The $375K career for philosophers

Hey there! It’s official: Maryland has joined #teamtransparency! 🦀 I had the honor of testifying in support of this bill and watching Governor Moore sign it into law (me the entire time: 🤩). 

The bill, HB 649/SB525, goes into effect October 1 and will…

1. Require employers to disclose the wage range, description of benefits, and any other compensation offered for the position. 

2. Prohibit employers from retaliating against (or refusing) to interview candidates who don’t provide their wage history or request the role’s wage range. 

16 states (and DC) down—35 to go! 

P.S. — If you aren’t sure what your state’s pay transparency laws are (or if they have any) check out our interactive map!

 1   TikToker lands deal with Shake Shack after Chick-Fil-A passed on collab 🐔

Over 10 million views in four months: It’s a level of attention most brands only dream of—and Chick-fil-A was getting it for free thanks to employee @mirithesiren, who started posting TikToks about her employee meals. 

So, what did Chick-fil-A do? Give Miri a raise, promotion, or at the very least a ‘thank you’? Nope. Instead, they told her to stop creating videos as it “violated a rule in their employee handbook.” 

• Miri’s POV: “I was hoping we could collaborate or turn this into something,” explained Miri in a video with over 2.7 million views. “Unfortunately, Chick-fil-A is not willing to make an exception or collab with me.” 

But after Chick-fil-A dropped the bag, Shake Shack grabbed it. Shake Shack offered Miri a paid partnership to promote their antibiotic-free Chicken Shack sandwich—and the best part? Miri posted the TikTok on a Sunday, when Chick-fil-A is closed. 

The lesson is clear: If you’re bringing tangible results to a company (whether that’s views, sales, or positive word-of-mouth), know 👏 your 👏 worth 👏. If they can’t compensate you for what you bring to the table, chances are another company will.

 2   Goldman Sachs encourages engineers to study philosophy 💭

Philosophy 🤝 Engineers. Goldman Sachs executive Marco Argenti is urging engineers to study philosophy to prepare for AI, reports Fortune. 

What does ancient Greek wisdom have to do with AI? As it turns out—a lot. AI can write high-quality code, and it’s only going to get better, but there’s a catch…

• Zoom In: AI can’t write good code without a great prompt. Feed the AI a flawed set of instructions or questions, and the code you get is “plausible at best, incorrect and dangerous at worst,” explained Argenti. 

That’s where critical thinking, logical reasoning, and mental models—all taught in philosophy—come in. They’re vital for prompt engineering, which is the process of distilling complex concepts into clear prompts for AI. 

Here’s where things get interesting: Prompt engineering can be a lucrative career, commanding salaries up to $375,000. That’s great news for philosophy majors, whose median early-career wage is $36,000—and has one of the highest unemployment rates after graduation in the US. 

 3   ‘Blair Witch Project’ actors demand residuals ✊

The actors of ‘The Blair Witch Project’ have called for rightful compensation after Lionsgate announced it was reviving the horror film 25 years later, per Vanity Fair. 

• For Context: In 2003, Blair Witch Project stars Rei Hance, Joshua Leonard, and Michael Willams received $300,000 for a full buy-out of their ownership over the original film. They never saw another dime, despite the film grossing over $248 million in theaters since its 1999 release. 

This isn’t their first disappointment. In the early 2000s, the actors went to federal court after Lionsgate claimed copyright over their own names since they’d used them in the film. “It truly has been 25 exhausting years of disrespect,” said Hance on Instagram. 

Hance, Leonard, and Williams’ open letter asks for retroactive and future compensation of the film—equivalent to what would’ve been paid through SAG-AFTRA—along with… 

• “Meaningful consultation” for any future Blair Witch Project. That includes sequels, games, escape rooms, rides, and more. 

• “The Blair Witch Grant:” A $60,000 grant funded by Lionsgate to help an aspiring filmmaker create their first feature film. 

Want to support these actors? Follow them on social media and share their posts to spread the word.

Pop Quiz: 📝 How much is the average cost of rent in New York City? 

• A: $1,959

• B: $3,781

• C: $4,989

We’ll reveal the answer in the close-out section, but here's a hint: NYC’s rent is 150% higher than the national average, making it one of the most expensive cities in the US. 

So how do New Yorkers deal? 

We hit the streets of Manhattan to find out. In our latest street interview, you’ll hear from a recruiter, talent business operations manager, and more on how much they earn and spend on rent (⚠️ Warning: It’s a lot). 

• How companies weaponize secrecy to avoid paying people fairly. 💰

• $72 an hour to clean teeth? This dental hygienist has the scoop. 

• Here’s how much a government-employed rocket scientist earns. 

• The FTC has banned non-compete clauses. Here’s how they’ve harmed millions. 

• These nine salary negotiation myths could be preventing you from earning more. 

Thanks for being here! So, how much is the average rent in NYC? If you guessed B, you’re (unfortunately) correct. NYC is so expensive that after taxes and cost of living, a $100K salary is only worth $35,791.

If you’re wondering where $100K will actually be worth $100K, our guide on the least (and most) expensive cities in the US has your answer.

See you next week!