What would you say to an amazing job offer that involves 1w/month of travel, and you can't travel that much?

Question

An old boss offered an amazing job to me, but involves 1w/month of travel, and I have two small kids (4yo and 1.5yo) and can't be MIA that much. Would you try to negotiate? Just say no & continue job hunting? ideas? It would be a consutling engineering job with clients in other states/provinces.

Answer 1

We all have things we simply will not do - for any amount of money. If someone offered me me a job at 5X the pay or my current job, but it would require something that I was unwilling/unable to do ..then the offer is still not an offer to consider.

Some of my current "deal breakers" include -
*working in temeratures outside of the 40-90F range
*relocating
*travel more than 50% of the time
*working more than 2 weekends/month
*working between the hours of 11PM - 5AM
*working under ground/water
*lifting more than 25lbs

I have a second list of things (much longer) that while I don't like them, we can at least discuss it...commute time, benefits, etc

You have to figure out what YOUR "deal breaker"s are - actually write them out. Then it makes it simple to determine what are offers to even think about. If travel is a deal breaker for you, then there is nothing to do but let the boss know you appreciate his offer, but you will pass. If it is not a deal breaker - feel free to negotiate. The worst he can say is "no"

Answer 2

One week per month of travel is nothing. Most consultants travel full-time and are lucky to be home on weekends. If you don't want to travel, don't become any kind of consultant. Get a corporate job instead.

Answer 3

If the job involves travelling, it can only get worse. He's not going to turn down jobs because "our consultant doesn't like travelling".

Answer 4

I would not pass that up. You need to find a family member or someone you trust to watch your kids.