Advice on salary and cost of living
I have been considering moving from the DC area to Charleston, SC for various reasons, i.e. buy a home a price I can afford, save some money, be closer to parents, slower pace of life. There's been a company I've been researching and watching for a year now. I have submitted my resume and had a phone interview. The position is entry level and the salary range is $12,000 lower than my current salary. I know I am qualified (probably more than qualified). I've researched on salary.com and other cost of living comparison websites and this salary seems really low--these sites say $39K-$46K for my type of position. I told them I was looking for a salary $5,000 less than my current. Am I being unrealistic? Anybody out there currently living in Charleston, SC who thinks a salary of $35K-$37 (single with no kids...but normal bills) is average?
Do not rely on salary.com--common wisdom is that it is on the high side--sometimes a little, often a lot. I am not real familiar with the COL in Charleston, but $35 to $37k for an entry-level job there sounds pretty good to me. It would be considered high (depending on the field, of course) where I live, and I am sure the COL here is higher than there.... I know the property taxes are lower--when I talk to anyone from that area who is considering moving up here, they have sticker shock. I think you will more than realize the $12,000 cut in pay by offsets in expenses. But only you can figure out how well or poorly you can live on that salary--based on your own expenses. Your marital status and number of kids you may have really has no bearing on what you should be paid. It is your education and experience (and the general job market) that will determine your salary. Look at the same or similar jobs in that area that require the same or similar education and see what they are paying. That will tell you what the market value of the job should be. if it is within the range you need to move to SC, then you should be OK. If it is too low, then (a) you have to reset your salary expectations or (b) apply to position that WILL pay you the salary you need (assuming you are qualified for those positions). If you are not qualified for higher paying positions, maybe a move to SC isn't in the cards right now. Obviously, the cost of living in Charleston is going to be lower than in the metro Washington area, but that' s not the point. The point is this is an entry-level job. Entry-level jobs are designed for people with little or no experience in the particular occupation or job for which you' re being considered. The fact that you have other qualifications really doesn' t matter, either - entry-level jobs pretty much pay what they pay. If, in the prospective employer' s opinion, you were truly qualified for something other than an entry-level position, I imagine that' s what you would have been offered. Clearly, the employer isn' t going to pay for other skills that don' t increase your value to the organization. All things considered, I' d be really tempted to take this job offer. Anyway, entry-level salary offers are seldom negotiable. | |
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