Dear Ascend,
I live in South Florida and I graduated from college a little over two years ago with a degree in business marketing. I landed a great first marketing job right after college, but unfortunately, due to the pandemic, I was laid off in March. After months of job searching, I haven’t been able to land many interviews, let alone a new job. I was offered an internship from a company I am very interested in, but feel like that is a downgrade considering I have been working full-time for over two years now.
Should I be considering taking a lower-level position given the job market right now? I feel as if I would be going backwards in my career because I would have to move back home. I can’t afford my rent anymore, and would be paid $10/hr at this internship when I was originally making a decent salary. I feel really uncertain and uneasy about whether the company is trying to take advantage, or this really is all that is available given the times.
Thank you in advance.
Sincerely,
G
We asked Jodi Glickman, CEO of Great on the Job, to share her thoughts on G’s dilemma.
Dear G,
First of all, I want to congratulate you on the internship offer from the marketing company. While it may not be a dream offer given the level (intern) or the pay (hourly), any offer in this upside-down world of ours is worth celebrating!
So, the million-dollar question is this: Should you take it? If I were my younger self or someone in your generation, I think I would. That’s not to say I’m right — only you can truly answer that question. However, as you think about your options and evaluate your offer, here are three questions to ask yourself:
- Will you learn?
- Will you earn?
- Will you contribute?
I once wrote an article for HBR on the subject of first jobs — and my position then (and still today) is that your first job doesn’t (really) matter. Although you’ve got two years of work experience under your belt, you likely have 40+ more years ahead of you — meaning your future is wide open and will be far more impactful and important than your short work history. Our first jobs/early careers are almost never indicative of where we’ll end up in the world. Instead, let’s talk about learning, earning, and contributing as we evaluate your future self.
Learning
The best news about the offer you’ve got in hand is that you’re interested in the company. As someone relatively new to the industry, my guess is that you’ve got a ton of learning ahead of you. If you like this company, then I’d say milk it for all it’s worth.
You can (and should) ask questions about the type of work you’ll be doing and the expectations the team will have of you before you accept the offer. This will help you decide if it feels like the company is taking advantage or if it seems like a role you can grow in and use to your benefit. You can also ask the company this upfront: “Is there room for growth in this role?” Once you understand their expectations, you can plan to meet, and then exceed them.
On the other hand, if it feels like the work won’t be enjoyable (will you like your team members and tasks?) or educational (will you be doing projects that excite you?), it’s also okay to turn it down and consider other options that meet your learning needs.
If you do decide to go, do it with a growth mindset and take full advantage of the opportunities at your expense. Continue to ask thoughtful questions, push yourself outside of your comfort zone, and focus on finding mentors who can help you excel. (Who knows, you might even meet people who have connections to full-time jobs outside the organization.) And if the “intern” title is beneath your ability, show them by hitting it out of the park on your assignments and keep asking for more and bigger responsibilities — with the goal of turning your internship into a more senior, salaried position.
Earning
It’s certainly disappointing to have to take a pay cut, but if it’s any consolation, you’re in good company — many of us are doing more work for less money right now. A low-paying job that offers you learning opportunities is better than no job, and a low-paying job in the right industry or at the right company is even better.
Ask yourself this question: From a long-term perspective, would you rather work for $10/hour at the right company (i.e. one with a future) or for considerably more doing something that is not aligned with your career goals? I’d argue the first is a better option, if you can afford it. The fact that you can move home gives you some financial flexibility to take a pay hit for a potentially good opportunity.
That said, there’s no reason not to try to negotiate your hourly rate. Be transparent with your potential employer about your salary expectations and ask about opportunities for advancement. Let your hiring manager know your hope is to convert this internship into a full-time role or advance to a salary in the range of where you were or where you hope to be.
If you feel at any time that you are being taken advantage of monetarily, then you’ll always have the option to resign, or better yet, make the case that you are being underpaid and negotiate for more money once you’ve proven yourself.
Contributing
And finally, how are you contributing to the marketplace with your role? It may not be a life-changing internship, but do you have the ability to make an impact — on an interesting initiative, for a great client, or in terms of the quality of your work? Will you be able to update LinkedIn with a high-profile marketing campaign you are now a part of?
Most importantly: Will this role give you a sense of purpose? Once you have an idea of what will be asked of you, who you will be working with, and how you will contribute, think about how you’ll feel at the end of the day. Will you be fulfilled? Fulfilling work can make us happier and healthier in our day-to-day lives and might even be the boost you need to continue looking for other full-time opportunities on the side.
The Takeaway
At the end of the day, your career is a continuous work in progress. It’s a long-term endeavor that is never a straight line. There are no “shoulds” or right answers. Instead, there are choices to make in terms of your willingness to work hard, take risks, and make opportunities happen for you. If your answers to the questions I’ve proposed meet your learning, earning, and contributing needs, I’d say go for it. Make the most of the internship and leverage your new role by learning a ton, developing relationships, and creating opportunities to contribute to your organization and your industry. Good luck!
Jodi
Ask an Expert is our advice column in which we help answer the questions that are stressing you out. You can submit a question for consideration here.
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