Worth My While?

Twilightning

Hey guys, I just want to get a few opinions on this. I've been applying for jobs all day every day and not hearing anything back, I'm sure you all know how frustrating this is. Last night before I went to bed I put in a quick application for an off licence and to my surprise this morning I had an email telling me when and where the interviews were being held.

They're being held tomorrow and the job's part time, so about 20 hours a week, and on minimum wage, out in Tyrrelstown. The only problem is I live in Donaghmede. I really am applying for everything and I'm so thankful I actually got a response back this time but I don't know if this job would be in any way practical at all. I don't have a car and the only way I could get out there is getting a bus from Parnell St. in the city centre. It'd take me half an hour-45 mins to get into the city centre from where I live, and (I've never actually been to Tyrrelstown) I think about 45 minutes to an hour to get out there. Then I have to do the same thing back home. €1.60 times four is €6.40 a day on transport.

Do you think this job would be worth my while?

RedXIV

so if you were working 5 days a week, unlikey for a 20 hour a week job you'd be spending 32 quid on transport. thats not TERRIBLE. I spend the guts of 60 a quid on petrol getting to my job a week. transport costs are going to be there. And I agree its hardly perfect BUT as anyone will tell you, it's easier to get a job when you have a job. Personally, I'd take it, but thats me. It'd give you a bit of extra cash, flesh out the CV and learn a new skill. You can always keep looking for work while you have the job?

seamus

Really depends on how badly you need the job and how many days you'd actually be working.

If it's 4 days of 5 hours apiece, then that's €25.60 per week on bus travel.

20 hours a week at minimum wage is €173. So you'd be spending 15% of your wages on just getting to and from work.

On the other hand, if it's three days of 7-ish hours, your costs are less.

Also note that you can get 5-day unlimited travel tickets for €21, reducing your cost of getting to work to €5.35 per day.

To put that in context, the cost of having a car, paying for tax, insurance and petrol for the 20km trip, twice a day, four times a week would cost roughly €25 a week. Not including maintenance. So money-wise you're actually not losing out badly.

Quality of life is an issue. The slog of getting a 45 minute bus into town, followed by another bus to work, and then the reverse, day in and day out can really grind you down. It doesn't help when your job is mundane. On top of that, it's an off-licence. So you will finish at 10pm, when it's dark and you're tired and you're facing a 90 minute trip home. On a Saturday night you will get to share the homeward leg with drunk people. On a Sunday night, you will be waiting around for busses.

That said, if you can make a routine out of it, it can work. Such as making a habit of going to see a friend in the city after (or before) work and grabbing your dinner, takes the monotony out of the commute.

Cute Hoor

It's 18.6km from Donaghmede to Tyrrelstown, one hour on the bike, get fit as well as getting paid, go for it.

eejoynt

1 It is always easier to get a job when you have a jobso while the job mightnt be great it might help set you up for something better

2 transport costs check out dublin bus- i think their t90 ticket costs 18.50 for ten journies- it is not time bound so if you dont use it up one week it carries over to the next
it buys you ninety minutes of travel with bus changes alloed so that brings down your bus cost to 3.70 per day

woolymammoth

Twilightning wrote: »

I've been applying for jobs all day every day and not hearing anything back, I'm sure you all know how frustrating this is.

I do know. We all want the perfect job, but not all of us get it. The work will be a psychological boost to you if nothing else.

CK2010

if the interview is near where you'll be working then travel to the interview as you would if you were working and see how you get on. just give yourself alot of time cause you dont wanna be late.

if its group interviews or they have a few to do then you may not hear from them for a while so maybe do the trip a few times (maybe find a reason to go there first so you're not just travelling there and back!) and by the time they get back to you you'll know if its worth the trip.

id say go for it though! best of luck either way and congrats on getting the interview!

tatli_lokma

also, if it were say 20 hours over 3 or 4 days, you could look to go on 'casual' benefit on the dole, and you would get pro rata the other days on the dole. that would flesh out your wages more, and make 20 hours at minimum wage more beneficial, and as others said, you can usually get a job more easily if you have a job.

You can't do the casual benefit if you work 5 days though, so even if you only did 1 hour 5 days a week you couldn't claim it, but if your 20 hours are spread over 4 days or less you can claim that.