New opportunity advice!

[flyeagle111]

Hello all,

I have an interview next week for a sales position that starts at 65k and tops out around 100k. Here's the catch...it's not my passion or industry I went to school for. I applied on a whim.

Currently, I'm 23 years old and make about 35k. I've applied for better gigs in my industry, but no such luck yet. I'm worried that if I take this, then it will be hard to move my way back into the industry I currently work in.

As far as finances...I currently have about 77K saved and my goal is to be financially independent by 35. Right now, I save about 15k a year.

Am I crazy not to take this job if I get the offer?

 

[growing_older]

What industries are you considering. If you are in say something medical and your "opportunity" is to be an insurance salesman, then you should certainly keep looking for something more closely related to the field you want to be in. In general, doing something you do not like for a quick bump in pay will lead to long term dissatisfaction.

 

[CaliforniaMan]

For what it is worth I, along with many if not most of the successful people I know ended up in fields which which were either a little or a lot outside of their original field of study. Times change, opportunities come and go, you are just starting out, don't be afraid to jump a little outside your current passion. You might develop another one.

 

[pb4uski]

Is the $65k for sure or just the potential for $65k? Is your makeup/personality compatible with sales? If you tried it out and it didn't work out for you could you return to the industry you are working in now?

 

[38Chevy454]

More details on what new industry or job specifics vs current industry and job duties would help.

However, if your goal is want to be FI by 35, it is going to take money and serious savings. Approximately doubling or near tripling your income could have a significant effect on meeting that goal.

Concur with how definite is the $65K minimum? You are still young, and have a lot of time to develop career. Sales can be good, if you like doing that.

 

[MRG]

More details on what new industry or job specifics vs current industry and job duties would help.

+1

My passion was logging and mills. No money in it, and a good way to die.

I went into IT, not so much passion but I'm a good problem solver; another plus few programmers have trees fall on them!


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[Bestwifeever]

With any luck you will have many passions during your life. An interview, especially the first one, doesn't mean much re getting the job.

Did you apply for this job or did the interview fall into your lap through a recruiter? If you applied for it, something about it must have piqued your interest. If via a recruiter, harder to figure out if you should go for it. But hey, you are very young, why not go ahead with the interview.

 

[jollystomper]

You didn't mention if you have sales background. Do you? That is important to consider. If you do not have a "salesperson" personality and drive then this might not be all it seems. Have they detailed the salary in terms of commission/non-commission/sales quota and expected targets, etc?

 

[Senator]

Sales can be some of the highest paid positions in the world. Also the lowest.

Who gets the leads? What happens if you do not meet quotas? What is your back up plan if the commissions get cut because you are making too much money?

How many of the sales people are actually making the money that you seek? What is the turnover ratio?

 

[pb4uski]

Go ahead with the interview, even to the point of where they make you an offer if you want. Once you find out more you can always say that you don't think it is the job for you.

On thing to be wary of though... a friend's son was fired after the boss found out that the son was interviewing with a different employer and the son had no recourse because he was in an "at will" state. I had never heard of such a thing but I guess that it happens some.

 

[CorporateSoldier]

Yup. Probably happens to a lot of us.

I got "stuck" in retail. Only job I could find out of college - eventually made way more than I could make elsewhere if I left the industry.

Retail owns me!

 

[harley]

+1

My passion was logging and mills. No money in it, and a good way to die.

I went into IT, not so much passion but I'm a good problem solver; another plus few programmers have trees fall on them!


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

I've had a number of logic trees collapse on my head.

No advice on the job. I hated sales, and was in the running for the worst salesman ever.

 

[flyeagle111]

Sorry I haven't replied yet. I have taken all of your thoughts into consideration. It's not really a sales job per day. More of a recruitment position, but the same idea. I would be working for a university (previous experience in university setting). I'm thinking I will take the opportunity if offered. My second interview is next week.

Benefits: masters and phd paid for (it's always been a goal to get a phd). I do like being in a university setting. Outstanding benefits (completely free healthcare and great retirement bennies). Also, universities are a lot more stable than my current industry (transportation).

 

[heeyy_joe]

You have my permission to take the job. Don't forget to ask for the job in the interview, many people don't get an offer from the second interview because they simply failed to close. Fatal mistakes are asking about vacation or benefits - save that for the offer negotiations. Question to ask interviewer: When you first came to the university and did your interview, what question would you wish you had asked and why?

 

[Texas Proud]

First off, you must have had some interest in the job or you would not have applied.... I do not go around applying for job that I have zero interest in....


Second, from what you say, the pay is more than double what you make now... What other chance do you have in doubling your salary (or more) If you stay where you are, you will never catch up to where you will be with the new job...

Third, if you keep your expenses the same, you can but probably 4X away than you are now... that can make ER very much closer than staying put...

Last, if you do not like the new gig... then you can look for something else after a year or two and be that much farther along your career path... IOW, when you get a new job having a $65K salary instead of a $35K salary will mean more money...

 

[Walt34]

Lessee, you're 23, so this hardly locks you in for life. It's going to double your pay, potentially nearly triple it, they're going to pay for your master's and PhD, and you're thinking you might not take it?

Having the two degrees alone will open doors that are likely closed to you now so you will have further opportunities that right now you don't even know exist. For that reason alone I'd say take it unless you're very certain you want to stay where you are for the rest of your life.

Chances like this don't come along often. At least not in my world.