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Salaries, benefits, and job hunting



After reading a few posts in the digest I figure I'd chime in on the topic
as a recent hire

I had been job hunting for about 8 months before I got this wonderful job
and I agree with a lot of the statements posted about salaries and
benefits.
Job hunting costs money and takes time.  When I was spending several
dollars a week to put out 3-5 resumes and devoting time to the application
packet (ranging from carefully worded cover letter, to a laundry list of
forms and documentation) I was not going to waste stamps, paper and time on
a job that didn't list a salary, unless there wasn't anything else
advertized that week. I had applied to one w/o a salary listed only to find
out as we were setting up the interview that they paid less than the job I
had. It is hard to gauge how much an institution is going to pay based on
what kind of place it is. Some societies are well funded and well endowed,
others aren't, and even if the mother institution has money doesn't mean
the archives section will get a decent bite of the pie.  I am so lucky to
work at a foundation that believes in and has a deep interest in its
archive.

Some jobs didn't offer enough to justify the move (higher rents, higher
taxes or living expenses, moving costs and interest on the credit card I'd
have to use to pay for all of it). Local jobs won out over something far
away.

And when you finally hear back from places the reimbursement for interview
costs is another factor.  I had spent over $100 just going to one out of
town interview and had to turn down another because I didn't have the money
to waste and they weren't going to help pay to ship me out there.

More than that there is reimbursement for moving to a place if you do get
the job, along with transportation and other bennies. Someone (I think)
mentioned that benefits such as this was ridiculous. Nope.  My friends in
other fields get moving expenses paid, help with paying for day-care,
subsidized other things.  No, it is not communism, its the market. AAO-HNS,
where I work, reimburses all staff for parking. At our monthly staff
meetings the HR person constantly keeps saying how hard it is to attract
people and keep 'em. So if the market says you've got to create family
friendly policies or give staff money for moving or lunch or just getting
to work, you do it.  Salary just one aspect of deciding to go for a job.
Moving costs money. Of course 15K is a lot. But any help is appreciated.

Of course some benefits can't be advertised. I enjoy the benefits of having
computer guys who will go out of their way to help, Krispy Kreme doughnuts
once a week, free hot cocoa, and an association director who really wants
to help the archives grow. Oh yeah, cool boss.
M Marie Maxwell
Archivist
John Q. Adams Center for the History of Otolaryngology-
Head and Neck Surgery Foundation
1 Prince Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
703-519-1596

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