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I did realize as I walked out that mentioning the salary was wrong - but I am very new to interviewing so I'm still learning! I thought that she was low-balling me when she proposed $12/hour because I had read that the average salary at the company and in that area for the job was $15. My expenses are as low as they can get, I believe. I'm only paying for rent/utilities, car expenses, food, student loans, and a cell phone bill and had calculated that $14/hour should be okay as long as I had a part time job on the side. The issue is that my student loan payments will total out to around $1300/month, so I'm scrambling to pick up various part time jobs on the side as well. I do think I'm going to take this job and continue actively looking (because some job is better than no job), I'm just concerned with not having the time to interview then or starting to take personal days right off the bat and giving a negative impression to the employer.
Contact your student loans and ask about forbearance or lowing payments. With the rates of defaults, they are more than willing to work with you.
I think it's risky to try to negotiate salary through email. It's too easy for the other person to say no. I would call her directly and say that you are very interested in this position, but you feel concerned as the salary offered is $12/hour which is a little low compared to other places you have interviewed at. (If she asks where you interviewed at, just politely say you would not feel right sharing other company's information.) Ask her if there is any way she could do even a little better than $12/hour. I think you have a good chance of getting a little more. And the worst she can say is no. If she says no again, just go ahead and accept the offer to start. Perhaps down the road there will be opportunity for growth and promotion.
I think it's risky to try to negotiate salary through email. It's too easy for the other person to say no. I would call her directly and say that you are very interested in this position, but you feel concerned as the salary offered is $12/hour which is a little low compared to other places you have interviewed at. (If she asks where you interviewed at, just politely say you would not feel right sharing other company's information.) Ask her if there is any way she could do even a little better than $12/hour. I think you have a good chance of getting a little more. And the worst she can say is no. If she says no again, just go ahead and accept the offer to start. Perhaps down the road there will be opportunity for growth and promotion.
I see your point but the OP already asked if the pot could be sweetened (see first post) and was given a definite "no". If she takes the job and settles in well and is a fast learner, I think then would be the better time to broach the subject again once her probationary period is up.
I did realize as I walked out that mentioning the salary was wrong - but I am very new to interviewing so I'm still learning! I thought that she was low-balling me when she proposed $12/hour because I had read that the average salary at the company and in that area for the job was $15. My expenses are as low as they can get, I believe. I'm only paying for rent/utilities, car expenses, food, student loans, and a cell phone bill and had calculated that $14/hour should be okay as long as I had a part time job on the side. The issue is that my student loan payments will total out to around $1300/month, so I'm scrambling to pick up various part time jobs on the side as well. I do think I'm going to take this job and continue actively looking (because some job is better than no job), I'm just concerned with not having the time to interview then or starting to take personal days right off the bat and giving a negative impression to the employer.
OP, how are you making ends meet now with this salary? Can you get a cheaper cell phone or none at all? People didn't always have cell phones and managed to do okay without them. Someone had the idea to call your student loans and see if you can negotiate with them, I think that's a stellar idea. How low you can go is only true ias far as how low you're willing to go.
1) Income is better than no income
2) No employment gap is better than employment gap
3) New environment to meet new people and faces (read potential network) that may lead you to a better gig is better than no networking and getting that lead at home from behind your computer.
I agree, this is great advice. Especially the networking part of it.
I did realize as I walked out that mentioning the salary was wrong - but I am very new to interviewing so I'm still learning! I thought that she was low-balling me when she proposed $12/hour because I had read that the average salary at the company and in that area for the job was $15. My expenses are as low as they can get, I believe. I'm only paying for rent/utilities, car expenses, food, student loans, and a cell phone bill and had calculated that $14/hour should be okay as long as I had a part time job on the side. The issue is that my student loan payments will total out to around $1300/month, so I'm scrambling to pick up various part time jobs on the side as well. I do think I'm going to take this job and continue actively looking (because some job is better than no job), I'm just concerned with not having the time to interview then or starting to take personal days right off the bat and giving a negative impression to the employer.
$1300/MONTH? What the HECK is your degree in and how much did it cost?
There is an option to pay based on income, it's usually 10% of your income I believe. So if you are making $12/hr, times 160 hours on average in a month, your payment would be less than $200/month. As you make more money you can adjust the amount, but at least you'd be making the minimum payments.
OP, my student loans are a little more than yours a month and I just keep deferring. You can also call and tell them you what you can pay. They are usually pretty nice about that and as long as you are paying SOMETHING, they probably won't put you in default. You can also defer for 3 years if you payments are more than 20% of your paycheck, and I'm assuming with $1300 a month and making $12 an hour, that yes it will be more than 20% of your paycheck. That is what I am doing now. I'm not sure what your degree is in but I have found that college has been essentially useless. You go and rack up loans to get a better job and you find out you could have gotten the same job with a high school diploma and probably end up making more but too late for both us of there!
Take the job, you probably won't like it, but you have to have one and it goes along with the tried and true work to live American philosophy! Look for other jobs in your spare time...maybe find a job where you can use that degree you wasted...I mean...spent all that money on
Side note: the above mentioned plans only work with federal loans, not private loans. I sincerely hope you didn't get any of those. And with just a bachelor's I am inclined to ask where the heck did you go to school??? Mine are high because I have my master's and some doctorate classes.
My mistake I did assume the OP had all federal loans.
I would hope OP does have all federal loans those private ones can be a killer from what I hear...
and I meant live to work not work to live in my post. Oh well! Oops.
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