Should I quit a job that involves a long commute if I don’t have anything lined up?

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TheFundamentalPoint@reddit

If you quit you’ll have way more urgency to get a job, so I say quit. Doesn’t settle

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I’ve done this all the time. I take it like a mini vacay. Quit and start making finding a job you’re other job. People always say stay but if you’re miserable why would I stay. I hate living in hell. Some people can do it but I can’t live like that. It might be rebellious but I just quit and start looking.

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Ladylucifron@reddit

I'd wait to find another one... I feel ya. My commute is 3 hours a day if everything with traffic and transit goes well.... Longer in the snow, etc.

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BluejayAppropriate35@reddit

Companies hire the employed. Full stop. Stay where you are until you have something

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creddit83@reddit

I intend to mention the commute when I leave my current job. Especially since my job can be done fully remote

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DragonsBane80@reddit

Yup "Why did you leave your last job" Hiring manager will only hear "because I was lazy" no matter how you spin the truth of "I didn't want to commute 90 min to work" Better to stay and find a new job. And don't say "because of the commute" when asked why you want to leave.

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joppedi_72@reddit

Don't quit your job without having a new job lined up. As for the commute, use the time to study and broaden your knowledge. That might even help you finding a new job.

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bot4241@reddit

Bro having no money sucks. Why do this? Just put some podcasts on while your drive. Get some vacation instead. And keep on implying for a better location.

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BachRodham@reddit

>I’ve been trying for closer jobs to no success. This leads me to believe that quitting your current job without anything else lined up would be unwise in your situation.

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moldyjellybean@reddit

Way easier to find a job when you have one. You don’t give the aura of needing them .

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PortusRed@reddit

Yeah, OP's question is kind of dumb. I can only assume they're looking for some kind of reassurance that sticking it out while looking for a new job is the best option, which I totally sympathize with, but seriously...

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DoYourBestEveryDay@reddit

Telling people you want a job closer to home is a great answer to give when someone asks, "Why do you want to leave your current position?". Even if it's untrue (meaning you don't like the job) you just tell them that and you're fine.

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Bokorm_@reddit

As someone who lost the last job because of end time on contract and took me a year to get back in work. DON'T quit without having anything else lined up. Being unemployed sucks and you get down if you can't get anything fast. You eventually loose interest and go a little depressed if you go long enough. If you have a choice don't go on unemployment and look for a job.

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Pretty_Gorgeous@reddit

100% no. Wrong market for it. I know of a senior system engineer in the largest and most expensive city in my country who quit his job on a whim because he didn't get the pay rise he wanted. That was at the start of June. His wife works part time and they have two kids who are both are expensive in their own right.. They both stupidly thought that their savings would keep them going short term, but now that's all gone.. He has just finally managed to get a forklift job a couple of days a week that is further away from home and he has to drive there and it pays less just because he can't find anything else, and even then he was applying for alot of jobs.

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1smoothcriminal@reddit

No

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TheJesusGuy@reddit

I'm in this exact situation except I have a 3 month notice so I HAVE to quite without anything lined up.

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HLingonberry@reddit

They already reassigned you to another hospital, have you asked management if there are any positions closer to you? If you don’t ask . . .

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RutzPacific@reddit

No.

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Lokryn@reddit

Nope. Job market is not great. Stick it out. Get a hotel room close by a few days a month if it helps. Then just keep looking. It's harder to find a job when you're unemployed then it is when already employed.

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bewsii@reddit

HR is like dating.. you're more valuable if someone else already has/wants you. Freshen your resume and start interviewing. This will tell you pretty quick how your skills translate in the current market. If they don't translate and you already quit, well then you're in trouble.

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Grumpy-0ld-Guy@reddit

"if I don't have anything lined up" is answer to your question.

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981flacht6@reddit

Get a resume writer. Get interviews and be confident. You'll get out in no time.

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doglar_666@reddit

If your mental health is suffering, can you maybe try staying in a hotel or Airbnb for some nights that's just outside the high crime area? That should ease some of the pressure you're feeling.

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zgeom@reddit

1 hour 20 mins is common in Bangalore.

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bofh2023@reddit

Consider a local crash pad, or even a cheap motel, and go home for the weekends. I did this for a week or 2-3 when I was commuting about 200 miles a day (just about 100 miles one way!) For a long term solution we just moved (a lot!) closer to my job, but in your case it could be the temporary arrangement that lets you jobhunt.

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Spare-Ride7036@reddit

My dad did that for like 15 years. Left Cincinnati early Monday morning, arrived in Detroit. Had a super cheap garage apartment then Friday afternoon drove back to Cincy.  Then Detroit imploded, so that chapter ended.

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baldiesrt@reddit

I travel 1:45 each way. It’s worth it to me because I only have to go in 3 times a week and it’s a single train ride after I drive 10 minutes to the station. I highly advise you not to quit unless you have another job lined up. You don’t want to be sitting at home, job hunting and being worried about your next month’s rent/mortgage payment.

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Quartzalcoatl_Prime@reddit

Dude we have zero information on your finances, how are we supposed to help answer this lol yeah man quit your job I guess since money apparently isn’t a concern

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SenTedStevens@reddit

I quit my job once once many years ago with nothing lined up. But I had plenty of money in reserve to float my time. Plus with all the PTO I had banked, it was like getting a couple more paychecks coming in. I took a long vacation, did some international travel, decompressed, and had a great time. Eventually I found a higher paying job. But that was a long time ago. I would definitely not recommend doing that now. Despite what the news says, the job market is not great. It could take you many months to find a new role. If you're having difficulty finding a job now while employed, just think how much harder it will be when you're frantically applying to jobs. Also, employers tend to avoid unemployed people. It's a sad fact.

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ch0b1ts2600@reddit

It is always easier to find a job if you already have one. Don't quit until you have an offer in writing.

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Tall-Wonder-247@reddit

Do not quit until you get another job!

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patmorgan235@reddit

Is the entire area in a 30 minute radius a "high crime area"? There's NOTHING closer that you would be comfortable moving into?

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Mrmastermax@reddit

Just take sick leave for couple of days to clear your head.

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selltekk@reddit

Line something else up first.

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doweactuallycare@reddit

You know different people have different priorities, right? How would Reddit be able to answer if a job is worth it, to you? Think critically.

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Malbushim@reddit

Why would I think critically when there's reddit?

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Malbushim@reddit

The answer to "should I quit without anything lined up" is almost always no

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kagato87@reddit

I mean, get a new job before you quit. Better to have income with an ugly commute than no income. It's also much easier to get a job when you already have one. Interviewer: "Why are you looking for a new job?" You: "I'm looking for better opportunities for growth. Plus I'm looking for a shorter commute. 1 hour 40 minutes is a bit much."

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new_nimmerzz@reddit

Find another job… it’s WAY easier to find a job when you have one. There’s less pressure and you’re not forced to take just anything that comes along. That being said. Pre-COVID an hour each way was common. I live in Los Angeles (county) and drive to Orange County.

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DragonsBane80@reddit

Was thinking the same thing. I know plenty of people with an hour plus commute precovid (bay area). Most of us are wfh now, but we're in the tech industry.

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superadmin_1@reddit

how are you traveling? are you driving? bus, train? Keep looking for another job, don't give up! in the meantime, make yourself a better person while commuting. listen to podcasts, listen to old comedy, new comedy. read books, learn a language, there are a lot of opportunities to do something better with yourselves. for podcasts, listen to David Senra, Founders - I listen to it and get motivated (as I go to work). There are so many options. BTW, I commuted to work for about 1.5 hours for 25 years - it's not fun, but I tried to make the best of it

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apatrol@reddit

Do not quit. Reddit is full of people that took bad advice and quit for various reasons only to be much worse off six months later.

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throwawayskinlessbro@reddit

Nope. You line something up and it’s your decision. Without that, in this market, you better be a damn savant to do what you’re asking. BTW: I drive in between states and 1 1/2 - 2 per day; though admittedly I do like my job.

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CryptoVictim@reddit

Never jump ship unless you have another ship to land on.

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Ambitious_Jacket_375@reddit

Do not quit as you won't be eligible for unemployment benefits. Ask to get laid off (some companies allow you to request one, talk with your manager about what they might be willing to do).

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Professional-Bug2305@reddit

They reassigned you? I think some places have rules around that where you need to be given a stipend to account for the difference.

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compuwar@reddit

Generally not in the US in an at-will employment situation as far as I know.

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Professional-Bug2305@reddit

At will doesn't mean what people think it means, people still have rights.

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compuwar@reddit

Without a contract, at-will employers are more easily able to adjust working conditions such as location and hours to suit them as necessary. Yes, there can be state-level protections, and things like union contracts don’t *technically* cross at-will lines- but it’s typical of employment without labor contracts to have these properties, and that’s mostly congruent with ar-will employment. So, no- I wasn’t conflating at-will with the property. Just like going 90MPH in a car isn’t automatically breaking speeding laws. It’s certainly possible to take your car to a track or drag strip, but that’s not congruent with most people who drive 90MPH.

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abyssea@reddit

Unless you have an emergency fund you're willing to use, have another job lined up first.

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gangaskan@reddit

This.

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ExileRuneWord@reddit

To OP, on this note, despite how it may feel when you're in the thick of it. Leaving a job willingly because of a long commute is not an emergency. Find another job first, then leave.

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Frankbalboni@reddit

I wonder how not having a job is going to make your situation any better?

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mrmn949@reddit

No dude. Get a new job first. It's a lot less stressful

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iamkhris@reddit

It's always better to have something lined up before you decide to quit your current position. Commutes suck, and I don't blame you for not wanting to spend that much time every day, but I would recommend finding a new opportunity before quitting the current.

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PrincipleExciting457@reddit

You don’t have to move so close to work that you’re in a bad area. You just need to shorten the commute. Move anywhere closer than a 1.5 hour drive.

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Leauian@reddit

What’s worse than I long commute? No income. Get something else first. And invest in Audible so you can listen to some good books along the way.

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DenyCasio@reddit

Consult your employment paperwork. See if it indicates you were assigned dto a specific location or hospital. If so, your employer may be unknowing violating your agreement as a work. And could owe you milage pay. Might not change your situation, but could make it sweeter

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compuwar@reddit

Even if you get a new job, you could hate it even more than the commute. Surely not the entire commute in all directions is a “high-crime area.” Search for closer accommodations.

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Suaveman01@reddit

Job market is terrible at the moment, I’d ride it out until you have something else lined up first

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Inevitable-Room4953@reddit

This. Even if the job market wasn’t terrible I would never recommend this, but with the job market the way it is, you could be without a job for a long time. It also makes you less favorable to get hired. The business knows they don’t have to pay top dollar.

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Suaveman01@reddit

Exactly, you lose all leverage when they know you have nothing else to fall back on.

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redeuxx@reddit

Quitting your job without anything lined up is to put it simply ... dumb as hell.

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D0ublek1ll@reddit

Security first.

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macemillianwinduarte@reddit

Of course you shouldn't

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timurleng@reddit

Should I quit a job ~~that involves a long commute~~ if I don’t have anything lined up? Only if you have substantial savings or a robust support system or staying in the current job is going to seriously impact your mental/physical health. How long have you been trying for other jobs? Have you looked at remote work? Have you had anyone take a look at your resume?

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Complex86@reddit

You need to weigh up the risks since you are unable to get a closer job without success. Is the commute time the only reason you are leaving the current job? Or are there other reasons?

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Lammtarra95@reddit

That's not an especially long commute by London standards. Have you tried alternative means? I used to take minicabs in rather than faff around with night buses on some shifts. Have you considered audiobooks to make it more bearable? You mentioned a high crime area so let's leave out working on your laptop or watching films on your phone (assuming you are not driving!).

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Serafnet@reddit

Unless you have the savings to comfortable live for anywhere up to 9 months (or more!) without employment then I would highly recommend not jumping ship. Maybe speak with them about the possibility of working remotely? But as others are pointing out this is a very bad time to be trying to job hunt while unemployed.

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mithridateseupator@reddit

Do you have a ton of savings?

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ObeseBMI33@reddit

I think being unemployed and not finding a closer job would be worse

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fourpuns@reddit

Not unless you think no job is better than the commute. Quitting your job isn’t generally going to help you find a new job sooner. There’s a lot of competition in IT and the job market has lots of bad jobs but not a lot of good stuff.

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ArtilleryRowSecurity@reddit

Nope. Use that as fuel to get a new gig. Easier to find a job when you have one. Less pressure to take something as opposed to the right position.

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RealAgent0@reddit

>I’ve been trying for closer jobs to no success. Do you think quitting your current job would change this? It's a simple scenario: 1. Do you think you can survive on your current savings until you can find a new new job? 2. Does your area have decent enough benefits for the unemployed that you can love comfortably until you find a new job? 3. Do you have a partner or friends/family that can support you until you find a new job? If the answer to any of those questions is "no" then don't quit.

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hbkrules69@reddit

If you can afford to be jobless, than sure, quit, but if not, you have to keep looking while employed.

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Dump-ster-Fire@reddit

Best answer. If this frog had wings, would his ass bump if it hopped? Can you afford unemployment? Three months? Six months? What does your medical look like? Savings? Blah blah blah. Please don't actually tell me. But those are the things you ask yourself. If you can take a six month vacation, and have an emergency fund in case something severe blows up? Maybe consider it. If you can afford it completely, go nuts, you have absolutely earned it. Otherwise Billy Goat the situation. Look. Plan. Then Leap.

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Thebelisk@reddit

How long can you afford to be with an income?

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TuxAndrew@reddit

Can you afford to quit until you find a new job? This sounds like a r/personalfinance question and not a sysadmin question

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ipreferanothername@reddit

i dont know your skills - you might want to check your resume, and search on reddit for good resume examples. Sometimes just having a crappy resume is enough to keep you out of consideration. Also keep in mind that any job can easily get dozens or hundreds of applications how: shits digital. You need a little keyword/keyphrase customization for most job applications in IT so get through the HR filters. If you dont meet pre reqs for a job, or the HR tools cant find them on your resume...well, start there.

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