New Job, Lower Pay - No, You Don't Want "Perspective"

"I took a pay cut."

That's what a client told me - sheepishly. It was obvious they still hadn't absorbed that not all professional moves are upward - be it in compensation, title or responsibility.

What that happens to you  - a haircut on your salary - it can seem the end of the world. You don't want anyone to provide you "perspective."

That perspective is usually is delivered in the form of a macro view. For example, Yahoo Finance reports:

"Nearly a quarter of managers who switched employers in 2024 saw a pay drop ... Almost 1 in 3 managers who switched to a non-manager job at a new employer saw their pay decline."

So?

To both your wallet and your sense of a professional sense those numbers are irrelevant. This is you taking the hit.

One option is to start your own business. You create your own gross compensation. Also you're the one deciding how the work will be done. Remote? Sure. The odds are that you'll be operating multiple businesses. Almost 32% of entrepreneurs do just that. You realize you're good at that. So, you become a builder. 

Another option is to make a shift in what is your core competence. In my previous career path I had been "bottom fishing" for about three years. That is, I was billing significantly less per hour than I had as the niche became glutted. Three years is too long. But who doesn't take refuge in magical thinking which projects that a career will bounce back to some kind of golden age?

One grim day of emotional despair I abruptly made the leap - including in my LinkedIn profile - to a reset. That was to what had been a side business for years: conducting tarot readings. The standard billing rate per hour was about 10 percent more than I had been earning in the peak of my previous primary career.

As the business grew and referrals came in, eventually I could "afford" to open the service to those who needed a sliding-scale arrangement. To assist other related businesses, such as metaphysical shops, gain traction I pitched in on pro bono special events such as psychic fairs. 

The Five of Cups in the tarot symbolizes regret. Sure, I have that. I hesitated too long to accept that good old days of a career that brought such satisfaction and a good living were not coming back. 

That regret can be prevented: Develop a more sensitive early-warning system for what's happening in your ability to make a good living. Pay attention. Take action. The burden is on you to be that kind of data sleuth and become pro-active. 

Thriving in crazy times starts from the inside.

Tarot Readings. Intuitive Coaching. Mediumship.

Remote and in-person. Pay what you can afford.

For complimentary consultation please contact Jane Genova at 203-468-8579 (text, voice)  or janegenova374@gmail.com. Remote and in-person.