The NY Times has posted a help wanted listing for the restaurant critic job. Does this mean that none of the temporary fill ins have made the cut? A bit surprised about the pay range. I guess trade off pay for prestige.
5 Likes
The posting might simply be a requirement, perhaps for union reasons, to help promote fairness in hiring.
6 Likes
You think the pay is too low?
That’s a good salary I reckon. The same job in our country, in western Europe, would pay around 1/3rd of that, for the most prestigious newspaper for 18 million inhabitants.
2 Likes
They’ll need a second job to live where they work.
1 Like
Yes, I expected the pay to be higher given the role and that NYC is an expensive place to live. I have fresh college graduates with no work experience that are paid in that range. And they have to pay for their own meals.
1 Like
I’m not saying that’s the salary they should be getting. Given NYC’s price point and median income versus ours, the stated salary range seems adequate.
1 Like
Yes, but you and I know very well the industry we work in. Those college graduates without working experience, they come from good schools. They invested time and money to get there. Only a handful of graduates get the chance to work in the upper echelons of our industry.
1 Like
Seems rather low to me, but what do I know 
I guess getting paid to eat all these meals makes up for it.
3 Likes
Don’t feel like going into a long discussion on salaries, but the stated salary range for the job is 122-170 something. With the median NYC income being around the mid 60s. That’s half. See source below.
2 Likes
No idea how someone making 60K can afford to live in NYC.
2 Likes
Seems low to me as well.
I’m sure the perks are great–I would love to get paid to eat at some of the best restaurants! But they are asking for someone with 10+ years of writing experience, plus culinary knowledge, to write for what is arguably the most famous newspaper in the world.
I’m sure there would be opportunities for this person to write/edit cookbooks, give lectures etc. outside of the job.
4 Likes
Left NY earlier this year and I second this statement. To live there comfortably takes either a great pay, or the superhuman ability to be comfortable in your discomfort.
6 Likes
The pay in the Arts is usually a lot lower than what new grads are making in finance or law.
I remember the entry level management track job at Christie’s or Sotheby’s was offering less than what my annual rent was costing for a 1 bedroom apartment.
I am amazed by the tenacity of freelance writers who are able to make it work in NYC.
3 Likes
Or roommates. Or not requiring a lot of space. My PIC’s college friend used to live in a tiny studio in Chelsea at $3500/month. It was the size of a college dorm room.
I mean… great location, but I’m not sure I’d want to live in such crammed quarters as an adult.
That $66k median is for the Bronx. All the other boros are over $100k.
For someone to live on $60k in NYC is hard. If you know someone who is willing to rent you a basement apartment on the cheap, or if you inherit a co-op from a family member that bought it back in the 80s, then it could work.
3 Likes
Thread drift alert!
@damiano - yes our world isn’t typical but in NYC the FIRE industries are the primary engine of the economy with tech becoming more important. Starting pay in those areas are much higher than median incomes but as you noted, the grads entering are typically at the top of an extremely competitive process to get hired.
Median rent in the city is $4500 with average rent of $4700 according to Corcoran. I was talking with some of my juniors about rent just last week. Rent for a nice one bedroom in a decent neighborhood is $5-6 thousand a month. At the low end of the range, the job can’t support that apartment. At the high end, barely.
I would have expected the job being one of the most high profile in the restaurant world would have paid more.
4 Likes
I have a friend who is a food and travel writer, who has been at it for around 15 years, in Toronto. She has so many projects on the go at all times. She edits, she writes, she travels on trips paid for by various countries or resorts, she’s on panels for various awards. It’s a rewarding life, which has its perks, but it’s not financially rewarding considering the hours and effort it takes.
2 Likes
Considering how much we pay for meals in NYC these days, a 120-170k with meals included for a food writer sounds pretty good to me.
My two recent college grads including one ivy are not in this range, I think. One might be, barely. They both live in Manhattan in tiny studios the size of a hers and hers closet and somehow manage
1 Like
Thread drift indeed.
But let’s make it simple.
The people here who find this salary too low: so you would turn this job down based on salary?
And hence turning down USD 8400 net pay every month?
To go eat at a restaurant once a week? And for the rest go sit at a desk in a nice office doing the same things we here at HO do for free?
2 Likes
