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How much should a shift lead make west coast
Additional Posts in Advertising Confessions
Sometimes I don't uphold the company mission 😱
Anyone have more info?
I think Elon Musk is hot.
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I make 42k and live in Chicago. I live further north in a cheap studio apartment that’s not super nice. I don’t have a car or pets. I keep my electric bill down. I have an old phone. I eat out with my boyfriend (we go dutch). I like getting my nails done. I don’t take vacations to exotic locales, or any locales for that matter.
It’s not the funnest, and after two years of this I’m downright sick of it.
But I make it work and at least I have a job.
I lived in Oakland with roommates, paying $1k a month in student loans eating rice a lot. But I was going into more debt just trying to make rent, so I moved away from the bay to a cheaper market, with a salary bump. Financial stress lowers your IQ and takes a huge toll on your health. It's not worth it when at the end of the day, we just make ads. Chalking it up to "paying your dues" is stupid and makes it so that only kids with a safety net are able to make it in the industry. The industry needs to change, millennials are making the same as people 30 years ago, but they're coming in with student loans and much higher cost of living. Financial stress doesn't bring good work nor a happy life, and banner ads aren't worth sacrificing for.
Started off at 50 in New York 5 years ago, but student loan payments were 700/mo. Basically I worked late all the time on purpose so the company would pay for my meals :X
Tbh I don’t know anyone who makes that little starting out in NYC — even account people. Avg for junior creatives that I’ve known has been more around 50-55k.
That salary is unfortunately accurate. Given the laws the overtime pay is time and a half. So if you’re working long hours it pays around 43k for the year but is taxed less. (Finance person talking here). To afford it when I was entry I had a roommate and lived off ramen.
I lived in a studio that my friends all laughed at and called a closet. Had lunch off the dollar menu at Wendy’s near the office and ate not so great processed foods for dinner. But I also walked or took the subway everywhere, so I was skinny af. Had generous friends (who weren’t in our industry) who would pick up a few rounds at the bar and never expected me to pay them back (“we just want you to be able to come out and have fun!”). Didn’t really vacation but traveled to see family and for weddings. Made an “I’m willing to some incur debt to not miss something important” policy to make those things happen. Didn’t buy a ton of new clothes or things. Doesn’t sound like it, but I was having a blast. Loved the people I worked with, realized I’d made great friends, and was making it work in a city I really wanted to live in. It was hard and it sucked seeing my other friends not worrying about money like I was but, years later, I found out a lot of them had higher credit card debt than me, and still do, so...
Most of the juniors at our agency commute in from NJ / Long Island from their parents place. Or, they have like 6 roommates in Bushwick. Unfortunately, it’s how we all paid our dues.
Honestly: I just pray people are getting paid more than that entry level in New York
Be a trust fund kid
I ate a lot of tuna cans and going out wasn’t a thing. I remember when clients or partners would take ya out I’d pretend like I got a cab and it was on the wrong block and then I’d walk to the train. Tough out there for a pimp.
I am looking for actual advice.
When I was a junior in SF. Lots of roommates and a crappier part of town
Don't live in NY/SF until you can afford it.
I was making 27K a year in Chicago. Really cheap apartment way up north, lots of hanging out with friends at home with cheap wine, secondhand clothes and Walgreens makeup, periodic $50 check from my grandfather meant I could go out to dinner or get a manicure. No vacations. And I didn’t have student loans (state school, worked 2 jobs). The struggle is real and it blows. Hustle a side job if you can (serving means cash and free food, there’s a last minute dog walking app and animals are good for the soul) and make a game plan to GTFO of the agency paying so little and jump as soon as you can. It sucks.
Credit cards...
Also, it helped if the person didn't have student loans
I lived in a bad part of Jersey and made it work. Growing up poor and broke does have some upside.
But yeah, 35 starting off is unworkable.
Entry level speaking. Basically burning through the little savings I have from lucrative commission based college retail jobs. Living with roommates in Harlem in a 7x11 room trying to figure out how to make it through the year. Builds character.
I feel your pain OP. Just over a year now with relatively the same salary It’s tough, but hang in there. We gotta.
In New York, get an apartment and convert with fake walls. Yes it’s shitty to have no privacy but you’ll save some $$ until you can get your own place. We were 3 ppl in a 1 bedroom.