Opportunity Within My 9-5

[natedogg]

Hey everybody,

So, I have a 9-5 job that I been with for many years and I was planning to give it up once I get a better passive income in IM. However, my vice president would like to promote me to a higher title and it would be more income (better for my IM funds but travel would be hour each way going to a big city(traffic not included). I could take the train or drive. My current job is only 15 minutes away.

If I took this job that would mean I would have to pay for either a train which is about 14 bucks a day and parking at the garage (new job) which would be 12 a day. My question is my current job pays me $19 per hour and I know this new job would be more then that, so how much hourly should I ask for realistically and how should I approach my VP regarding the pay.

I know a lot of you don't have a 9-5 job but if you do or had one before it would be great if you answer this.

Thanks

 

[Sythix]

I think you're at a crossroad, and you need to choose which is more important to you, IM or the company you work for? There really is no right or wrong answer.

 

[Zwielicht]

Tell him to pay for your parking permit and ask for more than you make in an hour sitting at a computer with your side business.

 

[asap1]

Damn, employs have to pay for parking EVERYDAY? and $12 a pop.....that's at least 3k a year you're paying just to work....

Anyway you can look on the internet and see what others are getting paid for the same position your promotion will be.

 

[mickyfu]

I would learn real IM, this way your new job would not be as much as your IM job.

 

[natedogg]

Yeah even if I take a train which would be roughly 3,600 a year but I wouldn't have to drive in that damn traffic! I was thinking asking for $26 and HR if I take it, and use most of that for my IM jobs.

Damn, employs have to pay for parking EVERYDAY? and $12 a pop.....that's at least 3k a year you're paying just to work....

Anyway you can look on the internet and see what others are getting paid for the same position your promotion will be.

 

[Reviewergal]

Definetly ask for an amount that makes the commute/extra expenses worth your while. They will expect you to negotiate and may be willing to offer validated parking or a travel allowance to compensate you rather than the hourly pay you are asking for. Or they might be prepared to pay you for the inconvenience.

The last 9-5 I had was an hour each way IF there was no traffic. Before that I commuted in Northern Virginia where I could easily spend two hours one way sitting in traffic contemplating my life choices. I always made sure my hourly wage was enough to compensate me for gas, wear and tear on my vehicle, and (in part) the weeks of my life wasted sitting in traffic.

 

[BassTrackerBoats]

Yeah even if I take a train which would be roughly 3,600 a year but I wouldn't have to drive in that damn traffic! I was thinking asking for $26 and HR if I take it, and use most of that for my IM jobs.

And you could set a hot spot up with your phone and work on your laptop as you commute.

Take a look at salary.com and get a feel for the market so you don't undersell yourself or ask for something that is not realistic.

That is a pretty common tool used by businesses.

 

[natedogg]

Oh good so you worked a 9-5 job in the past and my commute could be the same way unless I took the train. In your opinion is going from $19 to $26 an hour fair enough? Just looking for opinions. Thanks

Definetly ask for an amount that makes the commute/extra expenses worth your while. They will expect you to negotiate and may be willing to offer validated parking or a travel allowance to compensate you rather than the hourly pay you are asking for. Or they might be prepared to pay you for the inconvenience.

The last 9-5 I had was an hour each way IF there was no traffic. Before that I commuted in Northern Virginia where I could easily spend two hours one way sitting in traffic contemplating my life choices. I always made sure my hourly wage was enough to compensate me for gas, wear and tear on my vehicle, and (in part) the weeks of my life wasted sitting in traffic.

 

[natedogg]

Didn't think about that but when looking at salary.com I'm asking for more then the average. If I lived closer to my home it would be no biggie... just the commute is making me think twice.

And you could set a hot spot up with your phone and work on your laptop as you commute.

Take a look at salary.com and get a feel for the market so you don't undersell yourself or ask for something that is not realistic.

That is a pretty common tool used by businesses.

 

[BassTrackerBoats]

Didn't think about that but when looking at salary.com I'm asking for more then the average. If I lived closer to my home it would be no biggie... just the commute is making me think twice.

There is a differential on the $ amount shown there that is acceptable and I forget the % that was allowed as it has been some time since I was in that world but I'm pretty sure it was in the 20% range.

If you are in that ballpark you are probably in the hunt.

The other thing that I think you need to consider is that if you are taking another position that is a significant change in your life (in this case a commute to a different location) you need to get no less than a 5K a year net increase in your pay.

There are a ton of variables, I know, so these are guidelines and nothing more than that which I am offering.

The other thing to consider is what you will earn on the commute doing IM. I 100% guarantee you that you will not work every day both ways on the ride. I've commuted in the past and you'll have days when sleeping, reading, spacing out is a better and needed option but you'll have other days that you will rock it like Mick Jagger in his heyday.

Tough decision, I hope it goes well for you.

 

[goodperson]

Think carefully and make final decision

 

[soulcollector]

Oh good so you worked a 9-5 job in the past and my commute could be the same way unless I took the train. In your opinion is going from $19 to $26 an hour fair enough? Just looking for opinions. Thanks

Ask for something reasonable after taxes, not net income before taxes. Also try and see if you can get compensated for travel by asking for more. Do your research and find the median wage for such a job, then see if you net more after taxes, travel, hidden fees (20% calculation). If it comes out to just mere chump change more also see if the job has security and increased benefits. Finally, you can actually do IM either via automation (99% of BHW), outsource, or you can bring your laptop / phone with you and do the non bot tasks on your break / lunch.

This all entirely depends on you now, hope it works out well for you.

 

[chuckrm]

I agree with SoulCollector, a $7/hr increase will come down to $4/hr maximum after taxes. Consider the time you spend in the longer drive/commute plus fares/parking.

 

[The Blackhat Guy]

You earn $3.040 and you are MAD because you pay $240 per month for the parking?!

 

[theRevolt]

Ok so look at it that way

Commute:
Old job = 15 min x2 = 30 min commute per day
New Job = 1h x 2 = 2h each day

Parking etc
Old Job : did not mention so I assume $0 (plus gas of course)
New job: either Parking $14 or train or Parking $12 (plus additional gas, depreciation etc)

So your new job already cost you that much more per day
Commuting time 2hr @ 19 = $38 (opportunity cost if you were to work those 2 hrs at your old job)
Train @14

= $42 / 8 = $5.25

So if you ask for $26, that would actually come out to be $20.75, making you a whopping $1.75 / hr or $12.25 a day more. That's assuming you take the train, have no extra cost for more gas etc. Yes, you could possibly do some IM in the train but that will depend on whether you have a seat , connection etc. , so I ignored that.

Overall for that little bit more, I would definitely never commute this long (of course you did not mention whether train is much faster or roughly same with extra walking time etc)

 

[theRevolt]

You earn $3.040 and you are MAD because you pay $240 per month for the parking?!

Sure if you actually look at the old and new job and compare it based on time investment, extra cost, gas etc.... Why spend more time commuting, new job etc if you roughly come out the same? Different salaries for different countries and people... $3040 is not really much at all for most developed countries.

 

[natedogg]

Great breakdown! The train would be faster and the walk would be about 5 minutes to my new job once the train drops me off. OK, I currently make $19 with a 40HR work week on average and sometimes I work more and I get paid time and a half on Holidays. With that rate I bring home roughly 44K a year. The new job IF I get $26 with a 40 HR work week, time and a half on Holidays and anything over 40HRs would be time and a half I would be roughly at 58K-60K a year. If I bring home 58K and with the train being 3600 a year, I would end up with about 54K gross. That would be about a 10K gross income a year. *My home to the train station is only 8 mile drive, so I wouldn't make a fuss about that*

Ok so look at it that way

Commute:
Old job = 15 min x2 = 30 min commute per day
New Job = 1h x 2 = 2h each day

Parking etc
Old Job : did not mention so I assume $0 (plus gas of course)
New job: either Parking $14 or train or Parking $12 (plus additional gas, depreciation etc)

So your new job already cost you that much more per day
Commuting time 2hr @ 19 = $38 (opportunity cost if you were to work those 2 hrs at your old job)
Train @14

= $42 / 8 = $5.25

So if you ask for $26, that would actually come out to be $20.75, making you a whopping $1.75 / hr or $12.25 a day more. That's assuming you take the train, have no extra cost for more gas etc. Yes, you could possibly do some IM in the train but that will depend on whether you have a seat , connection etc. , so I ignored that.

Overall for that little bit more, I would definitely never commute this long (of course you did not mention whether train is much faster or roughly same with extra walking time etc)

 

[antsaoo]

Depending on what kind of position and how important you are to the company i would maybe ask that 26$ hour and the commuting costs, maybe 1h salary on travel. Dunno how realistic that is tho, never worked on "real" job

 

[natedogg]

Nice never worked on a "real job" that is something I wished I never did and I will 1 day without a doubt be my own boss. With the $26HR I did factor that in for travel which doesn't exactly cover much but I broke it down above and it seems like I would be taking the position for about 10K more then what I'm making now. I look at it as funding my IM projects to eventually give up the "real" job. Thanks

Depending on what kind of position and how important you are to the company i would maybe ask that 26$ hour and the commuting costs, maybe 1h salary on travel. Dunno how realistic that is tho, never worked on "real" job