Living in your head is a nice way to spend an afternoon but knowing what your true worth is on the open market is an insight you couldn’t pay Buddha to figure out for you. “I want, I need, I will take,” are terms that sound nice when you are journaling or creating your vision board, but when it comes to looking at potential job options, you should wait until you learn a little more about the job before dismissing it against your desires. Living ahead of yourself or living in your head for some can be dangerous when you’ve been out of work for awhile and yet can’t understand why the offers are not pouring in.
You are as good as you believe you are but there is a time and a place for a reality check when you are not getting the job offers you want or think you need. It’s okay to have a price point, everyone should know what they are worth, but when your price point is WAY above what the market is paying, or you think you are degrading yourself by not entertaining a lower salary offer, then you are just kidding yourself.
Everyone wants to make a lot of money. But when you are out of work for a while and can’t seem to land any opportunity let alone the right one, you need to start rethinking your strategy. When you are not as hot as you think, it’s okay to accept that you might need to lower your expectations when it comes to a good opportunity vs. a fat paycheck. I’m not suggesting you take a job just to pay the bills, but if the pay you are making pays the bills and more, than that’s nothing to sneeze at. Being truthful with yourself and not holding a false sense of self, will help you from standing on the unemployment lines long enough to reach retirement. You hear people with little or no experience wanting jobs that are way ahead of them stating, “I can do that,” or “I’ve never done that, but I can learn,” and expect the high price tag that comes along with experience and knowledge.
Knowing your place in the career hierarchy is important so you don’t lead yourself astray with ideas and notions of jobs and titles that are well over your head. You’ll get there one day but turning down an interview because they are not throwing buckets of money at you is not going to help you move up the corporate ladder any faster.
Make yourself a list of what you will and will not do to entertain a job and then stick to that list. Knowing what the market pays for each job based on qualifications and experience also sets up a reasonable expectation and you won’t be disappointed when the six-figure job goes to someone else. Hey, in this market any decent job with benefits is not something to laugh off. Knowing what you are worth and accepting decent work with an opportunity to grow is something everyone should consider particularly if you are out of work for a very long time. Remember, it’s always best to “know thyself” and be grateful for what comes your way.
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