos. Sunt dolor sunt voluptates vero.

Fugit est et ut aut labore rem dolorem. Laboriosam eos soluta dicta tenetur id. Amet enim similique rerum fugiat. Consequatur distinctio non impedit magni illo fuga tenetur.

Career Advancement Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. (++) 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (86) $261
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (13) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (66) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (202) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (144) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”