So before we get into the money I wanna say one thing right at the top - 15 years at the same company does not HAVE TO mean 15 more. You have options and tons of info that someone brand new to the workforce doesn't have. We're just going to bring that knowledge to use now. Shall we???
Let's talk about the $100k saved first:
Ok now onto the real question and thesis to your entry:
You want to know what flexibility is worth and the answer is it depends on what you're buying with it.
If the flexibility is what allows you to go to auditions, or take last minute callbacks and actually pursue your dream - the financial cost is not a waste.
BUT you need to be really honest with yourself. If the flexibility has become comfort (i.e. if the auditions have slowed, if acting feels more like a background identity than an active pursuit) then it's worth asking whether you're paying the financial price of flexibility without actually using it for what it was for.
Don't judge yourself, but be honest.
Now let's talk being underpaid.
This is the part that concerns me most honestly. The difference between your current salary and what you could earn elsewhere doesn't just affect this year - it compounds YOY. This is why it's so important to do a yearly audit on this (and historically women are given far fewer raises). Raises are calculated as a percentage of your current salary, so that means the longer you stay underpaid the harder it is to catch up.
Before making any big decision, find out what the market actually pays for your role. Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, your city, your title. If you're significantly underpaid (and after fifteen years of minimal raises I'd bet my Birkin you are) that number becomes your leverage. Either with your current company or as a baseline for what to look for elsewhere. You don't have to quit to start looking. You can explore quietly and make an informed decision instead of a scared one.
Not all higher paying jobs are higher stress - you won't know until you look
And last thing on the acting.
Financial stability and creative dreams do not always have to be opposites. Sometimes a job that pays you what you're actually worth gives you more mental freedom to pursue what matters. The paycheck to paycheck anxiety you're carrying right now is its own kind of drain and I don't think you should underestimate what that costs you creatively.
You're not locked in to anything- you're just overdue for a review of something that's been on autopilot for too long.
I have a veryyyy strong feeling your next act is going to be really good.
Good luck!
xx,
So before we get into the money I wanna say one thing right at the top - 15 years at the same company does not HAVE TO mean 15 more. You have options and tons of info that someone brand new to the workforce doesn't have. We're just going to bring that knowledge to use now. Shall we???
Let's talk about the $100k saved first:
Ok now onto the real question and thesis to your entry:
You want to know what flexibility is worth and the answer is it depends on what you're buying with it.
If the flexibility is what allows you to go to auditions, or take last minute callbacks and actually pursue your dream - the financial cost is not a waste.
BUT you need to be really honest with yourself. If the flexibility has become comfort (i.e. if the auditions have slowed, if acting feels more like a background identity than an active pursuit) then it's worth asking whether you're paying the financial price of flexibility without actually using it for what it was for.
Don't judge yourself, but be honest.
Now let's talk being underpaid.
This is the part that concerns me most honestly. The difference between your current salary and what you could earn elsewhere doesn't just affect this year - it compounds YOY. This is why it's so important to do a yearly audit on this (and historically women are given far fewer raises). Raises are calculated as a percentage of your current salary, so that means the longer you stay underpaid the harder it is to catch up.
Before making any big decision, find out what the market actually pays for your role. Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, your city, your title. If you're significantly underpaid (and after fifteen years of minimal raises I'd bet my Birkin you are) that number becomes your leverage. Either with your current company or as a baseline for what to look for elsewhere. You don't have to quit to start looking. You can explore quietly and make an informed decision instead of a scared one.
Not all higher paying jobs are higher stress - you won't know until you look
And last thing on the acting.
Financial stability and creative dreams do not always have to be opposites. Sometimes a job that pays you what you're actually worth gives you more mental freedom to pursue what matters. The paycheck to paycheck anxiety you're carrying right now is its own kind of drain and I don't think you should underestimate what that costs you creatively.
You're not locked in to anything- you're just overdue for a review of something that's been on autopilot for too long.
I have a veryyyy strong feeling your next act is going to be really good.
Good luck!
xx,