Am I lucky or just naive? 26 year old making 60K.

[ThinkinOutLoud2000]

Graduated college in 2019. Got a music degree. Scholarships+parents paid for it. Lived at home rent free.

Getting a good job in music is impossible (and I didn't want to teach), but I did enough writing stuff over the years to make a resume. At 24, I got a 100% WFH job as a Junior Copywriter. Started out at 48K. Moved out at 25.

One year in the job, promotion boosted me up to Copywriter (no more junior) and 58K. EOY review just got me a raise to 60K.

I always considered myself a lucky SOB for nabbing a job in an industry nothing to do with my major, and it was only a few interviews with no writing sample required, just a portfolio review. The workload is still light (I go days without working) and I can take care of myself 100% independently without bothering with a commute.

But I'm also green to the working world. Maybe 60K is not that much at all. Maybe I should job hop (and I'm feeling the itch to leave too). Maybe I've been taken advantage in some way I don't see yet.

What do you think?

[Wiseman2]

10 minutes ago, ThinkinOutLoud2000 said:

Maybe I should job hop (and I'm feeling the itch to leave too). Maybe I've been taken advantage in some way I don't see yet.

What do you think?

Keep your CV and LinkedIn profile updated and continue browsing. This is good for a starting position, but surely you don't want to stagnant.  Since you apparently have a lot of free time you could moonlight as well as look for other full time work.  A lot of part-time work is a good way to make connections and sort of try stuff out without quitting your day job. 

[ThinkinOutLoud2000]

4 minutes ago, Wiseman2 said:

Keep your CV and LinkedIn profile updated and continue browsing. This is good for a starting position, but surely you don't want to stagnant.  Since you apparently have a lot of free time you could moonlight as well as look for other full time work.  A lot of part-time work is a good way to make connections and sort of try stuff out without quitting your day job. 

Good idea on moonlighting. I already do some weekend farming work because that's the area I'm really passionate about, but I can do more.

[ThinkinOutLoud2000]

Wow, this forum doesn't get much traction...

[Kwothe28]

Some do better in working world, some dont. If you waited with your college degree you maybe wouldnt even had a job. But you pushed through and found a decent job. 60k at 24 year old is, from what I saw in stats, very good salary. Depending on where you are and what are your expanses that is, but median salary in US at age 24(from data in 2022) is 35-40k. So, you are probably better than the most. Again, depends where you live. But you should look at your job as something that would support you. For example, are you planning on living alone? In future you would maybe want to move out because of family on your own. Maybe you want to travel the world? Depending on what your wishes are, you could try to predict if your money would be enough.

For example, my colleague renovated his home where he lives with his parents. So he took a big credit that deducts from his salary. And he gives his parents some money. So he basically doesnt have almost anything at the end of the month. And he works longer then me so you would expect for him to at least have some savings on, for my country, very good salary. You need to plan on stuff like that and what would you want from life. And if your salary is not enough, to maybe work additional jobs. For example, you said you have a lot of free time so you can maybe do something else for additional income. Perhaps something related to music since you are a music major I assume.

[Batya33]

I'd focus right now on building a nest egg and living frugally to save for potential leaner times.  I started making high salaries in my late 20s, did that for 15 years until I married, had a baby and my new full time job - SAHM - was unpaid lol. 

But because I saved for 11 years before I had a baby -while I was single, no children -I was able to contribute to the family income (which I wanted to do -I wanted to feel the independence), able to be home with my son for 7 years and I can basically live off the dividends from the portfolio I started around 25 years ago and not work outside the home. 

I've been working outside the home, again, for the last 7 years -part time (and our son is 14 so I handle almost all the housework and much of the kid-relate stuff)- huge paycut but in my prior career and in a position I love -I feel like I am doing really good work and contributing to and serving people.  I can do this because of all the saving and investing I did during most of those 15 years (the first few years I paid off grad school loans).

Are you interested in grad school -does your company pay for grad school or partially -that might be a benefit/perk to take advantage of.  Good luck!

[Starlight925]

Why do you want to “job hop”?

What do you want to “hop” to?

A different industry, better pay, etc.?  These are questions to ask yourself to figure out your own future. 
You may want a different job in a different industry that will make you happier, but that might pay less. 
I guess I’m just asking….what are your goals?  Your dreams?  Your plans?

For me personally, not sure you want all of our stories, but I changed career paths entirely, which initially cut my earnings by over 60%.  I was very unhappy and couldn’t see myself growing old doing something I hated.  Looking back, it was the best (and bravest) thing I ever did, as I found a career (20 years now) that I love, and the money did come. 
But this is about you….what do you want to do?

[catfeeder]

Congrats, TOL! I think you’re doing great! If you have enough time on hand to explore additional options, you could freelance, you could x-train for a more demanding position, you could do grad school, you could even use the time to explore new hobbies and interests to learn about any untapped talents you could develop into a passion.

It doesn’t sound as though anyone is taking advantage. You’re being paid for the hours they need you available regardless of whether they assign you enough work or not. So if you can multitask with that time while living comfortably, go for it!

I’d avoid allowing myself to get bored, as that would signal your own waste of time rather than the company’s. Most skill development I’ve done during hours for which I was being paid by a company were skills I could justify using for that company—this was about my own private ethics rather than a prescription for anyone else.

 I would not jump this ship unless you find something you’re sure you’d be wild about. Meanwhile, this company has demonstrated an interest in developing your career path by promoting you, so why not ride that thing, pursue development within it, and if you can’t find a direction within that interests you, you’ll have learned skills you can take with you somewhere else.

ENJOY!

[ThinkinOutLoud2000]

6 hours ago, Kwothe28 said:

For example, are you planning on living alone?

I've moved out fall 2022 and have lived 100% independently of my parents since then.

4 hours ago, Starlight925 said:

Why do you want to “job hop”?

What do you want to “hop” to?

A different industry, better pay, etc.?  These are questions to ask yourself to figure out your own future. 
You may want a different job in a different industry that will make you happier, but that might pay less. 
I guess I’m just asking….what are your goals?  Your dreams?  Your plans?

For me personally, not sure you want all of our stories, but I changed career paths entirely, which initially cut my earnings by over 60%.  I was very unhappy and couldn’t see myself growing old doing something I hated.  Looking back, it was the best (and bravest) thing I ever did, as I found a career (20 years now) that I love, and the money did come. 
But this is about you….what do you want to do?

Your comment really spoke to me. 

I want to job hop because – while this job is fine enough and the work isn't torturous – I want to do so much more with my life. And I have no obstacles in my life: parents, children, husband, nada. This is the freest I will ever be in my life and I want to use my time well. 

Yes, a different industry. A lot of my free time has been taken by volunteering/doing gig work at local gardens and farms, because I've learned I want work that uses my body (tired of sitting 24/7!), transforms the world (regenerative gardening is one of the greatest tools to confront climate change), and I simply love it. 

I am willing to take a pay cut. To even take another job but go back to my original salary – 48K – because that's the minimum I need to keep my apartment/lifestyle. 

I have $10K in savings. I'm doing a lot of research on how to transition into this industry. To be continued...

 

[Starlight925]

What a well thought out response!

There is no wrong answer here.  Stay at your current job that you don’t love, but that offers you a nice salary, or look outside your industry into something where you can be outdoors, and truly enjoy every single day, knowing that it comes at a cost in terms of annual income.

As I said in my earlier post, when I left the job that I truly hated, I was making very good money, but realize that it was not a future for me. So for me, the reduction in income far outweigh the benefits.  
 

Interestingly, it seems that when we do what we love and have a passion for, often, the money and benefits come.

You have the luxury right now of being well employed and being able to partake in some of your outdoor activities while you’re still at work. You could even take a part-time job doing what you love and put feelers out there to see if you can launch it into something more permanent. 

You sound like a very thoughtful person who is taking your future very seriously, and I applaud you.