Simon Sinek advises focusing on your future boss, not the salary, when choosing a job
Given the current period of inflation that Americans are facing, along with the effects of tariffs, it is difficult not to focus on the salary figure listed in job postings. However, management specialist Simon Sinek contends that there is a more crucial factor to evaluate during job interviews: the individual who will be your manager.
“If there is one thing I did correctly when I was young, it was that I consistently selected my positions based on the person I would report to,” Sinek stated on The Diary of a CEO podcast. “The amount of money they offered was not a concern for me.”
Sinek is most famous for his work on the idea of “why” and his “Golden Circle” principle, which urges leaders and companies to identify their fundamental purpose or conviction as the foundation for motivating their workforce and clientele. His TED Talk ranks among the most viewed ever, accumulating millions of views just on the TED site. Sinek now has a following of millions on social media platforms.
This management expert was educated as an ethnographer, analyzing the trends in how successful leaders and organizations think, behave, and interact to foster settings where individuals can perform at their peak. He earned a degree in cultural anthropology from Brandeis University and subsequently started, though did not finish, law school at the City University of London. At the beginning of his professional life, he was employed in advertising at New York agencies such as Euro RSCG and Ogilvy & Mather, before eventually starting his own consulting firm, Sinek Partners.
However, Sinek attributes his professional achievements to his formative years, when he focused on securing the finest mentors rather than a larger paycheck.
“To be clear, I wasn’t wealthy, [but] I was confident they would pay me. I knew I could cover my expenses,” Sinek explained. “I didn’t have a trust fund—I required an income. One firm proposed $5,000 more, and another offered $5,000 less. But I genuinely preferred the manager at the second company, [so] I accepted that position.”
“It’s true, I earned less than all my friends initially,” he added. But “I received an invaluable education and support from someone who mentored me.”
What other experts say about prioritizing mentorship over salary
Other highly accomplished business figures have also advocated for valuing mentorship above salary in the early stages of one’s career.
Warren Buffett, who is preparing to step down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway in a few days, stated that the people you connect with are “extremely important” for your success.
“Be cautious about focusing excessively on initial pay and pay close attention to your choice of employer, as you will adopt the traits of your colleagues,” Buffett remarked at a shareholder meeting in May. “Some positions are best avoided.”
He mentioned having five supervisors in his lifetime, “and I appreciated each one.”
“They were all fascinating,” Buffett went on. “I ultimately chose to work for myself rather than for others. But if you discover a team that is fantastic to collaborate with, that is the opportunity to pursue.”
Oprah Winfrey has also attributed her lasting achievements to the beginning of her career, when the renowned author Maya Angelou served as her guide. Winfrey met Angelou in 1986, the same year she launched The Oprah Winfrey Show. Even though she was already a recognized talk show host at that point, her bond with Angelou remained a source of inspiration for her professionally.
“Every person who has achieved any success in their life did so because someone, at some point, provided direction,” Winfrey wrote in a 2024 reflection on her mentorship from Angelou. “They may not have been a constant, formal mentor, but the truth is, no one succeeds entirely on their own.”