I can’t remember where I read it, but “studies“ have shown that to retain the same level of happiness you need to make $40K more per additional hour of commute.
Maybe that can be a starting point for negotiating a raise.
Ask HN: What should I do in this situation?
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Re: Ask HN: What should I do in this situation?
#22They almost certainly won't fire you for asking for a raise. Like you said yourself, your replacement would certainly be more expensive, and they'll lose at least 3 months of productivity even if the replacement is adequate. I'd start looking for other jobs and, in parallel, tell the boss that you value the lack of the commute quite highly and that if they want you to commute you'll be happy to consider their offer f…
The move has already happened, just now the new manager wants me to come in more.
You hear about things like "negotiation tactics" but I've never experienced this, so it's hard to recognize.
Thanks for the advice.
Re: Ask HN: What should I do in this situation?
#23Re: Ask HN: What should I do in this situation?
#24Earlier quoted context omitted.
I tell myself I could, but it's rough. A good 3+ hours in the car every day.
That's two good hobbies and sixpack abs right there, if you spend that time on self improvement instead of sitting in a car. Commutes over on hour per day are a huge sacrifice from your most precious resource: unallocated time
Honestly, the mornings and the evenings are the time I get to spend with my wife and daughter. I value time with them infinitely more than I value listening to audiobooks/podcasts in rush hour traffic for 15 hours a week.
Re: Ask HN: What should I do in this situation?
#25I can’t remember where I read it, but “studies“ have shown that to retain the same level of happiness you need to make $40K more per additional hour of commute. Maybe that can be a starting point for negotiating a raise.
[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: What should I do in this situation?
#26I guess it depends on what kind of company you're working for. I work for an enterprise software company, and if my situation were like yours, I would be looking around for either a new job or a house/apartment closer to the office.
Re: Ask HN: What should I do in this situation?
#27I was in somewhat of a similar position earlier in my career. I was afraid to stand up for myself and ended up meekly accepting my employer's BS about how there wasn't money in the budget for raises, but they liked me so much and valued my work and can I please work just a little more unpaid overtime?
I gave away hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of salary for nothing more than a smile and a thank you. And that's not counting the present value of that money had I pooled it with the rest of my investments (nor the opportunity cost of those extra hours worked). In fact the amount I "lost" by being my company's bitch dwarfs my investment returns. And I could have had it without taking on the much larger risks of the stock market. That's maybe the most important lesson.
So don't make the same mistake as me. Get out there and look for a better job. Always be looking for a better job[1]. Give each employer your full effort... And don't hesitate to to jump ship the minute something better comes along. Just like how they would not hesitate to lay you off if it made financial sense to them.
[1] where we define "better" as "job that pays a least the market rate; that you enjoy; learning something that makes you more valuable to your next employer."
You are a business just as much as your employer is. That means you promote your service to potential buyers; understand the value of your service; and charge what the market bear for your service
Re: Ask HN: What should I do in this situation?
#28Earlier quoted context omitted.
In other words, it was a fiction entertained by two people, one of whom no longer works there.
He still works there and can probably vouch for the agreement, but he's no longer my direct supervisor.
Oh... my mistake then, sorry.
Still probably not binding though.
Re: Ask HN: What should I do in this situation?
#29They almost certainly won't fire you for asking for a raise. Like you said yourself, your replacement would certainly be more expensive, and they'll lose at least 3 months of productivity even if the replacement is adequate. I'd start looking for other jobs and, in parallel, tell the boss that you value the lack of the commute quite highly and that if they want you to commute you'll be happy to consider their offer f…
Patrick (the commenter I'm replying to) happens to have written the best article you'll ever read on the topic: http://www.kalzumeus.com/2012/01/23/salary-negotiation/ It really helps put things into perspective.
My brother recently tried Patrick's advice interviewing for a sysadmin position at a small family business in the Chicago suburbs. When he attempted to negotiate after they indicated they were offering him employment, his offer was rescinded and they thanked him for his time.
This part of Patrick's article is still great advice in that regard:
"This means you need what political scientists call a commitment strategy: you always, as a matter of policy, negotiate all offers. (In this wide world I’m sure you can find a company who still makes exploding offers, where you get one yay-or-nay and then the offer is gone. You have a simple recourse to them: refuse them and deal with people who are willing to be professionals. You’re not a peasant. Don’t act like one.)"
This I find to be a sticking point, and never forget: "You’re not a peasant. Don’t act like one."
Re: Ask HN: What should I do in this situation?
#30Earlier quoted context omitted.
Patrick (the commenter I'm replying to) happens to have written the best article you'll ever read on the topic: http://www.kalzumeus.com/2012/01/23/salary-negotiation/ It really helps put things into perspective.
My brother recently tried Patrick's advice interviewing for a sysadmin position at a small family business in the Chicago suburbs. When he attempted to negotiate after they indicated they were offering him employment, his offer was rescinded and they thanked him for his time. This part of Patrick's article is still great advice in that regard: "This means you need what political scientists call a commitment strategy:…
Sounds like a win for your brother in my opinion. That company was probably an awful place to work.