Should I take this job?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I live in the UK. I’m unemployed but have some savings. I don’t qualify for any benefits. I have a driving license but no car. I could live for about 2 years just on my savings.

I’ve been offered a job at a warehouse, which I guess must be a supplier of “essential” items if it is still operating, but I’m not sure why as the goods I associate with them are mostly frivolous. To get there would require 4 bus journeys per day, (2 there, 2 back). Buses are obviously great transmitters of COVID-19, plus the lack of service means I’ll be waiting up to an hour per bus. I’ve been unemployed a while, and probably if I turn this down will be for quite a while more, possibly permanently. Although for the short term I’m not starving, eventually I’ll need a job.

2

You got anything better to do with your time?

I’m serious.

Are you practicing a musical instrument or honing some skilled craft? Breeding animals or raising plants that require your time and attention? Learning a new language? Wooing a potential partner? Building a structure? Repairing damaged or broken things, so they can be useful? Helping fellow humans in your community?

Yes? Then maybe those things are more important, given you won’t starve imminently.

No? Why not? Go be a productive member of society, if nothing else is possible or appealing.

3

Should you take it? Why not? You can always quit if it’s not what you thought it might be.

4

What have you got to lose?

5

Wear a mask. Wash your hands a bunch & Social distance. Take the job if you’re young and healthy.

6

Note that a mask mostly protects others from you, not you from others.

7

Calavera, you were me EXACTLY two years ago. I had two years of savings and sat back to see what would happen: convinced that any day, week, or month a great job would come my way. Oh, I was looking, but not very hard.

Didn’t qualify for benefits. Driver’s license, but no car. The similarities are uncanny. So, my advice from someone who was in the exact, and I mean EXACT same position is, please take the job.

Here I am two plus years later and am still looking, and the longer it goes the worse it gets. I picked up some hours at Christmas at our provincial liquor retailer, but nothing since, and believe me, I dream of a stable warehouse job at this point. The problem is, as far as I can tell, I’m way overqualified for such jobs, and I’m too old (57) to get back into my old really well-paying career.

Take the damned job.

8

My advice? Take the job. There may be a person in your neighborhood who also works there and could give you a ride to and from work.

9

His health?

10

In the best of times it would be unlikely for me to be able to cadge a lift off someone who goes from point A to B, neither of which are near the town centre, I just don’t have that kind of personality. In the wake of COVID-19 though it’s very unlikely someone would invite me into their car.

11

The virus does make things iffy. On the other hand, the economy’s going to take time to recover and jobs may be scarce. I wouldn’t do it, but I have people to look after and medical issues. If you don’t have those risks, then maybe it would work out.

12

I would say take it. There is just no telling what jobs will be available when this is over. It will be good to be in with one. Once you know it is going well, you can always find a small used car.

The caveat would be if you had any health issues to make you think you wouldn’t survive COVID-19 if you came down with it. But if you can, take the job and start two weeks from now.

13

Nothing would ever get me to start driving again; the initial purchase price and then the expense of petrol, tax and all the car maintenance is just too high. Until automated driverless taxis become cheap and plentiful, I’ll be sticking with the bus.

I’ll probably take the job and try to wait it out until the buses get back to normal, but I don’t know how long that’ll be. I haven’t had any symptoms, but taking 20 buses a week is almost certainly going to get me infected sooner rather than later, after I get it and shake it off (hopefully!) I’ll be in a better position.

14

Thank yooouuuuuuu at this point, imma gonna tattoo that shit onto my forehead.

Or Sharpie it onto my mask. ("I’m not wearing this b.c I’m sick! Quit treating me like a goddamn leper; I’m doing this to be nice to the [del]old fogies/ignorant dumbasses[/del] people like you.)

Sorry. Back to O.P.

Is there nothing like Uber or Lyft over on your side o’ da pond? Ridesharing is pretty common in big cities here; do the Brits have Ouber or some similar?

That’s a sad attempt at an “o vs ou” joke. Humor and humour. Don’t laugh, it just encourages me.

O.P. my caveat in all seriousness is this: it can suck big ol’ donkey balls to try and get a job when you’re an old-ass grown-ass adult without a recent work history. You have to have a stellar, I mean star-studded shiny, brilliant answer to the following:

“Why the fuck should I hire you, when nobody else has hired you in … squints <mumble> Jesus on a jackrabbit, how long now? </mumble> well, it seems nobody’s wanted you in decades. Can’t see how we’d be the lucky ones, snagging you after all this time. Heh. Bit of sarcasm there, lad. Ehrm, sir, of course; not lad. Ehrm. Well, then, sir. Nobody else wants to hire ya; we don’t either. Good day!”

And off you go, into the rubbish bin wi’ your application. You see, you never got a chance to say anything, did you?

You won’t.

So that is what you’re up against, and it’ll get worse the longer you go without a job and with no good reason why not so keep that in mind.

(My apologies to Brits the world 'round. It was my best attempt at your accent, based mostly on Hyacinth Bouquet and way too much John Oliver lately.)

15

My job is to help others get off public aid and get jobs. I can tell you, take the job. It is always easier, to find work when you are working.

HOWEVER, the bus ride is very concerning. With this coronavirus situation, I will say, this is something you’re going to have to think long and hard about. If you can get a mask, then test run the bus to and from your home and see the level of crowds.

Where I am public transit is ridiculous, with no one distancing and they cut service, so the buses have a lot of people on them.

It’s a hard choice to make. I agree with everyone else who says “take the job,” but now, I would definitely give it a lot of thought.

16

I know you state you would prefer not to get a car, with all the associated expenses, but the sad truth is, unless you live somewhere very walkable, a car is more of a necessity than a luxury; not having one seriously limits opportunities such as this job. And I know the job doesn’t thrill you, but if it’s all that is out there, it’s worth considering.

With 2 years of living expenses saved up, that would be enough to purchase some sort of car if you decide it’s necessary (though it would suck to spend that on a car, find you hate the job, and wind up with no savings, AND the expense of a car). Could you rent / lease one for a month or so to see how the job goes? At that point, you’d know whether you could tolerate the job, it’s possible the virus danger will be somewhat less. and you’re only out a relatively small amount of money.

17

If you don’t have risk factors making CV more of a problem for you, my advice would be to take the job. Apart from the increased risk of catching it, your time on/waiting for the bus can be used in much the same way as you’d be using it at home right now anyway (tablet/book/phone/crossword/whatever). Wrap up warm and wash your hands and you’ll be fine.

18

Yes we have Uber, and various other taxi services but ride sharing is less common, and if it’s a warehouse job, it’s unlikely to be ‘in’ a big city. Taxis would be cost prohibitive.

If I was the OP, I’d be tempted to get a second hand vespa, particularly now the weather is getting better and the roads are quiet.

19

Can you bike to work? I can make it from home, on the west side of our city to my work on the far east side (< 10 miles) in less time than the bus. It’d be equal, but I have to change buses which adds twenty minutes.

Oh, and some days I bike halfway, to where I pick up the second bus. So that saves that 20 min. wait. Lock my bike to a lamppost, then I bus back to the bike at the end of the day.

Two notes:
1.) I’m lucky enough to have access to a shower at work (much needed if I bike all the way in a hurry).
2.) It’s a very urban commute. I dodge a lot of cars, and twice I didn’t dodge fast enough… but that’s twice in over twenty years.

Maybe that’s something that might work after you get used to the job, and sick of the bus commute.

20

Oh, maybe I should point out that I’m pushing 70 and overweight. If I can bike, anyone can… (and if anyone should bike, that’d be me).