Hey Everyone,

I've been running around in circles with this one (talking to everyone I know, etc.) and I wanted to throw my situation out there to see if anyone had any consideration that I didn't give thought to yet. Right now, I'm considering leaving a job I'm in for another position and would be interested on y'all's thoughts.

Background: I'm 25. I have no debts, I live modestly with roommates, I have 6k in cash savings, and 3k in an IRA. I have a business administration degree with an emphasis in management. I graduated with a 4.0 from a private school in 2010. Not a top tier school but a good one. Right after school, I got a part time job in a private, up-scale bridal boutique. It was a fill-in thing until I found my "big girl" job. Well, in this position, I figured out that was a killer sales girl and ended up being the top or nearly the top selling individual on the floor. The managers that the owner had previously employed at the store tended to be high school graduates who just happened to be really good at selling. Unfortunately, they lacked the profession and interpersonal skills necessary to really be the "whole package. After one part-time year and a second full time year (at the end of which, I was the assistant manager of the store--meaning that I handled all of the really crappy customer service stuff that the aforementioned manager just couldn't deal with), I ended up being offered a job with a wholesale jewelry company.

First: The position I currently have is with the jewelry company and it's a different sort of job. Basically, I work between 25-29 weeks a year. I am traveling during the entirety of these periods. When I'm not on the road, I'm just off. Responsibility free. I make around the 29k mark (part of my compensation is commission based, so it varies a little). I'm a disciplined spender and put 20% of my income towards savings/investing. So, the obvious plus is that I have a LOT of freedom with this job, and, on average, I make between 20 and 35 dollars an hour.) The downside is that I spend half of my year in a hotel room and the work is very physically demanding (11hr days are not unusual.)

Second: Recently, the owner from the bridal shop came to me and offered me the manager position at her store. As I mentioned, her previous girls have not been "professionals," and they have earned under 30k to manage the store. The owner is used to underpaying girls, because they're sorority part-timers or the like. The owner told me to come to her with number of what I would need to make it worth my time to come manage the store. I did some research on payscale and glassdoor and said I would consider it fully worth my time to leave the other job for 45k (a 16k premium over the 29k I was making for half a year of work.). In saying this, I knew that I would really be happy at the 40k mark, as, at the end of the day, I think my body and heart can only handle one more year at my current job and I'll be over it. The manager came back and offered me 28-30k base, and then offered me 2% of the monthly sales goal and a few other little bonuses that amount to, eh, maybe as much as 4k. Now, the sales goals per month are between the 85k and 110k mark. That gave me a clear path to that 40k+ mark. I was just about to accept the job, but I wrote the owner a quick question to clarify about one of the bonuses and she wrote me back and pretty much rewrote the whole thing. She reduced the monthly bonus to a fixed dollar amount per month (not to exceed $500 a month. Based on the numbers that the store did last year, this bonus would amount to .37% of the monthly sales) I ran the numbers and my MOST optimistic outcome I can come up with is possibly making the 37k mark. The plus to this job is that I have a career path out of the traveling. But it's a lot of weekends, and, maybe I'm just some fluffy princess, but I feel like that's underpaying a manager for a 1.15 million dollar store. And if I am a fluffy princess, tell me. If this is a totally reasonable offer, I want to take it. But something just feels off.

Thoughts?--taking for granted that you haven't fallen asleep or bashed your heard in to the monitor during the novel above.

Hi, Liv! First, let me say that it sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders and appear poised to achieve much success as you build your career.

More to the point of your questions, I don't really know what the bridal shop manager position would be worth, but my gut is that the owner is offering you too little. You should be more incentivized for sales than a measly .37%! What I can tell you is that that owner is playing games with you if she's backpeddling on her 2% offer. And nothing turns me off from a negotiation more than playing with someone who exhibits that sort of character. You can counter back if you like, but personally, I would not accept the owner's new explanation of terms. I know that the jewelry company job carries its own stresses (though I can't say I've been in your shoes with the unconventional schedule/travel), but you shouldn't have to compromise so much on the bridal shop manager position when you clearly are such an asset to the store. If I were you, I would (1) build a strong case for your counter, highlighting your proven record and skills, and (2) continue to look for other sales positions that offer higher compensation, greater incentives, a schedule that better suits you, and better opportunities for promotion.

Good luck!

I wouldn't want to work with a person that liked to renege on deals.

Frankly, I think you're overqualified for both of the jobs you mentioned. Take some of that free time you have to look for something better. Sales positions can earn anywhere from 50k to over 100k in the right businesses, assuming you're a top performer. Management positions can also pay well, although, typically those require more experience. Start with some Internet searches to see what's out there.

I totally agree. I really hate that sort of dishonesty. Keep in mind that accepting it now is a preview of what your future relations with the owner would be like.

Totally agree.


Totally agree again.

As for working in a store selling wedding dresses....no way Jose! Have you ever seen the show Bridezillas? They don't have enough money for me to deal with some drama queen, her mother, & a bunch of bitchy bridesmaids. My two cents of course.

You sound like you are on a whole 'nother level from all of that so you should go after a job & salary that's worth your time.