by: Seth Lytton | Business Development Manager
So you have the degree, you were a member of all the influential organizations in your college and most importantly you’ve got the people skills to land that first job. GREAT! Now how much does it pay? This is a scenario that many college grads face when interviewing for that first job. And while it is a normal occurrence in the interview process, the mere mention of money causes many people feel sick to their stomach. None the less it is important to know how to make the most out of that first job and you may be surprised, but salary should not be the deciding factor.
When interviewing for a job it is important that you find the job that fits your skills, more so than your wallet. Job security, company culture and room for growth are all things that are often overlooked when searching for that first job. Most recent grads are like Wile E. Coyote with huge dollar signs for eyes searching for the biggest paycheck, but in reality they have little knowledge in what truly makes a job worth while. A good first job should be one in which you have room to make mistakes (because you will), senior level people who are invested in your growth and willing to help, continuing learning and training opportunities, and it should be in a company where you fit the culture. These traits make a job enjoyable, and in many cases correlate to an enjoyable work environment. One in which new grads can succeed.
Even then the question will come; what is the right salary for this position? Many resources exist to answer this question: salary.com, local almanacs, and many universities publish the previous year’s information for the public. All of which can give you a baseline to compare offers. However, the bottom line is there is no right salary for the position. It is all the factors mentioned above that make a job worth having, not the dollar value. That being said it may be necessary to take an entry level position paying lower than what you may have expected, but this position also has the potential for a long and prosperous career.
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