Anonymous wrote:New job for sure. NO question. But why not negotiate salary matching with your current job at 88k? that is pretty standard. then really you have everything.

I agree that they can likely match your current salary. Also agree that in the longer term, 5 shorter days will end up being better. It also can't hurt to broach the idea of part-time, or the option of some lwop / extra vacation days to spend some more time with the kids.

New job for sure. NO question. But why not negotiate salary matching with your current job at 88k? that is pretty standard. then really you have everything.

Take the new job, because you'll be getting rid of the commute!

Definitely take the new job.

Commute, hands down.
When I was interviewing for my current job, I had this choice (close by or more money downtown/commute), I chose the more money/commute and although I really like my job and coworkers/work/money, I hate the commute (coming from Herndon to Metro Center DC)!

I wish I had taken the local job..

OP here. Thanks for your replies so far. To clarify, the salaries are comparable based on the FT salaries. So, at my current job, my base salary is $88K but is prorated by 80% so I make closer to $70K. The salary at the new job would be $83K. But I currently spend about $2500 a year on my commute and my work does not reimburse any of it.

I do think there would be a possibility of cutting to 4 days at the new job eventually, or at the very least, leaving an hour or two earlier. They may even go for that plan now--I haven't really pushed the issue yet as I am in the preliminary stages with the new job. I know they are open to working at home as needed as well but this doesn't do me a lot of good since my kids are there and DH works from home a lot too (its really hard to get anything done at home).

New job. But also curious if you'd be making more since its FT.

Another vote for the close-to-home option. It sounds like professionally, it's the direction you want to move in, and as the kids get older and you potentially lose the nanny, being close by will be a huge plus. As you said, the net number of hours with your kids is comparable.

I went from a 3 day a week part-time schedule (25hrs) to a 5 day a week part-time schedule (30hrs). I do miss having at least one full day at home with my kids and the opportunities to get out and do fun things that that affords, but there have been advantages to having the same schedule every day and it didn't take long to get used to it.

New job, for sure. Being closer to home affords a ton of flexibility and as you build up goodwill at your new job, the possibility for an adjusted 4-day workweek might come up.

As a pp mentioned, once your children start school being closeby will be a huge help.

Commuting sucks. Avoid it if at all possible.

Do you think there's any chance of ever going part-time in the new gig? I'd say all signs point to taking the new job. If you think new job would let you go part-time in a few years after you established yourself, I'd definitely take the new job.

What's the vacation/sick package like? Will get as much or more time off as you did at the previous job? Federal holidays?

Assuming that's roughly the same or better, I think you take the new job. It's a similar amount of time with your kids, and it's more in the direction of the kind of industry you want.

I think as your children get older being able to go to activities in the middle of the day and go back to the office would be a real plus--and once you've got one in kindergarten, that one day a week off won't be time with your kid anymore anyway.

When you say the pay scale is the same, does that mean that you make the same working 5 days a week as you would 4 days a week, or that the 4 day a week is prorated and if you worked 5 at that job, youd be making the same?

Id have a hard time working 5 days a week for the same amount of money as 4.

That said, it sounds like maybe - just maybe - you could do 5 days a week at the new job for a year and then switch to 4 days a week there too. Then that would really be win win.

I wanted to get input on a job offer that I have received to see what others would do in my situation.

I live in Rockville and currently work downtown (Farragut North) so I commute in on the Metro. Adding in the time it takes to get to the Metro and walk to my office, it generally takes about 50 minutes door to door (45 on a good day). I like my job and have been there for 5 years but would like to get out of my current industry in the long-run (I like my position but not the industry overall). Here's the great part about it--I have a 4-day work schedule which gives me one day a week with my young kids (3 yo and 8 mo). They are also very flexible with doc appts, pre-school functions, kids being sick, etc.

I have a job offer where I would have to go back FT but the office is one mile from my house. It would take me less than 15 minutes to get there including dropping my older child off at pre-school. The hours are 9-5 (as are my current hours) but instead of getting home close to 6pm, I would get home at 5:05. I would also be close enough to be able to go home at lunch and breastfeed my little one (we have a nanny at home), have lunch with the older one (pre-school is half-day), etc.

Pay scale at the new job would be slightly less but I wouldn't have to pay for Metro so it would even out. Both places are very flexible and family-friendly but it would be great to be so close to home, despite the fact that I would need to go back to a 5-day schedule. If you factor in the commute time, I am still spending just as much time away from the kids on a 4-day schedule and I could go back to a FT salary without adding 8-10 more hours to my week. In terms of my new job responsibilities, I know I would enjoy them and is closer to the industry I want to be in but not exactly the role I want forever either.

WWYD?