Tweet Recently, I had a discussion with a grad who got a job offer as an assistant account executive. He's wrestling with the fact that it pays a lot less than his waiter job at a fancy restaurant, where they tip pretty well. For me, the answer was easy: I'd take the job. You didn't go to school just to take jobs to pay off your student loans. Take the first step toward your career.

Reality is that junior and assistant ad jobs don't pay a lot in many cases, but you're getting your foot in the door - very important. If the finances are a huge issue, there's no reason why you can't keep the waiter/waitress gig part-time. I worked multiple jobs for a while as a lifeguard and in a bookstore. But if you are holding out for a career position with a bigger paycheck, it's not going to come without getting the experience. Your great GPA won't be enough.

So if you are one of the lucky few to get a low-paying, junior position offered to you, I'd take the money and the experience and run with it.