First Job Stuff
Your first salary anchors every raise that follows. Knowing what's on the table — and how to read your paystub — is worth real money.
Always negotiate (politely)
Recruiters expect a counter — most leave 5-15% room. Ask for the top of the band, plus signing bonus, vacation, or start date. Worst case they say no and you take the original offer. Never share your current salary.
Read the whole offer, not just the salary
Total comp is salary + bonus + equity + benefits.
- 401(k) match — free money, e.g. '4% match' = $4 from them per $100 you contribute.
- Health insurance — what's the premium, deductible, and out-of-pocket max?
- PTO — sick + vacation + holidays. 'Unlimited' often means people take less.
- Equity (RSUs/options) — vesting schedule matters more than the headline number.
Decoding your paystub
Gross pay is the headline. Net pay is what hits your bank. The gap is federal + state tax + FICA + health insurance + 401(k). If the deduction looks wrong, ask HR — payroll mistakes happen.
Glossary
- Gross pay
- Salary before any deductions.
- Net pay
- Take-home pay — what's actually deposited.
- Vesting
- How long you must stay before equity is yours to keep.
- RSU
- Restricted Stock Unit — company shares that vest on a schedule.
Next steps
- Look up your role on Levels.fyi or Glassdoor before any negotiation.
- Read your next paystub line by line.
- If you have a 401(k) match you're not maxing, fix that this week.