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Fri 12 Mar, 2021 07:40 pm
so I'm a bio major about to graduate in a few months and kind of having an existential crisis. I currently work full-time as a sales associate at a vape store, its a really nice high-end store, and I get paid $19/hr with tips, bonuses, and raises. I love working there and I get a lot of freedom in running the store and placing inventory orders, so it's nice not just feeling another employee and being able to essentially run the store and call the shots for the business. We have 2 locations and a pretty small staff, so I help out with the social media accounts, I'm also an ordering manager and a training manager.
I know I want to focus on starting my career path once I graduate, but I have no clue what I want to do with my degree. At first, I wanted to go to grad school and eventually start a career as a research scientist. I am still passionate about my degree and I love research and lab work, but I've struggled with school so I don't think pursuing grad school right after I graduate is a realistic or beneficial option in terms of my mental health. I have ADHD, dyslexia, and anxiety so academics are very difficult for me. However, I feel like my ADHD actually helps me excel at work, and I enjoy my job much more than studying for tests constantly.
But, now I'm in a position where I don't really know where to go. I'm very open to getting new jobs to try out new things, however, my biggest concern is I won't like my new job as much as the one I'm at now. I have amazing coworkers, my boss is extremely accommodating and goes out of his way to help his employees, I have a manager position with good pay, and I get actual fulfillment when I fix someone's expensive device for them or help someone find the perfect product for their needs. All the job position listings I'm looking at for bachelors of science degrees have starting pay at less than what I'm currently making, and I don't feel like I will feel as happy at these other places, but I don't want to stay stuck at the same place for years after I graduate.
On top of that, I'm also concerned that when I'm applying for jobs I won't have any experience they are looking for. Besides my current job, I've only ever worked part-time summer jobs at restaurants and I don't have any research/intern experience other than a small ecology research group I was part of my freshman year.
Although I know my job at the vape shop is legit, I'm worried that since its a smoke and vape shop, hiring recruiters will be leery of me and assume I'm a drug addict or won't take my sales and management experience seriously because of the stigma that smoke shops are sketchy, dirty, dingy places. However, our 2 stores are very nice and I'm not on my ass all day. There are constantly tasks for me to do around the store (especially since I'm usually on shift by myself). Even when I'm not on shift, I'm still continuously communicating with my coworkers about changes in the stores, new products, questions people have, and keeping in contact with our suppliers.
sooo any advice on what I should do next?
@tttlll,
tttlll wrote:
.... I currently work full-time as a sales associate at a vape store, its a really nice high-end store, and I get paid $19/hr with tips, bonuses, and raises.... I have a manager position with good pay...
These two statements are contradictory. I looked up Grocery Store manager on Salary.com (it was the closest title I could find), and the median for the United States is over $80,000 for your line of work.
https://www.salary.com/tools/salary-calculator/grocery-store-manager
$19/hour is $39,520 for 52 weeks/year, 40 hours per week. Even if you routinely work 80 hour weeks (don't, you'll end up in an early grave) or get a bonus that's double your salary, you're still making less.
Seriously.
Do research and determine your own worth.
I am not saying you can't enjoy what you do or that money is everything, etc. But with that salary, you're probably going to have roommates and used cars forever. Again, if that's what you love, then no problem. Still, no matter how much you might like a simple life or not mind making less, doctors and hospitals won't care.
So consider how things are, and if you're happy, then that's great.
But you're not being paid fairly.