Wednesday, April 3, 2013

What's Your Worth?

It second semester, senior year of college and it's time to start doing what everyone else does.  It's time to go to grad school and postpone real life for just a bit longer or it's time to go find a job and start real life for real.

For me that means real life and a big girl job.

Last week I had a few interviews for a potential real life job.  You know the kind, standard interview, standard questions.  I answered and asked the same questions in all of them.  But there is always one question that throws me off.

The money question.

How much do you want? or What are you expecting?  That question is stressful for me.  I don't know how much I want or even what I should expect.  I have spent the last several years paying for an education, but I don't know what my skills are worth to an employer.

I did the research and found out what the average starting salary for someone with my education is.  I talked to my parents and my professors but I still don't exactly know how to answer that question.

Am I worth the cost of my education, or am I worth the same as anyone with my level of education in my field?  How is the best way to place a value on me and my skills?  And what about the benefits, per diems, and other compensations?  How do those effect my worth and pay?

These are questions to which I do not have an answer.  Hopefully I will get some ideas in the next couple weeks so that I can answer that question appropriately when the time comes.

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