Its important to know what your worth is when looking for a job.  It may seem discouraging because so many have lost their jobs.  You should always have a positive attitude and go for positions that are appealing to you.  Not only is pay important, but taking a position that you will not eventually dread agreeing to.  Think about the things that you enjoy most, and would do without being paid.  Those are the type of positions that give you the feeling of happiness and success.  In a perfect world, we would get paid lots of money for not doing much at all, but in this world if you can't find what you are looking for then you need to try something else.  Hard work will pay off in the end.  So don't paint yourself into a corner thinking you have to work for someone else all your life.  Make the perfect job for you!