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I need advice on how much income to ask for or accept at an entry level job.
I have an interview coming up for a part-time, entry level position at a startup tech company. It is located in the Bay Area of California, close to S.F. There are many successful and smart people working at the startup.
I have had a bunch of internships paying me $15 per hour and temp office work from $14-20 an hour. The job post said they would train the right person. There are always new things to learn with a new position yet, I have more experience than what the job post is asking for. I feel I should be in the right to ask for more than $15 per hour. How about $20 per hour (41k salary, 20x2080) or even $25 (52k salary)?
How much should I ask for at this entry level job? It should be acceptable to negotiate, correct?
What kind of job? Programmer, secretary, janitor? All entry level at some point but all have different starting points
If you need money go safe, if not bump it by 10-20%?
Video Editing and other digital graphic tasks. The description doesn't say too much. I've worked with 3D and 2D graphics for film and commercials.
You're right about different starting points. I'm more comfortable asking for something like $17 because of my history. However, I'm also wondering what the standards are. I don't want to sell myself short. Do careers usually advance no more than 10-20% in pay when getting a new job or promotion? Besides the rare extreme cases.
As far as how desperate am I? I'm not dying but I'd really like this position.
What will kill you are the rental prices there for apartments. That will affect what you ask for. Go to the San Francisco and San Jose forums for the lowdown on prices and also a discussion of salaries.
What will kill you are the rental prices there for apartments. That will affect what you ask for. Go to the San Francisco and San Jose forums for the lowdown on prices and also a discussion of salaries.
Yeah, I'm seeing 2k a month for 1 bedroom apartments. I think maybe I have to stretch for it and say something like $20-$25 per hour. I don't see how work like mine can be lower for an entry job.
What will kill you are the rental prices there for apartments. That will affect what you ask for. Go to the San Francisco and San Jose forums for the lowdown on prices and also a discussion of salaries.
The OP should prepare for roommates. That job won't pay enough to afford an apartment. And who knows what sort of expenses the OP has. And basically people who make way more than entry level will get all of the apartments. Also $2k is really low, that sounds like apartments in not get locations. Where is your job located?
OP to help you figure out a salary, we need more info on the tech company:
1. how many employees
2. how is the company funded: venture backed, boot strapped, public company
3. If venture backed, what round are they on?
4. Is the company profitable yet
5. What tech space: enterprise software, consumer software, consumer hardware, enterprise hardware, biotech, something else?
All this stuff impacts how much you will likely be paid. From highest at top to lowest at bottom, here is a rough pay scale:
Large public company
Small public company
Venture Backed company with at least series B funding
Profitable smaller company that was venture backed
Venture backed company at Series A or below
Boot-strapped company
Enterprise stuff pays more than consumer stuff generally speaking (higher margins).
Also, that skill set tends to have low-ish starting salaries. Sorry.
That's a little too high for entry level in that industry imho.
I'd say something around 50-55K probably would make more sense, but it really varies depending on company. Some startups pay better than others. I've had recruiting agencies report salaries for my field (similar industry) in a certain ballpark, but then have been told by a handful of companies that that's too high.
That's a little too high for entry level in that industry imho.
I'd say something around 50-55K probably would make more sense, but it really varies depending on company. Some startups pay better than others. I've had recruiting agencies report salaries for my field (similar industry) in a certain ballpark, but then have been told by a handful of companies that that's too high.
Recruiting agencies use the same inflated wage figures as college prospectuses. They are looking to sign you up for their service, then talk you into accepting a 'great opportunity' paying 20-50% less.
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