Some Job Advice

[Ka' el Darcverse]

I am going to be offered a job tomorrow. It will be running the advertising department of a small-trade newspaper in Virginia (I live in Illinois). The job is pretty much what I want to do in the future on a much smaller scale (A stepping stone), I would be both account exec and creative director for the newspaper. Pretty much have complete control over the type of work I'd do. This being said the pay is commission based, meaning, if the newspaper goes to crap, a sponsor doesn't like us or runs out of advertising dollars or I'm just not a very good salesman (I can write advertising and work with clients I just don't know about the going out and selling space part) I don't eat and I really do like to eat on a regular basis.

On the flip-side I work there and the market is a boom market for 3 years I can apply to an ad firm and try to get a job and may get to name my salary type deal.

So what does everyone think?

[Jordana Montegue]

(If it gets you out of Illinois :D I'd say go for it. I was from Illinois too and I hated it there).

However, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan are the main hubs for all printing and advertising work. Commision pay sucks. I bet you could probably find something closer to home doing just that with one of the other papers. Have you tried contacting the Tribune or the Sun Times?

[Wei Wu Wei]

I'm afraid I'm not exactly qualified to tell you either one way or the other. It's a big risk, but it does indeed sound like the risk is worth taking.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

If it totally fails and you crap out, what are your options?

Weigh that, and then take the risk and go for it!!!

[Pierce Tondry]

There are many decent Mass Communications jobs in the state of Virginia, especially those that deal with cross-platform work (radio/tv/newspaper) so if the job you're at fails you'll likely have more opportunities. However, you seem to want to play it safe on this one and that gives me pause.

From what I know of the field, monetary returns are based on how much effort you put into things and that can mean amazingly long hours some weeks. If you don't go for it full throttle, you will not end up where you would like to be. My advice to you is to damn the torpedos and go full speed ahead. If you don't, I think you will likely miss your goal.