Me:
-Fresh college grad
-Humanities major
-No significant work experience (mostly summer internships)
-Elite college
The job:
-Business role
-50K base, excellent medical/dental benefits, and other decent benefits such as 401K matching
-Potential 14% bonus on base dependent on performance
The location:
-In Boston
-Regular commutes to neighboring states
What expenses I will have to incur:
-Purchase of a car
-Move to Boston from across the country
-High COL in Boston
Based on initial conversion, I was told the job would come with a 6K signing bonus, so the first year salary will come out to 56K, and may break into the lower 60s if bonus comes through (although I'll assume, just to be safe, that there will be no bonus).
I tried to negotiate a bit during the phone call offering me the job, but the HR person said that they cannot budge on the salary because a cohort of recent grads will be entering in the same position and the company does not want any pay differentials.
My biggest concern right now is the high COL in Boston, and the fact that this job will have me driving around quite a bit. Gas, and the cost of a car will eat up quite a bit of change. On the other hand, I have only about 10K in student loans, and I am a single person. I don't expect to live a lavish lifestyle either.
Should I take the job as is, or push my luck and try to negotiate higher? I don't know what leverage I have in negotiations as I have no work experience and am a fresh college grad. But I also went to an elite school, am an excellent analytical thinker, and I have a feeling they'd really like me to join this company. Any thoughts? Also, is anyone in particular familiar with the COl situation in Boston?