Anonymous wrote:Warning: I left a six figure job and took a lower paying one. I never re-attained my former salary. The lower paying place didn't have much in the way of advancement and the lower salary ratcheted my "worth" down for future employers.

See if you can consult instead of being an employee while you keep looking.

I did this and was able to get back to my former salary in the next position only because the lower-paying job was not a step down in terms of title or responsibilities and I was able to explain in away in terms of having to work and provide for my family. Even then, I wouldn't recommend it unless absolutely necessary.

Anonymous wrote:16:35 again...

At our University you have to work in your job for a set number of months before you can apply for higher jobs.

This is every workplace.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Warning: I left a six figure job and took a lower paying one. I never re-attained my former salary. The lower paying place didn't have much in the way of advancement and the lower salary ratcheted my "worth" down for future employers.

See if you can consult instead of being an employee while you keep looking.

This is OP and this is my fear. Thanks for the feedback (and thanks to other posters as well).

Taking time out of the workforce will also make you less employable, OP. I would take the role. You can always leave it off your resume and apply to other jobs.

I have taken an intentional step down, and regretted it later when I could not get back in to my old career despite having left it at close to the top. YMMV.

16:35 again...

At our University you have to work in your job for a set number of months before you can apply for higher jobs.

16:35 again

I just noticed you have an MBA. You will definitely be able to move around in the system with an MBA.

I know people with 4 year college degrees that started out in the janitorial department cleaning the classrooms. One is now admin of parking.

In our state you are part of the state retirement system. Again, no one ever quits these jobs and it is hard to get hired on unless your spouse is a professor and then the University finds a job for the trailing spouse.

Take the job and keep looking if you need to but a job in the hand is worth two in the bush.

I live in a Division I college town. Everyone strives to get a job at the University. Benefits are good. Once you are employed there you move around in the system. No one ever quits. Workload is light.

It is very difficult to get hired for any jobs at the University. Usually you have to know people.

I'd take the job.

Doable if u have a 2 income household

Anonymous wrote:Warning: I left a six figure job and took a lower paying one. I never re-attained my former salary. The lower paying place didn't have much in the way of advancement and the lower salary ratcheted my "worth" down for future employers.

See if you can consult instead of being an employee while you keep looking.

This is OP and this is my fear. Thanks for the feedback (and thanks to other posters as well).

Warning: I left a six figure job and took a lower paying one. I never re-attained my former salary. The lower paying place didn't have much in the way of advancement and the lower salary ratcheted my "worth" down for future employers.

See if you can consult instead of being an employee while you keep looking.

That’s basically entry level and the title sounds entry level too. If you need the money, maybe, but I would look into who you will report to before taking it further. Universities can be surprisingly unpleasant work environments (btdt).

I took a university job that was a step down in pay but lateral in terms of position. I stayed there one year and then got a private sector job with a significant salary increase. It was well worth it for me but even has a different set of circumstances.

My university position was 90k. 40-50 does sound low but if you can make it work, maybe it’ll be worth it.

I’m also considering a university job that would be a substantial pay cut from my job I was laid off from a couple of months ago. I also don’t technically need the money, but I like working, and the longer I’m out of a job, the more I feel like I might never get another on-ramp. (It’s been seven months for me.)

If the job doesn’t seem like it will be horrible, I would probably take it and keep looking.

Usually a public university will not have much promotion room. If you don't actually need the money or the health insurance, why go back to work immediately?

I was laid off from my consulting role in September, where I was making low six figures (boutique consultancy). I have an MBA and ten years of professional experience, including founding and operating a non-profit. I’ve reached out to my network about jobs but things are rough and there’s just not a lot of movement. I am barely receiving requests for interviews.

I was contacted for a coordinator role that will pay between $40-50k, working directly for a university. Is this career suicide? The benefits are good but I’m worried about the long-term impact on my career trajectory, which I’m concerned with the optics of recently anyway (I was at my consulting role for six months; at my previous role for just over a year - the stress and politics were too much for me). In an ideal world, I’ll stay at my next job/company for 5+ years. I’m tired of being the FNG.

Advice? Anyone taken a step - or several - down and been able to ramp up relatively quickly through promotions etc? Is it better just to have a job, any job? (Financially my family doesn’t “need” my salary but I want to and like to work, and obviously more money is better than not.). TIA.