Get Paid More Without Having Connections or Experience

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“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know!”

“You need to pay your dues before getting that kind of money.”

“What makes you think you deserve that kind of life right now?”

If I chose to define myself solely on where I started off, I’d be living broke in a cornfield right about now. As a 25-year-old millennial lady, living broke is actually the default. Statistically speaking, I’m very average and not someone most would expect something really impressive from. The ones that have these great expectations are kids that grew up in the private school system, or who reveal themselves as prodigies early on in life. But that doesn’t mean that we’re destined to nothing if we weren’t a prodigy. We can still get paid more without having those kinds of connections.

I grew up in the middle-of-nowhere Midwest, where I never actually learned my neighbors’ names and where the most exciting thing to happen was when the squirrels started eating through the trash cans. I also never had relationships with my extended family beyond polite greetings at birthday parties or Christmas. Failure seemed ingrained into my life, especially when I graduated college in 2016 without a job lined up. 

Being a rural kid without super-successful role models meant having no one to help me along on the path to wealth. Odds are you didn’t, either; odds are also that you’re not sure how to reach a high income without several years of suffering first. 

All of that, I’m relieved to say, doesn’t have to be the case. Take it from me, that same rural kid who had zero family or community connections. 

My Connection-Less Success

Turned out I could accomplish tons even without those advantages, thanks to approaching it in a particular way. Now I have a six-figure net worth and get paid a $90,000 salary as a marketing manager. And yes, I reached both within four years of college graduation. 

“WHAT, DARCY!!” you might be screeching. “That CANNOT be right! You need to be out there grinding through hardship, crappy roommates, and terrible political consequences until you reach that kind of stability!”

That’s the belief, sure. But do you have to subject yourself to being underpaid and feeling miserable? No, siree. You also don’t have to be at someone’s beck and call at all hours to prove your “company dedication”.  You, too, can get paid more.

My first job out of college was at a real estate firm, where I was often the only person in the office to keep things running. At one point I had a talking-to because I’d leave at 5pm every day instead of hanging around “just in case”. My manager actually told me “You can’t get ahead if you’re not willing to go the extra mile,” which really salted my melon. See, I was ALREADY going the extra mile during the work day with all of the tasks that heaped up on my plate. My job description consisted of receptionist duties and marketing assistance, but I was doing way more than that on a regular basis. Why wasn’t any of that acknowledged? For that matter, why did I have to work at this joint any longer?

The Steps to Reach High Pay

So I set about learning how to manage my finances and how to get a better job. Even without spending two years at that first (and second) job, I still reached an income way higher than what most of my graduating class gets. And here’s what I did to do that:

Start Reading about Personal Finances

I love blogs like Moriah’s who focus on money management, which is desperately needed in the US today. Almost all Americans are financially illiterate, and unable to answer even the simplest financial questions. But even more mind-boggling is how easy it is to rectify that flaw.

Thanks to passionate writers that aren’t out to screw you, there are more resources than ever before that will explain to you clearly how to manage your bank account. Understanding what to do with my money pulled me out of my deep fears and insecurity after my supposed failures. And reaching that understanding had everything to do with reading.

From lifestyle blogs like Our Table for Two to goofier ones like mine, financial media is guaranteed to have someone who really speaks to you. Start off with the more well-known resources and branch off from there; whether you prefer blogs or books or forums, there’s a ton of people out there that can give you this knowledge for the perfect cost of free.

Also books like Broke Millennial and Your Money or Your Life are great places to start when trying to learn more about basic finances.

Find Your Heroes

In the absence of role models you personally have relationships with, get role models you don’t need a personal relationship with. Most people do already – how many people have you heard say someone like Bill Gates or Barack Obama are an inspiration to them? You can substitute their names with the names of anyone who’s well-known and/or at the top of their field; guaranteed those around you admire people they’ve never met. And that’s fantastic, because their example alone can give you what you need to succeed on your own. 

Some of my financial heroes include Kristy from Millennial Revolution and finance author Ramit Sethi who wrote I Will Teach You To Be Rich. Their guidance, along with masters like JL Collins and Mr. Money Mustache, complements the great examples they set by following their own advice and winning because of it.

Craft Your (Flexible) Battle Strategy

I first read The Art of War in high school, and it’s also an excellent book for understanding financial success. Wild, I know! 

Once you’ve got the knowledge and the drive, next comes the planning for what you’ll do. Your dollars are now your armies; how you invest that money is how you order your armies to operate; new recruits represent compound interest, and winning the war is reaching the financial compensation of your dreams. 

Take your dreams and marry them to your goals, which should spell out exactly what you want. “I want to make at least $50,000 by this time next year” is a great one. “I plan to work for a company that invests in my career advancement” is another great one. You don’t even have to stop at just career goals; having several at a time means accomplishing that much more down the line. Put into words what you’re aiming for so you’ll have a direction to work towards. Then you can ask yourself “okay, what steps do I need to take to make this possible?” 

The answers to this question might change over time, depending on the opportunities or challenges life will chuck at you. But that planning will continue to steer you in the direction you want your life to go, and each step will carry you across that distance.

Make Yourself an Attractive Employee

Take it from me, absolutely zero makeup or Photoshop is required. When you don’t have some friendly connection or a long career of success to distinguish you, it’s time to reframe your resume and LinkedIn profile to showcase yourself as the model employee. Even if you’re entry-level or making a career switch, framing your experience for the job you want makes all the difference.

This packs an extra punch when you add recruiters into the mix. They’re the ones that comb through LinkedIn to find the best candidates possible for roles you want to be in. The best recruiters will work directly with you in getting the best job possible.

In fact, I escaped my crappy real estate job thanks to an amazing recruiter. I also got my current job because another recruiter saw my profile and convinced me to make the move. Making that move was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, and it was made possible by how I chose to represent myself.

Always Take Advantage of the Opportunities You Get

We Want Guac readers know what quote best describes my life: “Luck is what happens when opportunity meets preparation”. I prepared for a lot of things in life, including securing my $90,000 income and getting free, high-quality furniture for my apartment. If preparing isn’t enough, I also practice for it. When it comes to getting a higher-paying job, interview practice will really save your bacon. Once you frame your work experience in an attractive light, recruiters will slowly begin to contact you for interviews. Every interview offer is an offer to practice, which pays off fully when you can wow your dream employers. Taking advantage of interview opportunities gives you a greater edge when the best one comes along.

When you want to get a better job, there’s very little that can stop you – not your age, your lack of connections, your background, or your initial lack of knowledge can keep you down. It’s all in how you approach that goal of yours, and all tested by yours truly.

What other tips do you have for securing a high-paying job at a young age? Let me know in the comments below!

Darcy graduated college without a job and, three years later, reached her $100,000 milestone. She blogs at wewantguac.com to help others better understand how to earn more money and what you should do with it. Coupling a high income with low expenses is the ticket to financial freedom, which you can reach even in your 20s. You can best reach out to her at darcywantsguac@gmail.com.