I saw some career advice for young people today and it made me really think about my journey. And I've decided I don't agree with the advice, even though I think it may have a glimmer of rightness.

First, the advice: don't settle for money, experience is more valuable (1/6)

On the surface, this is a great advice. Experience is hugely valuable. Exposure is how we learn and grow and stretch and become more valuable in future. But...

Does choosing not to be paid appropriately set you up for a long slog to earn what you deserve? (2/6)

There is no requirement to settle for either money *or* experience. It is possible to have both, to a large extent. In a final decision, you might choose to give up a bit of £ in favour of a really fantastic opportunity. But at a final decision the £ should be close(ish). (3/6)

"Choosing" sets a precedent. That good experience requires you to devalue yourself. It sets up a way of thinking about your own value that means you might not be getting paid what you're worth. Huge leaps in salary are possible when you change jobs, but not guaranteed. (4/6)

Don't force yourself to be behind the eight ball. From the day you enter the job market, you have some value. Every day thereafter, you are in theory getting more valuable. Experience adds to that value for sure - sometimes enormously. I've benefited from that. (5/6)

But I've also turned down seemingly fantastic jobs because they were too low-paid. Not because money is everything, but because I am *worth my salary*. We should be teaching our young people that you can get great experience and be paid well. Or at least decently. (6/6)

There are exceptions. Some jobs really do transcend money and I can say from personal experience that it's worth it. But that isn't most jobs. That's a minority, probably tiny. Get paid what you're worth, get experience too. Make opportunities for yourself. (7/6)