Career Crossroads $80k salary vs $22/hr
Might be the wrong sub, but figured I'd ask. I have 5 years experience in news - I've worked as a reporter, an editor, and producer for a small news station. The last two years I was editing news packages for a weekly show, along with interstitials and occasionally producing news pieces. my salary was $60k.
Last year my partner landed a job and we ended up moving. Over the last 10 months I've applied to hundreds of jobs and I've heard nothing back from any of them. Everything from news stations, to entry level commercial editing work.
Last month a friend of me called me up and asked if I wanted to help him with his restaurant (He was my chef, I was a cook.) He offered me a $80k salary. The next day I got a call and interview from a Sinclair news station - the position was Video Journalist. Shooting and cutting news package for a whopping $22/hr.
Part of me wanted to tell this guy to fuck off because thats sort of insulting. The other part of me sees this as my only option to stay in the media space.. Is this a normal wage these days? The job is located in a very large American city and would have benefits which is great, but I don't know if I could live off 22/hr?
So now I'm stuck deciding between these two options. Im 32, how bad would it look a year form now to have a 2 year gap on my resume? Would you work for $22/hr shooting/editing a daily news spot?
I feel like if I dont take this job at the station I'll never get another job in film/media again.