If you're unemployed, would you take a low paying job (not temp or contract) knowing good and well that you're not planning on sticking around?

18 Comments

1. AnonymousJanuary 6,2025 at 5:49PM UTC

   If you need cash coming in then yes to stave off homelessness. You never know what will happen. Life is full of surprises.

2. AnonymousJanuary 6,2025 at 6:17PM UTC

   Yes. And you won’t know the future there till you get there. Sometimes where you start is the first rung on the ladder you may climb.

3. Kim RaperJanuary 6,2025 at 6:23PM UTC

   Absolutely - you never know what tomorrow will bring.

4. AnonymousJanuary 6,2025 at 6:30PM UTC

   Yes because I see the post of people & know people that have been looking for months and are professional qualified people that are not getting offers

5. Adumba LindaJanuary 6,2025 at 6:46PM UTC

   If I'm in need of a job whether the pay is low or higher, I have to accept it. First for the love of the job not for the money

6. AnonymousJanuary 6,2025 at 8:34PM UTC

   Something is better than nothing. You owe them nothing just like they won't offer you loyalty

7. AnonymousJanuary 6,2025 at 8:46PM UTC

   I've been there, done that. I sold cars for two years (small draw/commission only), waiting for the right opportunity, and anyone who knows me knows that it was way out of my wheelhouse and skill set. It was either that or I would become homeless and lose my car because my unemployment was running out. Sometimes, you have to do what you have to do because the alternative isn't much of an option.

8. AnonymousJanuary 7,2025 at 11:09AM UTC

   Absolutely I would. Bills still need to be paid. During recession in the late 2000s, I was at one point working 3 jobs.

9. AnonymousJanuary 7,2025 at 12:35PM UTC

   Yes, you need income to survive while you seek your ideal role.

10. AnonymousJanuary 7,2025 at 3:34PM UTC

    yes. working for less pay and below one's skill level shows great integrity and humility- you gotta pay your bills. Great respect for that!

11. AnonymousJanuary 7,2025 at 3:50PM UTC

    Heck yeah, keeps the momentum and sense of purpose going. I am trying to find anything right now after being let go in the fall after almost 20 yrs and making good coin.

12. Montoya EvansJanuary 8,2025 at 1:31PM UTC

    Definitely take what you can get. Sometimes it's easier to find a job when you already have one. AND, you never know who you can meet, face to face, while working that you wouldn't meet at home on your laptop. Also you can pay few bills.

13. Laura CampbellJanuary 8,2025 at 1:44PM UTC

    I’ve heard it is easier to find a job when you’re in a job. So yes, take the job. I think potential employers consider gaps in employment or current unemployment as a red flag. And with the number of employers using software to pre-screen applications for positions , it might help you get past the bots. You never know what filters they have set up in the pre- screeners.

14. AnonymousJanuary 8,2025 at 2:37PM UTC

    Yes, I would - And I have definitely done this in the past...

    For me - It was important to (1) feel resourceful by going to work each day (2) Having a little income (3) Filling the time gap on my resume (4) Boosting my self confidence one step at a time. Life is not a straight line - we must navigate the hills and valleys as part of the journey.

15. Debora ClarkJanuary 8,2025 at 3:03PM UTC

    Depending on your financial situation, I would say yes.

16. AnonymousJanuary 8,2025 at 6:46PM UTC

    Yes. I always say, "Build that resume." Something is better than nothing. Are you receiving unemployment benefits?

17. AnonymousJanuary 8,2025 at 7:21PM UTC

    I did this in order to be able to pay my bills. I went to work in a nursing home as a certified nursing assistant on the night shift for 16 months during the COVID pandemic while I searched for a job in my profession. I enjoyed working with the older people, and I also appreciated the break from working in higher education. As I applied and interviewed for different positions in higher ed, I told those interviewing me about that job. Probably the most important thing I learned during those 16 months was that I could comfortably live on a low income and that includes paying a monthly mortgage.

18. AnonymousJanuary 11,2025 at 2:32PM UTC

    Yes and no,

    I had an employment counselor and she shared not to take a job too low being I have degrees. she knew it be stressful and unfulfilling, because it didn’t match where I really wanted to be. Also she said knowing I have multiple degrees if I took a job in something like retail for example the hiring manager may not want to hire me. So I ended up finding a job in my field. It’s only for 1 year and it was less than my previous salary, but way more than what I would have may working retail. I also in the beginning applied for unemployment. That’s how I ended up with the counselor. It was very helpful.