Living within easy commuting distance of a major town or city can drastically enhance your employment opportunities. In the case of the county of Essex, with it’s excellent train and rail links to London, many residents choose to live life in the country, but work in the big city to enjoy the benefits of both, especially if you are looking for London admin jobs.
Commuting to work on a daily basis can be stressful though, and can add extra time and cost to your working life. If you are considering traveling from Essex to London there are a few considerations you should take into account before taking the plunge.
- Will I Earn More Working In London?
In nearly every instance, the answer is yes! London wages are some of the highest in the UK, with the median wage being as much as 25% more for London admin jobs, than in other parts of the country.
But, that increase in your monthly pay packet can soon be wiped out if you need lay out additional costs for commuting or renting or living in London. Even if you stay in Essex and put up with paying out for your annual rail card, house prices in Essex have been on the rise for many years. Some areas, like Brentwood for example, are now almost as expensive to live or rent in as some London Boroughs.
On average though, you will earn more in London if you can find a way to make that money count every month. If you like the area you live in, and are happy to commute you can still have the best of both worlds easily enough.
- Are there more career opportunities in London than Essex?
The answer to this depends very much on what industry you are looking to work in. Teachers, for example, can have just as many opportunities in regional areas as in big cities. Although job satisfaction may be greater if you are looking for the challenge offered by inner city schooling.
If you are looking for London admin jobs, however, the city can offer a multitude of opportunities that you may not be able to find in suburban Essex. With a large amount of financial institutions, large global corporations and other world leaders all having sizeable offices in the city of London, there are opportunities for career growth for anyone who wants to work hard.
In essence, working in London will give you access to some of the very best career opportunities if you are looking to grow within a commercial, financial or private sector role.
- Is it more convenient to work in Essex?
Well, if you consider convenience based on time traveled and proximity to home, then yes it is. But, that said, it will depend completely on your long term career goals, your salary expectations and your lifestyle.
For example, you may be able to earn £18,000 pa as a secretary in Essex, working Monday-Friday 9 – 5.30. You may live a 20 minute drive from your work, and only have to pay for petrol and parking in order to reach your place of work. To you, this may feel convenient and comfortable.
Image courtesy of freeidgitalphotos.net
If however you can deal with the extra exertion required for the commute into London, you could see your lifestyle enhanced dramatically. The same role may pay you as much as £30,000 or more, you may need to work longer hours when needed and you will need to pay for your train fare. But, your benefits could greatly outweigh the inconvenience
A higher starting salary, bonus awards, private healthcare and many other perks offered by larger corporations could be worth thousands of pounds to you over the course of a year. You could also find a way to make the commute a worthy use of your time, whether as downtime enjoying a good book, or working on your laptop.
The higher salary should also enhance your lifestyle choices, meaning you may be more satisfied by your work/life balance as a whole, making a London admin job the perfect choice for you.
Image courtesy of freeidgitalphotos.net and author renjith krishnan
In conclusion, it is down to the individual as to where they would rather work, and which benefits they consider are most important to them. Whilst a short commute and fractionally reduced working hours may be important to many Essex residents, always keep in mind the London and all the benefits of working there are just on your doorstep.
