I've always enjoyed reading your column and your level-headed advice.
Right now I'm employed at a paper that might be facing possible layoffs. I don't want to leave the state I live in and feel my position is pretty safe, but want to be prepared for anything. Therefore, I was thinking of posting my resume on various job sites like Poynter.org and JournalismJobs.com, instead of actively hunting.
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The problem is, I'm pretty maxed out salary-wise. In order to keep my current salary level at another paper of similar or smaller size, I'd need to move to middle management. I've had instances in the past where I've applied to jobs similar to my own, but just before we made travel arrangements for an interview we got to the salary discussion and realized we were wasting each other's time.
Would it be impertinent to list my current and past salaries on my resume next to each job title? Or would it be better to say I'm looking to make the jump to middle management? My experience and training on the resume support that I'm ready for such a leap.
I don't want to come off as greedy or obsessed with money, but I'm also not willing to take a $10,000 or more pay cut to change jobs, and I don't want to waste a prospective employers' time.
Thank you very much,
Worth Every Penny
You answered your own question when you said you "want to be prepared for anything."
This tells me you should go ahead and put your resume up without information.
You would not take a $10,000 pay cut to make a move, but you would make a move in the worst-case scenario -- you lose your job. So we're talking about a safety move you would only exercise if something awful or phenomenal arose. Leave money matters for later.
You're smart to take steps now, while everything is relatively OK, to protect yourself.
Here are some other strategies:
- Pay off bills and build savings
- Develop new skills and use them to actually produce things
- Follow industry news through features like Jim Romenesko's column
- Keep your network fresh by talking to people and reminding them of your whereabouts and interests.
Coming Thursday: She loves to write but does not enjoy reporting and wonders if newspapers have positions for people who prefer to write behind the scenes.
