Commuting - is it worth it???

edengarden

In a bit of a situation - I handed in my notice last week without having a job lined up - it's only since I've started looking that I realised how bad the wages are in the Midlands - I have 3 years experience as a Legal Sec.

I haven't seen any suitable jobs advertised in the last couple of weeks. I went for an office admin job interview yesterday and the wages were minimum pay- I nearly died.

So now I'm thinking of commuting to Dublin ideally part time as I have a child and couldn't bear not having the evenings with her. So really I'm looking for anyone's opinion is it worth travelling?

seamus

Depends on how you commute.
Bus - takes a long time to get out of the city in the evenings, packed with equally frazzled commuters. The trip in the morning isn't as bad.
Train - I've heard it's unreliable and expensive.
Car - Traffic! Took me an hour to get to Lucan from the City Centre in a rental car last Thursday. Stress is not the word. Give me the motorbike any day.

Ideally you would get a job somewhere on the outskirts - Lucan, Tallaght, Clondalkin, Blanch, etc. It'll minimise the time spent in traffic, and if you start and finish a little early, then you'll avoid the bulk of it.

edengarden

Yeah I'm not too familar with Dublin - and most of the jobs state the post code and I haven't a clue of what areas they are - I would be travelling from Kinnegad - what areas should I be looking out for? What post code is Lucan - D?

disillusioned

Can't remember where I saw it but recently I saw an article which mentioned that the average distance/speed travelled by car at rush-hour in Dublin is 10mph! Maybe you should consider that to get out of the city could take ages.

I've a pal who lives 40 miles from the office (based in Dublin, lives in Westmeath) but it takes at least 1.5 hours each way and he can leave at 4pm before the heavy traffic hits.

Your quality of life will defo be affected even if it's just tiredness from the extra commute. I'd suggest you work out what salary you need to maintain a lifestyle that you'd accept and then see what your options are nearer home.

AARRRGH

Generally, high postcodes (for example, Dublin 24) are on the outskirts. "Co. Dublin" is normally outskirts, but can also be places like Blackrock.

seamus

dublindude wrote:

Generally, high postcodes (for example, Dublin 24) are on the outskirts. "Co. Dublin" is normally outskirts, but can also be places like Blackrock.

Indeed. Even numbers are southside, odd numbers are northside, and the higher the number, the further away from the City Centre. Lucan is Co. Dublin.

edengarden

Thanks for the replies - hopefully something will come up soon!

leftofcentre

Why not work for yourself? I am sure you have some great skills that you could sell to people in your area. What are you good at? If there is nothing in your area, could you work via the internet? for example I know someone who is a text editor, people email her files, she fixes up the grammar and the spelling and emails them back. So gets €10 a page.

I have always worked for myself, its a hell of a lot better than busting your arse for someone else. If you work from home you can also spend time with junior.

Commuting is hell on earth.

Maynooth

The train is fine in general. Don't get the bus, it's hell.

edengarden

leftofcentre - great idea but on top of all my problems - we are at the early stages of building a house - we have just applied for planning so in a couple of months time we are going for our mortgage and I need a job ASAP. So I think I will look around the dub area!

qwertz

With the exception of D8 (Coningham Road) which is north of the river

seamus wrote:

Indeed. Even numbers are southside, odd numbers are northside, and the higher the number, the further away from the City Centre. Lucan is Co. Dublin.

RuggieBear

i believe that has something to do with an institution within the Phoenix Park which absolutely refused to have a northside postcode...might have been the OSi, i can't remember

BossArky

EdenGarden: Check out www.jobserve.com

Create an online CV, search for whatever area of work you want... IT / Admin /Media .. whatever... and then use the shopping cart icon to add jobs to your basket... then click one button and you will have applied to heaps of jobs in one go. You can refine your search by e.g. "Dublin and office admin" or "Dublin and business analyst".. etc, etc

Great site, I would urge you to check it out. (good for IT jobs anyway)

edengarden

Thanks - I tried it but nothing suitable at all.

leftofcentre

edengarden wrote:

leftofcentre - great idea but on top of all my problems - we are at the early stages of building a house - we have just applied for planning so in a couple of months time we are going for our mortgage and I need a job ASAP. So I think I will look around the dub area!

I don't think people realise how much having a job actually costs. Let me explain, you have your salary then take away:

• Taxes
• Commuting charges, eg car, bus, train.
• if you have a car Parking charges & Petrol
• Lunch, eg €6 a day on lunch = €150 a month
• All the little extra's like cofee, magazines, etc. they all add up.
• Shopping temptation, if you work in the city you will shop more

Add all these up and you will be amazed at the cost of having a job.

I am not saying working for yourself is for everyone, but it you can do it, you will find you make more money, and its less hassle.

Life is for living, not wasting 3 hours in a train/car everyday.

Can you tell i work from home?

Civilian_Target

Train's a great way into town in the morning if you're nearby. Can be a bit packed but it's fairly punctual and quick. Bus is OK - you can snooze and its quicker than car. Car really blows chunks, extremely slow (7mph between 8 and 9 am) but it does take you where you want to go and keeps you out of the rain. I cycle - which is the biz, except that you're perched on a tiny little bike surrounded by frustrated maniacs.

I'd avoid commuting if I were you - its a crap quality of life. Unless you can get out of town work somewhere like Maynooth, I would stay out of the smoke.

cashback

Maynooth wrote:

The train is fine in general. Don't get the bus, it's hell.

Would have to agree with that. Got the 5pm bus from Dublin to Carlow yesterday. Took 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Victor

post codes

http://members.boards.ie/victor/dub11.gif