Salary vs. Happiness

It never fails. You send out tape after tape after tape and hear nothing. Then, out of the blue, you get two offers in the same week. I once got nothing for a year and then got two calls within an hour. Nice problem to have, but it makes you want to pull out your hair and let loose with a primal scream.

And very often, when you get two offers, they're very different.

And every time, the first thing you consider is the money. It's just natural. Most of you are young, broke, sick of clipping coupons and eating macaroni and cheese. A few thousand dollars a year is the different between steak and peanut butter.

But you still need to look at the whole picture.

So when you have to make a choice, take a legal pad, draw a line down the middle, and, along with the salary, consider these:

Contract length: A shorter contract offers more flexibility, a longer one more stability. (Well, sort of.... they can still fire you on a whim.) But you need to check out the parameters of the contract. An out clause is extremely valuable. Perks like clothing and makeup can really save you a bundle. And always, always, always have a lawyer look at a contract.

Market size: The other elephant in the room. Many market sizes are deceiving, and we've touched on this before. Memphis and Spartanburg, SC are similar in market size, but one is a big city and other is a collection of smaller towns. Many times "big city" news "looks" a lot better... especially if you still have an eye up the ladder.

Location: Nothing, and I mean nothing, trumps working in a nice place or close to home.

Company: You know what the bad companies are, so be careful. Is the company one that treats employees well, or is it a bottom line company run by bean counters?

Quality of newscast: Another biggie. Money and market size mean nothing if you're going to be turning out garbage. It won't help you make the next jump.

Quality of photogs: Huge consideration. Can make a good reporter a great one.

News Director temperament and morale: On your interview, notice if people in the newsroom are smiling or look like they're on death row.

Benefits: Does the health insurance start on day one or do you have to wait three months and buy your own insurance? It aint cheap. Does the company have a 401k match? You don't think about it when you're young, but you'll thank me when you're ready to retire.

There are more intangibles you can add when making your decision, but those are the biggies. Finally, don't make a quick decision. You can always buy more time to think by telling a ND you want to have the lawyer look at the contract.

Look long term when making these decisions. Take the job that will help you get where you want to go.