There are many things to take into account when job hunting, one of which is the commute between home and the job location. Generally, it is advisable to increase the search parameter when looking for work, instead of keeping it restricted to the city that one lives in; but how far from home does one consider acceptable? There is no single or right answer to this.
A longer commute can be a disadvantage when applying for jobs, not only for the employer but also for yourself. Although the Netherlands is not a particularly big country, a distance of less than 30 kilometres—The Hague to Rotterdam, for example—could easily take up to an hour by car due to rush hour. Travelling by public transportation often means changing several times and train delays are unfortunately, rather common. In the end, it can take up more time and energy than you might wish to spend on commuting.
Another aspect to keep in mind are the expenses. The longer the distance is, the more expensive commuting will become. Although employers often reimburse the travel expenses, this may not always be the case. When the employer does not reimburse the expenses, it is sometimes possible to deduct them from income tax, but this does mean keeping an administration. So commuting can end up being an expensive activity. It is therefore advisable to do the maths and see if the travel time and expenses weigh up to the job and salary.
A long commute is not ideal for employers either, as it is more expensive compared to an employee who lives within a radius of 10 kilometres (whereby travel expenses are often not reimbursed). More importantly, an employee who has to face traffic jams or is depending on the trains to run on time is more likely to arrive late than his co-worker who comes by bike. Also the chances are higher that a long distance commuter will leave the company sooner when he finds a job closer to home. For employers this means they will have to start over finding a suitable candidate and invest in them.
There are jobs for which frequent commuting is not required, for example: editing or writing, graphic designing, bookkeeping, programming, etc. For jobs such as these, work can often be done from home, or the bulk of it anyway. For other jobs, and depending on the company’s flexibility, it is sometimes possible to avoid rush hour by working different hours—e.g. from 10 till 6 instead of 9 to 5. Before applying, inquiring after such possibilities can help increase your chances of attaining the job you want.
Does this mean that applying for a job with a longer commute is pointless? Not necessarily. In general, the chances of landing a job will increase when it is closer to your home. When you are interested in a job with a long commute, it is best to inquire further to ascertain your chances.
By Cecile Koster