So I met with Potential Boss yesterday and he officially offered me the job. He gave me a package with details about responsibilities and expectations, as well as compensation, benefits, etc. We went through it together, and everything was looking as I expected, until . . . we reached the compensation page. I was shocked at how little they were offering!

I mean, in all of our discussions, PB has been very upfront about the fact that I will be working long hours- all event planners do- often up to 60 hours a week. They would offer days off in lieu of overtime pay, but when I figured out the math, it ends up that I will only be making a bit over eleven dollars per hour, based on a forty hour week at $450/week. If you add 10 to 20 hours a week to that total, I could be getting paid seven dollars an hour!!! And our minimum wage here is eight!
(Note: PB adds that I will be paid a commission on all events, and says that this will increase my salaray by around 5K per year. I guess that is something I need to keep in consideration . . .)

Now, this job is a great way to get my foot in the door of the event planning world, and normally I would suck it up and take the job, knowing that I will likely get a raise relatively soon. However, at my current job at the restaurant, I make $450/week, easy, working only 20 or 25 hours!! It is very hard for me to imagine working twice as many hours or more, just to earn the same amount of money that I am earning now. Additionally, as I am still going to school, it just doesn't make sense to stress myself out by taking four classes AND working over forty hours per week, all for what would be a sub-standard wage for me!

I did contact one of my event planning teachers and ask her what an average salary is for a beginner. She told me that most positions start at $24-30,000 per year- a bit over what PB is offering me. I was expecting PB to offer 30K- afterall, I have a university degree in addition to my Event Marketing certification!

So now I don't know what to do- I would like the job, and think it would be a great opportunity for me. However, it is really difficult for me to justify working so very hard, while attending school full-time, and making not very much money in return.

Ahhh!! Once again, I turn to you, Readers . . . give me advice and solve all of my problems!