What would you chose and why?

Option 1: nice company, mostly nice people, good holiday and flex, lots of time to ride your bike and be at home, but, salary okay enough to have a small 2 bed in a rough part of town, an okay bike or car and the odd holiday. But work is dull, uninspiring and you have no career progression….life whilst should be all good is feeling very meh.

Or.

Option 2: take much higher salary in London, lots of unknowns, but should be hugely challenging working with some real high flyers, dipping into and out of other companies so getting very broad experience, but, massive commute of around 4 hours (could read a lot…) with a view to relocate for an 1.5hr commute if it works out okay.

Supportive partner involved. No kids.

Anyone else been here got the tshirt?

London as a short-term move? You’ll never know until you try etc etc etc,

Plan to get back out though. No one needs a 4 hour commute on top of a full working day.

Take the money. Wish I did. Once you’ve got it you’ve got options and it’s easier to change your life. You may have to work the hours but do it while you’re young and able.

4hr commute dropping to 1.5 hours! No way. Is there scope to look for option 3? Work life balance of option 1 but doing something interesting.

But work is dull, uninspiring and you have no career progression

Option 2 then. Twas what I did (but not in London, took a badly paid job in a small company with big ideas that’s now taking off), I’m typing this from a clients office in America…which is nice.

Although you will need a properly supportive partner.

Personally I couldn’t hack the 4 hr commute period, so would’t touch that role with a bargepole. Up to you really….

It’s 80mins on the train each way with walk either side. Cut a bit shorter by riding a brompton or the like.

Does not appear to be anything local. It is all the same sort of role for maybe slightly more but with less benefits. None seem to offer excitement / opportunity.

It’s a risk reward thing I suppose. I really don’t want to be spending all that time commuting as it is mostly dead time.

But I feel some thing needs to change I’m permanently bored at the moment no matter how much extra stuff I take on it is just all the same, and isn’t leading anywhere….I wish I could be happy just turning the handle for the next 30 years but I reckon I’d end up chucking myself off a bridge.

OK, I thought that was 4 hours each way, not 4 in total. Still a lot of your life wasted….

I’ve done a 2hr commute for 2 years. Annoyingly I’d just moved away from London before the job came up. Wasn’t keen to move back but I wanted the job. I was fortunate in that I could start after 10 and finish between 6 and 7 so avoid playing sardines with filthy Londoners. After that another opportunity came up which wasn’t commutable so I moved away from family and friends to do that.

Both opportunities were worthwhile and its always good to challenge yourself. However I now have a small child and I can’t see that being compatible with either scenario. I guess I would be concerned about getting sucked into the London vortex where your housing costs might outweigh the salary increases.

do the money thing..

Go and take a risk in London and see where it takes you, could be the best thing that ever happens to you. Do it while you don’t have kids.

I’m a 45 year old who’s always played safe, and is now not in a position to move. My biggest regret is drifting into a family business.

Move to London now, enjoy the money and the lifestyle, then get out in 10-15 years time when the place dives you mad and you yearn for the hills

Thats what I did anyway… very glad I ‘did’ London

Option 2, negotiate working from home into it – that’s what I did.

2 hours each way on a commuter train.

Been there done that. Even with a cycle at each end it drove me mad. Was just completely wasted time.

I used to read a proper newspaper cover to cover, do all the puzzles then read a novel on the train. Was properly clued up on world affairs, and read quite a few good books. Did go slightly mad from lack of exercise in the end though.

Was just completely wasted time.

If it leads to a better career and a securer future then surely its time well spent.