Cost of working: Not all jobs are worth it! A true story
Posted: October 24th, 2023, 12:41 pm
This is a true life story that indicates that not all salary jobs are worth taking. I personally met and know the candidate in question and I can verify the trueness of the story.
Once upon a time...
There was this young graduate lady who had just completed her NYSC program, now ready to hit the job market, ready to go job-hunting. Fact is because the job market is very saturated, you tend to be very desperate if you don't have connections.
So, our lady, named Sarah got a job offer as administrative assistant in town but lived somewhere not very far from my area. While she was going to work one morning I saw her, she was well dressed, and she was waiting to pick a bike. I was not in a rush so, I stopped by her to say hello.
We were going in same direction so I offered to give her a lift to her workplace. Then the revelation began.
She told me about the job she's doing and she's been groaning and hoping for something better. She kept doing the job because she didn't want to be idle.
Dear listener, is idleness not better than some jobs if especially you use the idle period to better yourself by reading good books and acquiring better skills freely? All these are possible today with the help of the internet technology.
So, she told me about the job she hates so much but had to do:
INCOME
Salary: N30k (no other benefits)
She worked 6 days put of 7 in a week.
EXPENSES
Transport to work daily: N300
Transport back daily: N300
Clothing and shoes (dressing): N5k (monthly approx minimum)
Feeding: N500 daily, attributable to work
Minimum other expenses tied to work: N5k monthly
Note: There are more expenses not captured here. These are barest minimum.
TOTAL EXPENSE MONTHLY:
Transport: N14,400
Feeding: N12,000
Others: N10k
Total: N36,400
SALARY: N30,000
Less salary = -N6,400
Before any comments, I want to quickly introduce the concept of OPPORTUNITY COST not factored in here. That is alternatives forgone by spending 6 days working in the office while she might be doing something else. Opportunity cost cannot be quantified, its huge depending on worth of other alternatives forgone for this job.
Now guys, advise Sarah.
PS: This was before fuel subsidy removal.
Once upon a time...
There was this young graduate lady who had just completed her NYSC program, now ready to hit the job market, ready to go job-hunting. Fact is because the job market is very saturated, you tend to be very desperate if you don't have connections.
So, our lady, named Sarah got a job offer as administrative assistant in town but lived somewhere not very far from my area. While she was going to work one morning I saw her, she was well dressed, and she was waiting to pick a bike. I was not in a rush so, I stopped by her to say hello.
We were going in same direction so I offered to give her a lift to her workplace. Then the revelation began.
She told me about the job she's doing and she's been groaning and hoping for something better. She kept doing the job because she didn't want to be idle.
Dear listener, is idleness not better than some jobs if especially you use the idle period to better yourself by reading good books and acquiring better skills freely? All these are possible today with the help of the internet technology.
So, she told me about the job she hates so much but had to do:
INCOME
Salary: N30k (no other benefits)
She worked 6 days put of 7 in a week.
Transport to work daily: N300
Transport back daily: N300
Clothing and shoes (dressing): N5k (monthly approx minimum)
Feeding: N500 daily, attributable to work
Minimum other expenses tied to work: N5k monthly
Note: There are more expenses not captured here. These are barest minimum.
TOTAL EXPENSE MONTHLY:
Transport: N14,400
Feeding: N12,000
Others: N10k
Total: N36,400
SALARY: N30,000
Less salary = -N6,400
Before any comments, I want to quickly introduce the concept of OPPORTUNITY COST not factored in here. That is alternatives forgone by spending 6 days working in the office while she might be doing something else. Opportunity cost cannot be quantified, its huge depending on worth of other alternatives forgone for this job.
Now guys, advise Sarah.
PS: This was before fuel subsidy removal.
