Nice to meet you!

Make more money in your first job

Hey there! 

This is the very first edition of the RoadMap newsletter. You can subscribe right here (if this was forwarded to you, you’re not subscribed yet!)

Welcome! Our goal is to provide you with concrete, helpful tips and insights that make the process of applying for jobs less stressful. 

We’d love to hear what you think of the first edition – and what kinds of tips would be most useful in the future. Hit reply and let us know.

T.O.T.D.

Your career “Tip Of The Day” from RoadMap

We all know one of the most exciting parts of diving into the working world is finally making your very own 💸💸💸. It’s exhilarating to finally be able to support yourself. 

But exactly how much 💸💸💸 do you need? 

It might sound obvious, but a lot of first-time job applicants don’t have a number in mind when they get to the salary part of the process. The thrill of landing the job is just so…well, thrilling.

So here are a few tips:

  1. Understand the smallest amount of money you can afford to accept based on your current cost of living.

  2. Recognize that entry level salaries are set in ranges, and at this point in your career, experience is far more important than money.

  3. Negotiate with the hiring manager for the best possible outcome – after you get the offer (many more negotiation tips coming in future newsletters!)

What’s most important to remember when you get to the salary conversation is to have realistic expectations, and to maintain a confident and friendly tone. Push your strengths — and the kinds of problems you can solve for the company.

Triv, Laugh, Love 

A trivia quiz, to keep you sharp 

All four of the following CEOs make a big pile of cash every year — but can you guess which makes the most?

  1. Alphabet (which owns Google) CEO Sundar Pichai

  2. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk

  3. Apple CEO Tim Cook

  4. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang

You can find the answer at the bottom of the newsletter. No Googling!

Numero Uno 

Anonymous hiring managers tell us the number one trait or skill they look for in candidates

Today’s anonymous hiring manager is a seasoned media executive who’s hired for many roles in content, sales, and strategy. 

"Show up to the interview hungry and willing to learn every day. No matter how small or insignificant a task may seem, be committed to being the very best at it.”

To put this advice into practice, here’s a tip: Memorize this response for the next time you get the dreaded question, “What do you want to do after you graduate?”

  • “I’m not sure, but I’m very passionate about [insert your passion here], and I want to work somewhere where I can learn a lot.“

This answer is much better than a simple “I don’t know,” — it conveys that you’re hungry to learn, even if you don’t have a specific role in mind.

Read This

A deep dive, if you’re in the mood for it.

A Little Giggle

A funny internet tidbit that’ll make you snort-laugh

That’s it for the first RoadMap newsletter! Like we mentioned above, this is an entirely new effort and we’d love to hear your feedback. Let us know anything that would be helpful for your job search and/or early success in your career. 

Trivia answer: 

D) Elon Musk makes a whopping $23.5 billion per year.