Career choice & salary dilemma
Hi guys,
I have been looking for an entry level marketing job for the past few months but to no avail. I am currently a degree holder with barely any experience in marketing.
Yesterday, I just received a job offer from a company. The position is for marketing communications executive, and they are paying around $1.5 per month. There will be increments after probation, but still it's not alot and will definitely be less than $2k.
The reason they give diploma holder's rate despite the status is because they are actually looking for diploma holders in the first place, and unfortunately they do not have the extra budget to pay me more.
I am sceptical and confused regarding the salary issues. My friend told me that the market rate for degree graduates with no marketing experience command at least 2.2 -2.4k. In fact, my friend herself who has no marketing experience has gotten a job that pays her $2.3k three years ago. Another friend of mine just graduated told me that she wouldn't accept diploma holder's pay because if your first job starting pay is already so low, then your next job salary cannot be that high as most companies rely on previous pay to determine potential pay. She asked me to perhaps consider other career pathways such as HR (I had nine months experience in it) and get degree holder pay. My HR friend who's in her late thirties informed me that there is no such thing as diploma and degree holder pay, as long as you had the experience. She added that salary is not everything.
You know, I am not really sure what to do. I feel that deep down in my heart I should accept the job, cos time is not on my side (many graduations in Aug, meaning more competition), and since I am waiting so long for marketing entry level opportunities, I should just grab the offer because such opportunities don't come knocking on your door often. I also feel like my parents & relatives would tell me to accept the job offer regardless of pay, just to gain experience and build up your portfolio. Yet at the same time, I do think that I am presented with the shorter end of the stick in terms of pay, and I just FEAR that after accepting the job, the reality of a smaller pay check starts to kick in, and I will be the one regretting the wrong decisions made.
I would like to hear your opinions on this and weigh my options.
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