So this is a question I have been struggling with for a while. Salary. It’s so hush-hush. No one wants to talk real numbers. In turn, it makes it hard for newbies like me to understand what’s appropriate, what’s expected and so forth.
Next week I have an interview lined up with a major company. The position is not writing-based, but the company does have those positions (something to think about in the future). It’s the entry level position in the editorial department, that I would relate to data entry.
I already know the salary, because they post it with the job (which I think is great, by the way). Anyway, the salary is REALLY, REALLY low. Like, lower than I ever would have considered taking if I was just out in the work force and not in school.
I guess I was approaching this position differently. See, right now, since my living is being subsidized by student loans, learning and experience are the biggest priorities. I am even considering internships again, since there are so many great companies to learn from here.
So here’s the conundrum: Do I take the low-paying, not perfect job, that’s full-time with benefits? Or hold out for a possibly unpaid internship in a more relevant position?
Is a low-paying job better than no job at all or does it hurt your chances to move up the financial ladder in the future?
And how low is too low?
Note: This poll isn’t allowing me to look at or display results now, but I will try to share the results once it starts working.
(It might be important to mention that I do not have any jobs at the moment..this is all just conjecture at this point. But it’s a problem I’ve tried to grapple with for a while.)
Tags: Chicago, Graduation/Jobs
You need a plan, not a poll. Where do you want to get to? Are you thinking about the job because of the experience, or you need the benefits? Is the income for fun, or to help with student loans? If you are working full-time, will your studies suffer?
You need to determine where you want to end up at, and then work through the steps of getting there. Then work through the pros & cons of the variations of those steps as they come along, because there won’t be optimal solutions to pick from, only a series of compromises that you will have to evaluate.
You are looking for a position in a field that is highly competitive and changing dramatically almost by the day. You will no doubt need to grab onto entry points as they come along, if they take you in the direction that you are trying to go. But you need to know what direction that is before you start grabbing.
Polls are fun! But I understand what you’re saying–my head is cloudy right now