Recently, my friend Ethan was telling me about different interviews he was having and how each of them was going. I was able to learn a lot from the conversation and his overall thought process. It was interesting to see how compensation can truly influence our decisions, even when we feel like we are following our hearts.
He first started talking about his “dream internship”, the company he had imagined working at for years. The interview didn’t go how he had hoped though. The energy felt off, the questions felt targeted overall he felt like he had blown the interview. So when he got the offer a few days later he was surprised but rather than take it immediately he was still unsure. The pay was mediocre but nothing special.
The second interview was the polar opposite, the company loved him. They laughed with him, praised him and made it very clear they wanted to hire him right then and there. The pay once again was average but how they made him feel after the interview made the offer feel meaningful.
The third internship wasn’t a major thought initially. It didn’t have a big brand name that clicked but it was the best paid internship. Each of these interviews and companies had different forefront thoughts. The dream job matched his passion, the mid tier matched his sense of belonging and the high paying job matched his lifestyle needs. Looking at him balancing all three of these roles made me understand how money isn’t always just money but a clear outline highlighting security, value and opportunity. While most of us don’t like to admit it money can guide our choices even subconsciously than we like to say.