I live in the Tysons Corner area, and the expansions have been very rapid: new metro line, new Vita apartments and Hyatt Regency hotel, among new jobs rapidly becoming available. Some of these jobs require a minimum of an undergraduate degree from a 4 year university, while others are more based on experience and qualifications and/or require no experience or education level.

I was looking at apartments today, just out of pure curiosity. One of the complexes I was looking into was requiring an average of $90-$100k/yr dedicated just to rent. Many entry level jobs don’t even touch that in salary before taxes.

One question I have for all employers: how do interested candidates earn that experience for entry level jobs? Entry level implies little to no experience, yet many jobs ask for that experience. Unless the expectation is internships completed through college, which are many times unpaid internships, how else do young adults gain this experience level which then allows for an income consistent with cost of living and inflation?

I shouldn’t have to move out of an area that I love because job salaries are lower than cost of living, without going directly from paycheck to paycheck.

If only there was a life manual, right?