HELP! 2 Job offers which to choose???

[Beccaberry]

Hello, I haven't posted on here in a long time due to major uni commitments and then suddenly finding myself working an mon-fri 8-5 internship. I've come accross a bit of a dilemma and being a newly graduate I need some advice.

I've been lucky enough to be offered 3 jobs and I'm in major need of help from people in the industry or just people who are older/have lived a little as most of my friends don't understand my situation as we're newly graduates and they're all still unemployed/interning in the design industry.

 

What I want to get into ideally is e-commerce/marketing/digital design/web design in the fashion or beauty industry.

 

I've been interning at a well known vintage retailer as the only in-house designer/artworker for 3 months and I wasn't sure if they were going to offer me a job after so I've been scouring the internet in search of other jobs and I applied to a handful of jobs and forgot about them. One of them that I wanted the most was at a well known youth culture inspired shoe shop as the junior e-commerce designer working under the lead digital designer and mid-weight digital designer and doing things like newsletters, web imagery etc and and the pay is £19K, I heard back after 2 weeks and it has been back and forth emailing for 2 months so far and I have done 'practise live briefs' and gone through their selection processes and they had invited me in for an interview which I got the job on the spot.  I also applied for the same job accidentally at a recruitment agency but then realised it was the same one so they decided to forward me for another job as they were really interested in my portfolio. This job is a company that specialises in skincare for mature and pregnant women. I will be the web designer and will doing the same thing designing newsletters, web banners etc… stuff I want to do but not really in this field as well as working with the developer to re-design them a new website – which sounds SO exciting.. I am the ONLY digital designer in this small company so I will be mid-weight designer. I went for an interview and got the job. A few days after receiving a job offer of £25K at the skincare place my internship decided to offer me a paid job of £16K and after finding out I had received another offer they upped it to £18K but I refused it due to the huge gap in pay although it would have been my preference as I already work here.. I then forwarded my boyfriend to job I turned down and he has now got it…so I have been a bit gutted about that as I wish they had offered this before I started applying elsewhere. After experiencing this I felt that I should go to the interview at the shoe company before I regret turning down something else for more pay – like a sell out! The problem is I have already agreed to the skincare company and taken up on their offer but  I have just been offered the job at the shoe company too and they have upped their salary offer to £20K after hearing about my other offer. I know it sounds like I'm being stupid with this but this is my future career and I don't know what to do as the shoe copmany is my ideal job but hte pay is low and I would be at a lower position (3rd in hierarchy)  but it will look really good on my CV as it's well known in the UK. The skincare brand pay more and I would at a higher position with more prospects and theyre in a transitional mde but the company is only well known in the target market of 35-65 and i dont know much about the subject even though the job specs are what i'm interested in i feel the pay is the main thing keeping a hold of me? I'm stuck and I need some advice … anything would be great please help? Sorry for the massive essay this is really important to me as I want a good career that I'm proud of but that pays for the bills and will help me advance in the future. Thanks!

[Kbana]

Well, first off, congrats on getting multiple job offers! Whoa! Second, I feel strongly about following your passion, not the paycheck. As a teacher, I make way under most people in the corporate or business world but I know I would be miserable in those fields. So my opinion would be to do what you love if it can pay the bills. There are many things I could probably do with my life that would make me far more money, but I know I wouldn’t be happy in the long run. And, once you are in a company you love you can always work your way up. Remember, nothing is permanent. On the other hand, if you feel you would really struggle to make ends meet financially then that is a decision you need to make. I wish you luck!

[Beccaberry]

Thanks for your advice! Yeah either jobs are okay with me just one of them I edge towards more because I actually buy from their stores and is more my target market. The other one is aimed for towards the 'mature' women's sort of age and I am completely clueless about.  I just wish they would merge into 1 job as the shoe shop is more my style, I know about their product range and I am more knowledgable in that market but I will be 3rd in hierarchy and the pay is £5,000 less. I have more power and more scope in the smaller company that pays more but I wont be able to learn from anyone in the design department as I will be the lead/the only digital designer. So I'm realy stuck

[Elrohwen]

Congrats on the multiple offers! What a great position to be in right out of university.

I'm going to go against Kbana's advice and say go for salary over company. Here's why:

1. Many (most?) young people don't stay at their first job. Since the position is exactly what you want to do, just not for the preferred company, you will get the skills that you're interested in at either job. After a few years of experience you can evaluate the position and switch to another company if you prefer.

In my department, we had 3 people right out of college who quit in the last year or two. Two of them went into completely different fields after deciding this industry was not right for them. The third went to a different company in the industry, but doing a job role more suited to what he wanted. I also completely switched industries after 3 years at my first job. So don't feel like you're locked into anything, especially since it seems like you've nailed down the actual job role you really want.

2. The skincare company sounds like it's hiring you to do all of the work yourself, and completely redesign their site, as opposed to working as a junior employee under a lead designer. That's a huge deal! Really great to build your resume and experience. That will really help you get another job in the future.

3. Starting salary is way more important than anybody ever tells you. If you start a $19K (using dollars instead of pounds because it's easier for me 🙂 ), end up at $25k and change companies anyway, your next job will probably pay you something like $26k. If you start at $25k instead and get up to $31k, and then move to a preferred company, they will pay you at least $31k, and probably more(generally speaking). So in a couple years, you're earning a way higher salary at a company you really want to work for, vs where you would be starting with the lower paying job. So getting a higher starting salary really dictates how much you will be making for many many years. I got screwed by starting at a lower salary than I should have, and am paying for it 7 years later at a different company in a different industry. My new company would have matched basically whatever I was previously making (within reason) and since I was already on the low end, I continue to be on the low end. I will probably never catch up to where I could have been, without making some drastic jumps in my career.

So I vote to go with the skincare, try it for a few years, then put your resume out there again to look for your ideal company.

[Beccaberry]

Thanks for your reply
Before you commented Elrohwen I was so set on taking the job at the shoe shop copmany but I completely agree with you about the whole starting salary thing as the shoe company asked my expected salary and because I had been offered a higher salary elsewhere they increase their offer by £1,000 and I know it’s not that much but providing on what the interviewer said a lot of people applied for the same job and I know for a fact they are willing to work for less as thats what the design industry is like. Everyone works for peanuts!

I still feel a lot of anxiety and I am undecided as your points have persuaded me back towards the skincare brand now. I know I will be happier more involved and socially happier at the one offering less to me but I know the one with higher salary and job specs will be more beneficial in terms of finding ground as a newly graduate this is what the problem is

[LBJ10]

I agree on Elrohwen on most of what she said. You want to look for the best experience to get you where you ultimately want to go. This may or may not be the highest paying job, but I do agree that if you start lower then you will be offered lower in the future. Just something to keep in mind.

One concern I had was that this skincare company sounds like it's a smaller company. Working for a small company can be a gamble sometimes. If the economy is good, then they are excellent places to take advantage of a boom. If the economy starts to go downhill though, you might find yourself being laid off sooner.

[justwildbeat]

Congrats on the job offers ^__^

Since this is your first job I recommend going with the $25k skincare position. Mainly because it offers more money but the work description sounds more interesting and you’d have more control. Even though there is a lack of design mentorship, on the flip side it’ll give you the chance to develop your own style and vision. Also it’s a good opportunity to broaden your knowledge and skill set of other industries/target audiences. That flexibility and experience will be desirable to future employers.

Plus having that extra income will help in paying off student loans and necessities. Plus as Elrohwen stated you can use that starting salary as leverage when you decide to leave. It’s basically a resume builder. Everyone that I know of (including me) are no longer working for company that first hired them out of university. We’ve all moved on to better paying and more interesting jobs that are more aligned with our interests.

Lastly if you are still set on the shoe designer position. Just give them a best and final offer to match the skincare salary offer. Mostly likely they won’t, but it won’t hurt on the off chance that they do. All in all this is your decision, but try to keep the long term picture in mind.

[Monkeybun]

Agreed, go for the higher salary one. Start your career path out with a great start, being in charge of something always looks awesome on a resume later, and as El said, people starting out on a new career path rarely stay with the first place they get to. And with a higher wage, you can start saving more now, rather than as you get older. Trust me, savings are important!

[Beccaberry]

Thanks so so much with your advice guys as I’ve asked my friends and as they all have heard of the shoe company and know my style of design and they all naturally want me to work there as its ‘cooler’ and stuff so have been a bit biased in terms of not understanding the other factors lol.
My first official day at the skin care place is Monday so I’m bringing my contract in with me all signed and just will go in like normal and see how it goes. I’m really scared as my heart is with Office (the shoe company) and its up my street but I feel like i’m sacrificing it for my future goals haha

[Beccaberry]

Hello sorry for the double post guys but I have just started my job I’m on day 2. I don’t think it’s for me and I don’t know what to do – I’m scared?
I need some advice.

The design guidelines go completely against my beliefs and I’m creating just horrendous stuff for them – i know opting as an in-house designer i’ve already had to sacrifice my own style etc but their idea of “design” is appalling as the colours/techniques and house fonts they have developed over the years are hideous but I can’t do anything about it so I’ve had to work with what I’ve been given. I feel stupid for wanting to quit for something so trivial but I need this stuff for my portfolio to advance but I’m almost ashamed of what i’ve designed and don’t wnat to show anyone? I feel like a spoilt design-brat lol!

I know i’m only on my second day but I’ve been given about 30 different jobs to do at once so I’ve had a lot of feel of what direction their brand is going in. They wont let me suggest/re-design anyhings to try make it look better. My mates are telling me they need to trust me first and then I can gradually have my input which I agree but I dont know how much longer I can last. It’s like scratching your nails on a blackboard (my equivalent) The thing is their packaging is something that never changes and they’ve recently redesigned it and sure the new designs are a bit better …but they are still quite horrific.

I’v just started and I’m already dreading about what I will be designing next =( Is this a bad sign or just new job anxiety/nerves? Should I stick it out? I’m not usually a quitter but Ive just got a gut feeling

[justwildbeat]

Wow that bad eh?

What your friends have told you is true, they aren’t going to give a new hire complete control of their brand’s image. At the same time, they’re selling skincare products for mature women. Their design aesthetic is not going to be as trendy as the shoe shop’s. You are going to have to cater to their needs first. However if you are dead set on resigning, at least give it a month before doing so. Give it a chance and continue to scout out other job opportunities in the meantime. Also, is it possible to do part time/freelance design work for others? That way you can express yourself more freely with those projects while keeping your current job (for the money lol).

[LBJ10]

A new job is going to make anyone feel overwhelmed. Especially if this is the first time you’re doing this stuff “for real”. Has the position been filled at the other job you wanted? You could always ask them if they are still interested. I mean, if you really REALLY feel like things aren’t going to work where you’re at. Otherwise, I would just say to stick it out for a bit. You are the newbie and your coworkers are not going to value your option right away. This is your chance to prove yourself and if that means working with what you’ve got, then do it and do it well.

[Rufus]

I’m going to chip in a little advice here as well. Now is not the time to resign from a job before you’re employed somewhere else. If you feel like you have to leave, that’s fine, but get another job before you resign. My Mum always says “You’re at your most employeable when you’re already employed”. If you resign first and then look for work you’re going to have to explain at every job interview why you left your last job without giving it much of a chance. Much better to be able to say in an interview that you’re getting great experience where you are but you’re looking for something more challenging.

[LBJ10]

Rufus has a very good point!

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