janitor vs. journalist

while the fact that 700 people applied for this job is utterly amazing, what caught my eye was that the beginning pay is better than what a j-school grad can likely expect from their first job.

http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/bbdp/janitor-job-700-applicants/373625

 

It's double what my first newspaper job in Ohio paid. And for NE Ohio, that's a mighty fine wage.

 

$16 an hour, 40-hour week, 52 weeks = 33K a year

That's a mighty fine wage?

 

compared to the $20k some rags are offering, i'd say yes.

 

More than I make, and I've been at my current stop since 2003. I've learned long ago that those who do actually make livable money at a newspaper don't care what's in the paper.... just that there is a paper.

 

A guy who worked at the Sun with me left to take a janitorial position. He's never made more money, nor been more happy and relaxed.

 

Thousands of journalists wish they could make that much.

 

It took me almost six years out of grad school to make more than $33K a year.

 

This guy's done both jobs.

 

And he's brilliant at both.

Except being a janitor. He's mediocre. But he's consistent.

 

That job would be a $2 per hour raise. I am not above pushing a broom.

 

My first job came down to a choice between $17,200 to cover preps or $18,000 to cover D-II athletics. When you live in rural areas and not in New York, $33,000 can go quite far actually.