(no subject)
Welp, I just turned down a job.
I'm graduating. I should be clear, I do not expect to be paid a lot of money. I don't even expect to make as much as I used to at the ole U of A Bookstore. I know I need experience, and it's more important to be doing what I'm passionate about than it is to make lots of money. Although some environmental jobs pay well, most of them pay very little. I accept that I might not be able to drag myself out of poverty for a while yet.
That said, I can't accept a job that pays less than minimum wage. Even if you condesendingly tell me that it's "what I have to do if I want to do research". Maybe it is, but I have to feed myself and pay rent SOMEHOW.
I would work for free in some circumstances... e.g. for an NGO in a developing country if room and board are provided. But $1400/month in the most expensive city in the country (and one of the most expensive in the world)... to work LONG hours, literally dawn till dusk in the summer, might just BARELY cover my rent in a slummy house, and my food. But I have $21,000 in loans to pay off. And it's only a 4 month job so I'll be looking again anyway.
I know it's useful experience, but it's not much more than I already have. So I reluctantly turned it down today. I hope it wasn't a mistake. What if I don't get any other offers?
I hope I didn't shoot myself in the foot.
And the hunt goes on...
I'm graduating. I should be clear, I do not expect to be paid a lot of money. I don't even expect to make as much as I used to at the ole U of A Bookstore. I know I need experience, and it's more important to be doing what I'm passionate about than it is to make lots of money. Although some environmental jobs pay well, most of them pay very little. I accept that I might not be able to drag myself out of poverty for a while yet.
That said, I can't accept a job that pays less than minimum wage. Even if you condesendingly tell me that it's "what I have to do if I want to do research". Maybe it is, but I have to feed myself and pay rent SOMEHOW.
I would work for free in some circumstances... e.g. for an NGO in a developing country if room and board are provided. But $1400/month in the most expensive city in the country (and one of the most expensive in the world)... to work LONG hours, literally dawn till dusk in the summer, might just BARELY cover my rent in a slummy house, and my food. But I have $21,000 in loans to pay off. And it's only a 4 month job so I'll be looking again anyway.
I know it's useful experience, but it's not much more than I already have. So I reluctantly turned it down today. I hope it wasn't a mistake. What if I don't get any other offers?
I hope I didn't shoot myself in the foot.
And the hunt goes on...