Analyzing AngelList Job Postings: Salary, Equity, and Content Creation

Analyzing AngelList Job Postings: Salary, Equity, and Content Creation

In the fast-paced world of startups, finding the right balance between generosity and practicality can be a challenge. This is especially true when it comes to salary and equity benchmarks for job postings. It's crucial to strike a balance between offering competitive compensation packages and ensuring that you're not giving away more equity than necessary.

When it comes to equity distribution, the danger of being too generous, especially in the early stages of a startup, is that you may end up giving away more equity than you actually need to. This can have several negative implications. Firstly, it may limit your ability to make stronger offers to multiple candidates in the future. Secondly, it could hinder your ability to raise more money from investors, as they may be concerned about the dilution of their ownership. Lastly, it may result in founders losing decision-making power within the company.

To provide some clarity, let's take a look at some salary and equity benchmarks for engineering jobs in Silicon Valley. It's important to note that these are not hard-and-fast rules, but rather benchmarks based on a medium-sized sample.

For the first few hires, the salary ranges are as follows:

• 20th percentile: $75k - $100k

• 50th percentile: $85k - $125k

• 80th percentile: $100k - $150k

Now let's dive into the equity distribution for different employee positions:

• Hire 1: 2% - 3% of equity

• Hires 2 through 5: 1% - 2%

• Hires 6 and 7: 0.5% - 1%

• Hires 8 through 14: 0.4% - 0.8%

• Hires 15 through 19: 0.3% - 0.7%

• Hires 21 through 27: 0.25% - 0.6%

• Hires 28 through 34: 0.25% - 0.5%

It's worth noting that these numbers can be framed as "up to" each range. For example, a typical 6th hire may receive up to 0.5% - 1% equity. Additionally, designers among the first four hires may receive up to 1% - 2% equity, occasionally only 0.5%. For the next five hires, designers can expect up to 0.5% - 1.0% equity. From employees 10 to 30, the equity ranges from 0.2% - 0.5%.

Now, let's shift gears and talk about content creation. Being a content creator comes with its own set of goals and challenges. While it's important to have aspirations and goals to strive for, it's equally important to consider what it takes to achieve them.

One goal that every content creator should strive for is to be the most intelligent person in the room. This doesn't mean being the one who speaks the most, but rather the one who listens the most. Wisdom comes from actively listening and absorbing knowledge from others. By being a good listener, you can gain valuable insights and perspectives that can enhance your content creation.

Another goal for content creators is to find a balance between reading and writing. It's easy to feel guilty for not writing as much as others or not having published a book. However, it's important to remember that reading is just as productive as writing. Reading allows you to expand your knowledge, gather inspiration, and refine your writing skills. So, don't underestimate the power of reading in your content creation journey.

Lastly, content creators should strive for self-improvement with a long-term perspective. Building a successful content creation career takes time and patience. Set realistic expectations and give yourself a five-year window to see financial results from your "side hustle." By doing so, you can relieve the pressure and focus on consistent growth and improvement.

In conclusion, finding the right balance in terms of salary, equity distribution, and content creation goals is crucial for startups and content creators alike. For startups, it's important to be mindful of equity distribution, ensuring that you're not giving away more than necessary. As for content creators, setting achievable goals, listening actively, valuing reading as much as writing, and embracing long-term self-improvement can lead to a fulfilling and successful career.

Actionable Advice:

• 1. For startups, consider the long-term implications of equity distribution and avoid being overly generous in the early stages. Save equity for future hires, investor relationships, and founder decision-making power.

• 2. Content creators should prioritize active listening over speaking. Wisdom comes from absorbing knowledge and gaining insights from others.

• 3. Embrace the power of reading in your content creation journey. Reading is just as productive as writing and can enhance your knowledge, inspiration, and writing skills.

Remember, success is a journey, and finding the right balance is key.