Getting a lower pay?

“I started off with Rs. 3000 as stipend for my 2 months long internship with a well known publication. My starting salary was Rs. 15000/- per month when I joined a newspaper and now after 3 years of sheer hard work and dedication I am earning double of what I used to. It is my organisation which is providing good opportunities for me and is helping me grow professionally”, says a happy media professional.

Most of the youngsters today think that they would get paid a handsome amount at the start of their career itself. But this is usually not the case. Youngsters today want to achieve and get everything in a short span of time and often forget that it is not always a cake walk! Of course your salary should do justice to your qualifications but employees have to be honest in their approach too.

This was a period of recession where there were lay off’s everywhere. When the situation stabilized, companies either did not hire, or hired very few at low salary packages. Salaries were slashed drastically. It created unjust and frustration among employees but it was the time of self realization when most of them realised that this is the only time to show their true worth to their organizations and indulged in many other activities.

Most people change careers and in their new careers they are often paid less but if they are given good learning opportunities and they perform well and exceed expectations they can get promoted in no time at all. “If your qualifications are not in line with the job profile and you have no experience of the same then eventually you will be hired at a lower pay than your peers. But only justice to your job and increase in your qualification and knowledge about that job profile would take you towards a higher pay and would also earn you a goodwill in your organization”, advices a senior of a private sector company.

Sometimes circumstances tend to be such that one is compelled to settle down for a low paying job. But this is not an extremely bad situation and it does pay off with your sheer dedication at work. “For me job satisfaction is of top priority. I was working with a well known bank and getting a good package but I was not at all happy with the environment and the job profile and it took a toll on my health. Now I am working with a small sector company. The job profile is completely different and I am also getting paid a tad less than what I earned earlier but I am content with my job- I am learning new things and I am developing myself”, says a contented employee.

At the end of the day what one needs is satisfaction and peace of mind. If you are happy with your organisation, your work culture, your job profile and you get enough opportunities to explore your abilities and are open to learning each day- then a little lower salary would never pose any problems.

- Ekta Bhatnagar (views expressed in the article are that of the author)