Totally second guessing myself.

I applied for a senior analyst job today, and got a call from the company almost immediately. She asked me what kind of salary I was looking for and I told her my range, and she said the max she could go was 10K lower. I asked if they were on a public transit line, if they were, I'd sell my car and be ok with the lower salary, but they weren't. So I told her I thanks but I wasn't interested. Now I'm totally second guessing myself, saying I should have at least pursued it because any job is better than no job, and the job market is really slow right now.

But I don't want to be desperate either, and I know I wouldn't have been happy at the lower salary, and I've only really been job hunting for a month and a bit, due to being in rehab for the first part of the year.

I just wish I had more confidence that I will be able to find a job in the salary range I want.

splitimage

Well, congrats on the quick offer anyway!, do you know for sure they won't reconsider?, and what does your coach say? and you didn't even dye your hair yet?! awesome, blossom!

Don't second guess yourself. You did the right thing.
I interview and talk about salary with people all the time.
if you really want 10K more than I can pay you, even if you take it now, once the market picks up, and you can get a job paying that extra 10K and then some....you will be out of there, and my company will have spent all that time hiring and training you.
You're spending all of this time and energy on a job coach and getting your image together, do it for the right job, not just any job.
You shoud feel good about knowing yourself and what you are worth.

Well, once again I'm unemployed as of today. A temp agency found me an assignment that lasted a total of only 3 weeks. They said it was a 2 month project. Why must they tell people one thing then another thing happens. I've been through this time and time again, and I'm so fed up already. Did anyone else ever go through this, where they told you it would last a certain time then you got cut short. I can't seem to ever catch a break.

Deborah,

I'm really sorry - that sucks. I haven't had much experience with temp agencies except for 20 years ago when I was right out of school. Hope you find something longer term soon.

splitimage

If you got one offer you'll get another. Just set a timeframe. If you haven't got the job you need by x date, then you go $10k lower. I was in a similar boat and passed on the first offer, and got another for $5k more a bit later. It's a nerve-wracking game to play but you only get what you negotiate at this point.

I was reading this article on Yahoo, and it says now, just saying, "The unemployed need not apply". Ok, is this the stupidest thing you've ever heard? How can company's get away with this? If I remember, isn't not having a job for unemployed people? So they're saying, if you don't have a job, don't apply. Do they actually pick people who already have a job over someone that doesn't. Just a bunch of nonsense to me. What do you guys think? I think the whole job thing has gotten out of hand these days.

I hate that feeling. But if you can't live on it, what else could you do?
I've been there. And I've been way underpaid. And that leads to resentment.