In my first real job, I took home $1,123 every 2 weeks.
I worked 70 hours a week, which works out to $8.02/hour.
Factor in the commute time, gas, dry cleaning (suit and tie every day), and other expenses and I’m down to $6/hour.
I oversaw people who made $250/hour, fully billable, which was $500,000 a year per person– if you remember the US Web/CKS agency.
The Bain and McKinsey folks were at $800/hour, plus got incredible perks.
Man, was I pissed about how these wet-behind-the-ears consultants were making 4,000% more than me.
What took me 40 hours of toil to earn, they made in ONE HOUR.
And I was their boss!
But my mentor told me to focus on my learning curve, not my earning curve– since over time, I’ll be further ahead than if I was job-hopping every year.
And he was right.
I’d not trade the relationships and experience I gained 22 years ago at American Airlines, which led me to Yahoo!, Facebook, and now Kaqun.
Are you focusing on your earning curve or your learning curve?