How far would you commute for a great job?

[eddie269]

And I mean GREAT. So I want to open my own compounding pharmacy in 2-3 years since I had a rotation at one and loved it. In the process of saving and planning.

Currently working for a big chain floating and see no benefits at all. Well, I finally got an offer from a small regional franchise of pharmacies and boy do they treat their pharmacists well. Great pay, no pressure, can actually counsel all patients and very low stress, etc.

And to top if off, half of their business is compounding so I get to learn all I need to know for my future business endeavors.

Now the problem? It is 52.6 miles away and google maps bring me to just under 1 hr commute each way.

What do you guys think?

For what it's worth, as a floater, I currently drive anywhere from 20 minutes to 1hr and 20min each way daily which brings my avg drive time to 30-40minutes.

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[R xxx]

Personally, I would move closer to where the job is because I hate driving. But I work with someone who drives 85 miles one way to work and he doesn't seem to mind it because he has a family and a house. I think it's a great opportunity and if you cannot relocate, the drive time is not all that bad compared to what you've been doing. Besides, it's only for a few years.

 

[Sparda29]

Probably 40-50 miles as long as there are no traffic jams and no police enforcing the speed limit.

 

[PegIntron]

It is not only about the distance but also the traffic. If there is no traffic, the extra miles don't really matter to me.

 

[PharmaTope]

increasing gas prices, loss of time...

that is 10 hours of your work gone assuming you work 5 days a week

that is 520 hours of your year gone

technically if you want to divide that amount out by 8 hours (for a night of sleep), that is 65 nights of sleep gone. is it really worth it?

 

[PegIntron]

Think about it this way. Would you rather work at a place you don't like for 8 hours a day and does not advance your career goals or be on the road for an extra hour a day and advance your career goals??

 

[nnguyenc]

i live 10 mins from my job and i think that's a commute already

when you have kids/family...you want to be close as possible in
case something happens

it just doesn't seem like there is enough time in a day and two hrs
in the car is useless time spent IMO

 

[StringTheorist]

Do it. the gas costs are worth the experience and happiness. I would commute 45+ min a day for a job I LOVED.

 

[universalcynic]

I would definitely do it. Seems like you're passionate about the job and you want us to tell you to do it, so do it.

But then I actually like driving - I get to chill and listen to my music. I guess if you look at extra driving time as a chore and wasted time it might be different.

 

[SortingItOut]

I agree with both Rxxx and universalcynic's posts.

The only other "issue" I see is what if there is an emergency (BAD weather, sick kid, car trouble), and in that case, have a plan in place.

I'm not a business owner, but I have seen private business owners put a lot more than an average work day into their business. If your intent is to build a business from the ground up, I think spending 2 hours of your day commuting to gain experience for that business should be nothing.

 

[LazyMooch]

No more than 30 minutes commute. Ever.

 

[IndustryPharmD]

I try not to live more than 45 minutes away from where I work. Which has been anywhere from 12 to 40 miles. The longest I have commuted was 75 miles one way (which, with traffic, came to about 2 hours each way), I did it for less than a month until I moved, but it is extremely exhausting.

I do know people with much longer one-way commutes (>100 miles) but they usually work from home at least half the time. The longest commutes for pharmacists that I know personally are in the 60-70 minute range one way, in some of the rural areas and in Indian Health Service, if they live off site (which pharmacists with kids prefer to do).

 

[confettiflyer]

> 5 year outlook at a job, 30 min commute max.

If i knew it was <2 years and they were flexible, i'd be willing to go 45mins.

 

[eddie269]

Thanks for all your input. So far, I've been given roughly 80% yes and 20% no's. I'll most likely accept this offer and hope for the best. I'm 29 and plan hope to do this for ~2 yrs and we'll see what happens.

 

[iFarm]

~5 minutes... and I wish I could get there faster!

Any reason you can't move closer to the job?

Maybe rent a cheap apt. just to use 4 nights/week... and then go home on the weekends? Or offer to work 4 10s, so you can save a day of commuting?

2 hours a day in the car is more than I would want to put up with

 

[ucrx]

I would do it for a great job. I currently drive about 45 minutes in the morning and an hour in the evening for my residency (moving wasn't an option). I switched from a place where I wasn't very happy to somewhere I enjoy working. I don't mind the time in the car, I just hate losing 2 hours of my day when I have so much to do at home.

I would do it, especially if it is a great job and if you don't have something major to come home to or do a lot at night. Do you have a family? How do you feel about driving? Will there be a lot of traffic? Those would definitely factor into making the decision for me. If you take the job, I suggest getting some books to listen to or some great playlists to keep yourself from getting too bored (or angry at the traffic).

 

[farmadiazepine]

Anything more than 30 minutes is too far in my opinion. Calculate how much you are going to spend on gas money every week, every month. It adds up! Moving closer to a job if you don't have a family/kids would be ideal if you will be at that location for a while and don't mind living there. An hour trip is too long, too boring, and so much of your time is wasted simply driving.

 

[Doctor M]

Thanks for all your input. So far, I've been given roughly 80% yes and 20% no's. I'll most likely accept this offer and hope for the best. I'm 29 and plan hope to do this for ~2 yrs and we'll see what happens.

Do what it takes to follow your dreams.

 

[Trakker]

Do what it takes to follow your dreams.

Well said! Do it while you are young and still can.