Why College Graduates Should Pay $50,000 to Work with the Best People, According to Steve Jobs' Former Intern

Why College Graduates Should Pay $50,000 to Work with the Best People, According to Steve Jobs' Former Intern
Why College Graduates Should Pay $50,000 to Work with the Best People, According to Steve Jobs' Former Intern

College graduates should prioritize working for exceptional individuals rather than large corporations, according to Steve Jobs' former intern.

As CEO and chairman of generative AI company DataStax, Chet Kapoor has had a distinguished career in Silicon Valley.

In 1986, the tech leader from Kolkata began working at Steve Jobs' software company NeXT and later became CEO of Apigee, which was acquired by Google for $625 million in 2016.

Kapoor, who worked as an intern at Jobs' NeXT, stated in an interview with CNBC Make It that he was positioned just below the person who opened doors, but this did not diminish his experience because he was located only 20 yards away from him daily.

"My first two or three years at NeXT greatly influenced my leadership style, as I observed Jobs," Kapoor stated.

Instead of applying to work at well-known companies, he recommends young college graduates to look for opportunities to work with exceptional individuals who can teach them valuable lessons.

"Early in your career, find the right people to hang out with," Kapoor advised CNBC Make It.

"The more quickly you can link your work to the impact it has on the company, the more successful you will be."

'Pay them $50,000 a year'

Kapoor recommends investing in the right people, stating that it will lead to greater returns in the future.

"Kapoor advises college graduates seeking employment to identify individuals they can learn from, regardless of their job titles or companies, and convince them of their value to secure a $50,000 annual salary."

He assured me that the $50,000 I was about to spend would be the best investment I've ever made, surpassing the value of my college education.

According to Kapoor, the initial years of one's career "determine their future" and many young individuals are preoccupied with the brand name they work for.

The brand you worked for may not be the only thing that people remember. Instead, it's the people you worked with and what you learned from them that truly matters. This will help you find the right path in your career.

by Sawdah Bhaimiya

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