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hated it but at least in a way it was easy money for me.
I was a retail cashier at the mall. I worked there 18-22 while I was in college. The last position I was at I made a 20% commission though which seemed good.
My mom makes $12 an hour as a filer at an eye doctors office. In Cleveland. However she only works like 20 hours a week max. She likes it because she gets to pick the hours she works.
As to small salaries for professionals in NYC: let's say employer pays a young engineer or other professional 50K. 50K - 14K taxes =36K.
36K - 17K rent/utilities = 19K to live and pay student loans.
Why would I want to slave in a stressful environment in NYC then if I can have some easy, low-stess job in smaller city--take 20K home while living in own house, not paying someone else's mortgage? That's why I'm doing this: not going to work or live in a city with expensive real estate and rent anymore.
This is what I fear, that this is becoming the permanent state of employment in the U.S. The labor market is competing with the world now. India has had the situation of too many people chasing too few jobs for decades. It forced people to compete with each other more and more. Employers would not uncommonly get bribes for interviews and for hiring someone. Employers would insist on requiring higher and higher educations for menial positions. Now our jobs are going over there and to other countries. Some western nations restrict businesses ability to lay off a workforce and outsource. In some countries people take to the streets when their government no longer represents them, but business interests. Not here.
For years our 'recoveries' have been new highs in the stock market - lucky us, who invest wisely - and not such good news for employees (except for the dot com bubble).
It is such a shame to hear all the hardship this is causing.
I never even made close to that without a degree. I made $7.25. Mimimum wage. When it was $5.50 I made that too.
My starting salary after college is $46,000 and I make more than alot of friends.
That sucks. Without my degree the highest I have averaged around $17/hr and my jobs were all pretty easy. Some had way more busywork than others, but I got them all by presenting well and bartering a little. I probably could have made even more.......
I manage a social security office. Back in September, we were lucky enough to open a position for a service representative slot. This is an entry level front line position. We hired a young lady who was currently taking night courses towards her bachelors degree. During the interview process, she was very motivated to get in with the federal government, even stating that it was her life long dream. On the face of it, she was a very good candidate for the position. Our only major concern with her was that we thought that she might be over qualified for the position (even though she had not gotten her BA yet) and might not stay. This was based on her prior work experience, education, and her long term career plans. A lesser issue was that her commute to work would have been 40 miles each way. She said that the commute would not be an issue. With that in mind, we offered her the position and she quickly accepted.
Her starting salary was $46k, which I think is pretty good for someone without a degree. She would also be working in a small office in an affluent area, so she would deal with a nicer clientele. Lastly, the management staff is very friendly and are all in our early 30's, as is the majority of the office. So all in all, I beleive that this is a pretty good place to work.
She lasted all of 8 days. And let me tell you, we were glad that she quit. Her major complaint was the commute. She said that the traffic was so bad that she wanted to kill herself. She was drama in other aspects that I dont even want to get in to. THe worst part of all of this is that in the federal government you can only hire during certain window periods. There has not been a hiring window since, and we are on a hiring freeze for the next two years. THe office is busy as ever, and we could sure use some help, but there is nothing we can do other than ask more of our employees.
This story really has nothing to do with this thread other than it is frustrating hearing about all these good candidates for jobs, and then making the wrong pick.
Oh man. What a drag. I agree. However, most employers require a degree for jobs like receptionist/admin. nowadays. I understand this as it helps to weed out MANY applicants, but at the same time, I think it works against them in some aspects as well. Who really goes to college to become a receptionist or administrative assistant?
Additionally, I hate to say, many degree holders (usually younger ones) have a sense of entitlement and don't realize they have to gain experience and EARN their way up to the top. I am young, but I think it was easier for me to learn this since I took on full-time work BEFORE full-time college and I am now seeing the correlation between the two..and that a degree (unless highly specialized) really IS just a piece of paper that shows employers you stuck to something for 4-5+ years and were bright enough to finish it.
I'm not saying that's what you were hiring for, etc., but just making a little note about the whole degree/job thing. I hope you guys find someone eager to work there. I would be TERRIBLY happy to work there, as I am sure many others would be, as well.
I was a retail cashier at the mall. I worked there 18-22 while I was in college. The last position I was at I made a 20% commission though which seemed good.
My mom makes $12 an hour as a filer at an eye doctors office. In Cleveland. However she only works like 20 hours a week max. She likes it because she gets to pick the hours she works.
That's considered decent money in Cleveland. I used to live not too far from there and I made $9/hr (circa early 2007) and was able to rent a studio and pay for my car, food, etc. I even had enough to enjoy myself and save. Of course I was probably only saving about $250 a month, on good months, but I was comfortable and knew how to live within my means. Things are MUCH cheaper around that area.
I would say that $12/hr there is like $24/hr here in NYC...at least. Does your Mom live alone or have a spouse that helps with the bills? I can see how she would like her position and be able to make do off the pay.
Wow, this is interesting stuff. I am "just" a nanny (though I have a degree in languages), and my basic salary, after 2 years with the same family, is $100,000. I also get plenty of overtime which gives me an additional $20-30K a year. I am surprised to hear how low the salaries are in more "professional" fields.
Depends on your field, most starting salaries in NYC for Engineering seemed to be in the 60-70k range, which seems perfectly livable to me. In other fields, such as marketing and advertising, it seems they low ball the starting pay(35-40k) and you get a sizable bump if you get your MBA.
Wow, this is interesting stuff. I am "just" a nanny (though I have a degree in languages), and my basic salary, after 2 years with the same family, is $100,000. I also get plenty of overtime which gives me an additional $20-30K a year. I am surprised to hear how low the salaries are in more "professional" fields.
I seriously doubt a typical nanny makes $100k, (I'd be shocked it it was half that...you'd see a bit more waspy professional types dragging babies around if it were), but kudos anyway. That's a sweetheart position not easily replaced.
What percentage of these people do you suppose are actually getting by in NYC 100% on these salaries (vs. trust fund kids, married folks whose spouses make real money, people with second jobs)?
That's considered decent money in Cleveland. I used to live not too far from there and I made $9/hr (circa early 2007) and was able to rent a studio and pay for my car, food, etc. I even had enough to enjoy myself and save. Of course I was probably only saving about $250 a month, on good months, but I was comfortable and knew how to live within my means. Things are MUCH cheaper around that area.
I would say that $12/hr there is like $24/hr here in NYC...at least. Does your Mom live alone or have a spouse that helps with the bills? I can see how she would like her position and be able to make do off the pay.
She works as a hobby now that she has no children in school. We was able to stay home with us until I went to college.
She did work that job when her and my father where first married. She also worked it before and shared an apartment with her friend and had a pretty nice life. She grew up in a working class family so we didn't have the desire to live an extravagant life style.
A friend of mine mad $29,000 a year in Cleveland and lived just above comfortably in a 2 bedroom shared apartment in a less the convienet location.
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), but kudos anyway. That's a sweetheart position not easily replaced.
