Your Daily Commute Means More Than You Think

Julie Shenkman
Posted by in Career Advice •


"Location, location, location," is not only a relevant phrase when shopping for a prime piece of real estate but it is also a key determinant when conducting a job search.
If possible, most people will avoid a long commute when accepting a new job—thus making location and daily commute time a vital piece of the puzzle when evaluating a job offer. Who doesn't find it convenient to work close to home?
A recent survey of over 4,400 Nexxt Network members were asked, "How long is/was your commute to work for your most recent job?" The result—over 73 percent of business professionals said they work less than 25 miles from home.
More than 45 percent of polled members said that they commute less than 15 miles to work, more than 27 percent commute 15 to 25 miles, less than 17 percent commute 25 to 40 miles and a little over 10 percent commute more than 40 miles to work.
More and more business professionals are choosing to work close to home in order to help maintain a healthy work/life balance. Commute time alone, can make a significant dent in time available for family and after-work activities. When searching for a new job or making that next career change, its wise to consider and incorporate local niche websites that are geared towards providing resources and business opportunities within your local area or industry of interest. Many sites allow you to define your search by zip code, area code or city. Other options to consider include:
• Continue to build a network of local contacts • Search for positions in the local or association newspapers • Attend local career fairs • Consider using a resume distribution service to target employers close to home.
To search for local jobs in your area or obtain career resources, click here.

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  • Abu Safiyah
    Abu Safiyah •
    An article that touches the right chord. I just arrived after driving over 45 mins to work and that is only because i had left my home at 6am. But the return journey is a nightmare. Last week I commuted over 3 hours in my car to reach home. Was absolutely upset and depressed, yet had to get up and do the same routine all over again the next day.Your article does appeal to make a change. My problem is this job is financially sound and an alternative job is not that easy to find. I need to support my family and a new born, in my family. The stress levels are at an all time high. At the back of my mind is the drive home. I do listen to a lot of audio tapes, which are interesting (from top management and personality talks to very spiritual ones, email me at islaahd@yahoo.com, if you need any). But at some point they too become too much to listen to. All I need is my life and family time.
  • Ruth K
    Ruth K •
    I just left a job where my commute was 30 miles and over 35 minutes, not bad by local standards. However, this high pressure job fatiqued me so that by Tuesday I was exhausted. The drive home saw me flirting with a major car accident. The job was not worth my life or lifestyle. This time I'm looking for something that contributes to my quality of life, not just my paycheck.
  • Dipankar Karar
    Dipankar Karar •
    I read the article carefully. It is a helpful article for job seeking people no matter where he/she is in. I am a businessman live in India but I always want to seek a good job in either USA or in abroad. My profession is as a Computer Operator.This article helped me lot. I hope that such type of helpful article must stay in the market in order to fulfil the demand of job seeking people. I wish it's success in every step.
  • Susan
    Susan •
    I commuted 90 minutes each way for over four years to work as an editor, spending hours alone in my office doing work that could perfectly well be done at home.  The work culture was against flexibility, since they did not see it as important for the majority of their employees (most of whom were under 30 and could walk to work or take the subway).  I was an experienced and hardworking employee in a very specialized position that cannot be easily replaced, and absolutely loved my job.  It is no surprise that the company had exceedingly high turnover (the average was 1-1/2 years).  I found another job 30 minutes from home, and am much more relaxed and less stressed, although the work is not something I feel so passionately about.  I sincerely regret all the hours and time wasted in my car when I could have been enjoying time with my family and by myself.  Time is too precious to spend in your car!
  • George Forsa
    George Forsa •
    In our experience we've not found the DISTANCE parameter to be of relevance to the commuter in the Chicago market.  This is also independent of their role in the organization.   Instead, the TIME of the commute at different times of the day to various geographical locations is the question most asked by our candidates.
  • John A. Higginbotham
    John A. Higginbotham •
    If you must commute some distance or length of time definitely try to find ways you can use travel time for more than just moving from point A to point B. For example, listen to books on tape specific to your profession or industry, learn a second or third language via recorded lessons, do almost anything other than just move from point A to point B. Not only will it improve your mind and/or skill set, it will also make the time seem shorter and more pleasant!
  • Chuck
    Chuck •
    Good article.  Something for me to think about as I do my job search.  Another issue is the cost of gasoline when it comes to commuting.
  • Michael
    Michael •
    While the number of miles you are driving may be important, travel time is much more important. Traffic congestion can add a lot of time to your commute in addition to adding a lot of stress!!

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