INTJ – Salary Progression

Hi.

It’s been awhile, hasn’t it?

The world is on fire and I’m sitting in my office typing this to you. I hope I can share my financial journey with you openly and transparently while I chase certain milestones.

Income

Let’s talk finances, income specifically, but first let’s provide some context:

I always had a dream of making a six-figure income when I was younger. It’s all I thought about and you would assume that a kid dreaming of money would have done things in his best interest to make as much of it as possible as early as possible. I even covered this a few years ago here.

Well, life is funny that way.

I was 17, aimless, and failing out of high-school. I had lost all interest in studying and I wasn’t going to graduate anyway, so I dropped out. In hindsight, this was not the best idea.

I studied for my GED and figured I’d do enough work to survive for a while. I loved to learn, but I did not enjoy the traditional education system and I hoped that obtaining my GED and going to University would be the best possible route for success. It turned out to be right for me, but not right away.

In the end, I graduated with my degree in finance from a public, non-target university with roughly 40K in debt. I was 24. I was absolutely broke, I was broker than broke, I was negative. It took one solid year of interviewing for anything in the finance realm to finally get an offer…

The Six-Figure Climb

I recently turned 29 and I hit my financial goal of $100K by 30.

The truth of it is; I’ve been lucky, I’ve been prepared, and I’ve been reckless.

$36K – $41K

I’m a late bloomer. I started my career solidly in my mid-20s and I always felt behind; however, everyone starts somewhere. I was handed a six-month contract at a Big 4 Accounting firm for 36K. I was ecstatic, but I was nowhere near where I wanted to be and I was essentially losing money after looking at the debt I was in.

I spent two years in public accounting and I was severely underpaid working 60+ hour weeks and after a few raises I capped out at $41K. There is something magically empty about driving to work at 7am in the darkness of the morning and never seeing the sun. I remember wrapping up my work days and walking into an empty garage to drive home after the sun had set.

I would soon realize I was too ambitious and impatient for my own good.

$65K – $67K

I was suffering in public accounting. I lived my life in spreadsheets and I was extremely bored.

I needed a change, but I didn’t think staying in accounting was the right move and I wasn’t returning to university for an MBA to reset my eligibility into high finance.

So I did what any rational person would do. I lied. I lied my ass off and attempted to pivot into business analytics. It kind of actually worked.

I was always interested in technology and working with computers and I never really capitalized on that ability. That changed when I was remote through the beginning of the pandemic and realized I could turn a few computer tricks into a career.

I started applying for Business Analyst roles and got lucky. I learned SQL in my off-time and picked up PowerBI and Tableau to be able to collate and visualize data and made small projects to increase my comfort working with as well as explaining data in an easily digestible manner.

This was very fun. I ended up as a Business Analyst at a Cybersecurity startup and it opened my eyes to understanding that my original goal of 100K was possible. It was still targeted for 30 and I was only a couple years away. I started scripting with Python here.

I was nearly a year into my tenure, I had hit my stride, I was up for Senior in the next few months.  

I would soon realize I was too ambitious and impatient for my own good.

I knew, from working a high-profile project with a VP, that typical promotions were only paid out at around 10% with year-end adjustments falling at 3%. This would leave me in the mid-70s and while that was an excellent increase and salary, it wasn’t going to allow me to coast to 100K by 30.

In my mind, I had no choice. I needed to make a move.

$85K

So, I did.

I used everything I learned in my public accounting career and my stint as a Business Analyst to land a role as a Business Intelligence Engineer. This was the defining moment in my career. I had reached a certain level of mastery with SQL and PowerBI that I was now a Subject Matter Expert or SME.

I calculated that if I could work diligently for the next two years that I would barely hit my goal of $100K by 30 through regular annual raises and a promotion. I started off really well and delivered a few automations and improvements. This did not last long.

I was fired after about six months.

I became complacent and started lagging behind in my projects due to distractions like the pandemic, working entirely remote for the first time, and generally not paying any attention whatsoever. It was a wonder I lasted as long as I did.

I was 28, without a job, not going to hit my goal by 30, and needed to figure out what to do next.

This may have been the first time I truly failed and I’ve always been afraid of failure. I failed when it mattered, but could I also be successful when it mattered?

I was lucky. I had been released into a labor market that was beaming with opportunity for a person with my skillset and I was receiving interviews and offers that were beyond my expectations and I became reckless.

I was jobless. I had no right to be picky, but I had money saved and knew I could make it, if a bit lean, for a few months. I began screening phone interviews and throwing out ridiculous numbers; I won’t interview for less than $95K, next call? $105K, call after that? 115K.

And then it happened.

$120K+

I was deep into interviewing, in the final stages with a number of companies, in negotiations with a few others. I saw a Sr. role in a Fortune 500 company that aligned perfectly with my data skillset and my finance background.

I turned down a company I’d been chasing for years to get into at an astonishing $95K offer with a signing bonus + up-front end of year bonus that would have totaled somewhere in the low $100s.

I turned down another Sr. role at $105K.

All while pending an offer from the Fortune 500 role. And then they called and gave me a verbal offer, and I thanked them and declined. It wasn’t enough. I was reckless. I turned around and called the recruiter and thanked them for the offer, for the opportunity, but I wouldn’t take less than $120K.

The next hour was the longest of my life. I was an idiot. I turned down sure-fire $100K roles and negotiated with nothing as real leverage while I was out of job and my cash reserves were running out. I do not recommend this strategy.

It was 4:50pm. Their office closed at 5 and I figured I was done, that was it, I blew my chance by being too greedy. Could I call the other companies back that I was in the offer stage for? Would they even want me?

And then she called.

And they agreed to bump the offer to $120K.

—

I went from making $36K to $120K in three years and it taught me a lot. I hope my career progression has been interesting to you. I am going to continue this finance-centric content and share my other buckets; expenses, savings, and spending soon.

My goal for the next two years is to hit $100K invested.

Thanks for reading!

10 Questions: INTP vs INTJ

We thought this would be an interesting experiment showcasing the similarities and differences between INTPs and INTJs in their approach to certain ideologies and interests. Below is a 10 item questionnaire that will offer perspective on how we think personally as well as our general MBTI typing.

What motivates you?

INTP: Education. Pursuit of knowledge, and obtaining as much information as possible to store into the compartments of my squishy membrane sack.

INTJ: As vain and as shallow as it may sound, what really drives me is the fear of failure and complacency. I do not posses a stagnant nature and I must continually improve myself and my ideas in an effort to grow.

Who is your role model?

INTP: This question leads to a vast number of nominees, but I would say my inspiration(rather) would be the minds of Einstein, Nikola Tesla, Sir Isaac Newton and of course from our generation, Stephen Hawking.

INTJ: I don’t necessarily prescribe to the idea of worshiping any individual regardless of their achievements, but if I had to choose it would be a Mexican stand-off between Isaac Newton, Nikola Tesla, and Marcus Aurelius.

Why do you write?

INTP: If I am going to be completely honest, writing for me provides proof of my mental capacity and advance thought process. It’s not always easy for someone like me to control those thoughts long enough to apply them into writing. In the case that I do, however, they tend to be in a complicated, exorbitant language. What is challenging is answering questions specifically, personally or with a deadline/outline. I am extremely scatter-brained and prefer to let my thoughts flow organically, so for the most part they remain in the confines of my skull. But another thing that drives me is to be challenged!

INTJ: Writing is an easy way for me to gather my thoughts and follow the logic of my arguments in a way that I can see the potential for errors or flaws. I also think that writing is one of the truest forms of introspection and reflection — when you are faced with yourself it becomes much more difficult to lie.

Do you like being alone?

INTP: It’s essential.

INTJ: Yes.

What do you like to read and or learn about?

INTP: I very rarely enjoy reading fiction, but when I do indulge, I particularly enjoy Sci-Fi and historical fiction. I consistently find myself reading about astronomy, astrophysics, orbital mechanics and floating within the never ending realm of philosophy.

INTJ: In terms of reading literature, I enjoy Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Biographies, and historical works. Learning, however, I cast a wide net and tend to devour any and everything related to my interests at the time. A few interests of mine include computers (software and hardware) and Finance (personal and corporate).

Biggest strength and weakness?

INTP: My most prominent strength would be my ability to think outside the box and provide unexpected, yet insightful perspective. My weakness is simple, my lack in drive to share these thoughts.

INTJ: My biggest weakness is my ego. There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance and I tend to tip-toe that line quite often. On the other hand, my greatest strength is being able to turn insights into actions.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

INTP: Being controlled mentally or physically.

INTJ: Lack of manners.

What is your most anticipated advancement?

INTP: Robotics; constantly improving and developing, and dependent upon our maintenance, we are provided an outlet for efficiently reaching those mysterious crevices we weren’t able to before (Curiosity the land-rover!). Or they could take our jobs making us lazier then ever, then destroy us all. Meh.

INTJ: The mission to Mars. The moment that we can reliably traverse space and become a true space-faring civilization will be one of the most defining moments in human existence as well as ensure human existence… A much shorter advancement that I aim looking forward to is the introduction of Tesla’s Model 3 as it offers cutting edge technology and a conversion to pure electric motoring that the average consumer can afford.

What do you think about the most?

INTP: I find myself cogitating most about personal growth and broadening of wisdom. Introspection plays a huge part of my day-to-day thought process. Obtaining information and observing the world around me, analyzing it, and making decisions based on what is in accordance to my personal value system. Developing this area of myself constantly not only opens the avenue to obtain other forms of knowledge more efficiently  it also helps me shed insight on what may develop others (in their lives) as well. So, in short, I think most about the improvement of my mind.

INTJ: The future. The ideal and efficient use of my time and actions on a daily basis should culminate in success in the distant future. So, I spend a lot of time meticulously cultivating myself now – regardless of how mundane it may make my daily routine – it has greatest return on investment.

Favorite Quote?

INTP: “It is paradoxical, yet true, to say, that the more we know, the more ignorant we become in the absolute sense, for it is only through enlightenment that we become conscious of our limitations. Precisely one of the most gratifying results of intellectual evolution is the continuous opening up of new and greater prospects.” -Nikola Tesla

INTJ: “I do not fear death. I had been dead for billions and billions of years before I was born, and had not suffered the slightest inconvenience from it.” – Mark Twain

 

Brief Update

Some years have passed since my last visit here.

It is interesting to see this blog’s viewership increase exponentially in my absence, an almost posthumous distinction. Even such an ‘explosion’ to which I speak of is small and insignificant; it is interesting to still be writing in obscurity, just a lesser form.

I will continue to write, if sporadically, but I still have a few things left to say.

 

 

 

 

Monday Vignette 03

The truth about Altruism

Every selfless act has a selfish intent. It is that simple; humans are genetically engineered to focus on the preservation of self and immediate lineage. Altruism, or the act of random kindness, is an evolved survival tactic that has been proven by George Price’s Theorem.

That is all.

Meaningful Work

How does the nature of genetic evolution in social behavior translate to having meaningful work? And what if you were forced to downgrade your lifestyle in order to do so? The attainment of that which is worthwhile is subjective; it is largely dependent upon what you determine as meaningful work.

What are you willing to sacrifice, and whether or not you can fulfill your need to do something greater than yourself outside of your career? Philanthropy would be a serviceable option. An avenue to pursue where your monetary resources can be utilized for the benefit of society (or on the much smaller scale of community) while understand that the career you are in is a means to an end.

And the removal of INTJs in society

I have only outlined two INTJs whose contributions to society were invaluable.

Nikola Tesla:

• Alternating Current
• Induction Motor
• Various other convenient inventions

If we just remove Nikola Tesla we can eliminate alternating current which would potentially leave us with an inefficient variant of direct power. We can safely assume, as well, that the induction motor would either not have been built, or built poorly, and not have survived to become the basis for Tesla Motors. Ironically enough, the CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk, is an INTJ.

Isaac Newton:

• Laws of Motion
• Calculus
• Refraction of Light
• Improved Telescope

Isaac Newton is the driving force behind how the modern civilization, in terms of physics and mathematics, understands the world. There are countless pioneers in both subjects, in both generations, but without the steadying influence of Newton or Tesla our world would be lagging behind.

Of course, it is all relative. If Newton or Tesla did not exist then we would be blissfully ignorant of the progress that could have been accomplished. The general theme for INTJs are the ability to balance incremental thinking with a long-term view of how society should be like, and strive towards the betterment of civilization, at all costs. It does not always work out, but when it does amazing things happen.

This is not to assume that their particular contributions to society would have come from someone else, but it is the eventuality of such occurrences.

Eventually is the key term of which the actual time it would of taken to be created is speculative. Newton did not create Calculus alone, but rather was able to take an idea then improve it, for lack of a better phrase.

On a long enough time line, the induction motor, and alternating current probably would have been created out of sheer necessity for an efficiently sustainable future. Although, I doubt either invention, and or improvement, would have been as well made and implemented as it were without some INTJ influence. I am not crediting INTJs with the singular advancement of civilization, but our presence – while admittedly marginal – in the grand scheme was beneficial for society.

Both of these brilliant minds were ahead of their time, and understood that in order to create something that lasts for centuries – as I noted earlier – must be coupled with a forward-thinking mentality. Tesla may have been contracted under Benjamin Franklin to improve upon direct current, but that could of resulted in a simple DC variant. Tesla, rather, understood that there is an infinitely better process that can be achieved without sacrificing the potency of energy.

~ By no means is this all-inclusive, but it is an interesting thought, none the less.

Book Run!

It’s time to create a quick list of potential purchases this Fall.

My reading style is a bit odd because even though I am in the middle of a series, I tend to intersperse books on different subjects as little breaks. Thus, I am in the middle of choosing what to get, here are my options currently:

Science!

Genius:  The Life and Science of Richard Feynman – The epitome of flamboyance and eccentricity, but one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century.

Einstein: His Life and Universe – Need I really explain this option?

Isaac Newton – An in depth look into the beginnings of one of the greatest intellectual minds, ever.

Erwin Schrodinger and the Quantum Revolution –  He’s the father of Quantum Mechanics; it’s a must-read.

In Search of Schrodinger’s cat – I think my bias is showing.

Everything Else.

1Q84  – An epic by Murakami spanning a little over 1,000 pages, I welcome the challenge.

David and Goliath – I want to Malcom Gladwell, I really do, but I probably won’t.

***

My Barnes and Noble wishlist is hovering right around 100 – needless to say, I’ve left out a few – but, as I stated, this is just a quick review of the books I am considering.

 

 

 

 

Notes on the Universe, Architeuthis, & Hullacinations

Save for one topic, each of these little snippets of information are anecdotes that I would like to share, but do not see the point of turning into a full-fledged post in order to do so.

The Universe

It would be foolish to assume that the Milky Way is the only galaxy and or universe in contention for the possibility of containing sustainable life either in past, present, or future. As such, this ‘multiverse’ approach to space can be quantified in terms of duration of existence plus proximity roughly equals the propensity for foreign life.

That is all.

This is a large subject, but I will be covering it in greater depth within the next week or two.

Architeuthis

It is now known that there is a species of giant squid, architeuthis, but before the relatively recent discovery much of the information relayed has been inconclusive – the existence of such a species did, however, have historical precedent. The Kraken, an elusive terrifying monstrosity that is essentially a modern day architeuthis has appeared in many works spanning hundreds of years, and it is interesting to witness science-fiction become science-fact.

Hallucinations of the Visually Impaired

Charles Bonnet syndrome is rare and under-represented; it is essentially the process of your mind producing erratic visualizations due to the abrupt (or gradual) loss of vision. The loss of vision enables the mind to produce sensory imagery that does not exist in an effort to cover the fault of failing eyesight. I have been a witness to such episodes (admittedly, while severely sleep deprived) and it is alarming.

On the other hand, it is different from sleep deprived hallucinations which are the seeping of dreams into reality due to micro-sleep which circumvents the logical, rationale of the brain in order to bend actuality into a surreal, frightening experience.  In short; both Charles Bonnet syndrome and sleep-deprived hallucinations are not fun.

Monday Vignette 02

The curse of perfectionism

In essence, my life is governed by a set of principles – an algorithm – that continuously searches for the maximum level of efficiency capable with the smallest expenditure of resources possible. No, it is not an excuse for laziness; on the contrary, it is a formula that is used to gather data on the efficacy of my actions. Sounds crazy? I know.

I am not the only one in pursuit of an unattainable ideal, there are many of us out there in the wild, blending in as chameleons would in their surroundings. We have mastered the emulation of ordinary, understood the driving forces behind productivity, and painstakingly cloak the depth of our effort behind what our colleagues witness.  It is not of shame nor elitism, but derived from the thought that our effort mustn’t be seen; that our work isn’t done when others are satisfied, but when we are.

The truth in numbers

Pareto Principle

• 20% of effort produces 80% results.

The Pareto Principle is not a secret, however, the productivity yield behind attaining perfection using the Pareto Principle is eye-opening, and yet, never discussed.

If I allocate two hours (20%) of my time to writing, it will provide 80% results; far from perfect, but perfect is what we want  need. What does it take to reach 100%? Obviously, that next 20%, however in order to achieve perfection it will require an additional 80% (8 hours) of your time. As such, the additional results needed are sixteen times more costly than the initial effort. As you can imagine, my natural deployed efficacy algorithm is blaring its alarm.

So, in order to achieve (some level) of perfection while simultaneously catering to my intuitive efficacy meter I settled on the attainment of a degree of perfection, not absolute perfection. It may seem that this bending of actuality is a compromise to the standard of excellence, but rather, it enables excellent performance and increased results (my algorithm can live happily). And I can breath a sigh of relief.

Epilogue

Victory favors the prepared

INTJs play to win – and I still do, but I understand that self-flagellation is detrimental to the success of a task, and while I continue to nit-pick (stress) I do so to a lesser degree. It is also necessary to emphasis the importance of preparation as it is often the integral part of achieving a goal.

Know what you want and strive ruthlessly to attain it, period.

Money management – the INTJ way

Disclaimer: All of the information contained herein is based purely on conjecture, and my personal foray into managing my money. I will not be releasing information on the stocks that I invested in, nor any ‘tips or tricks’ on where to put your money. I am only sharing general guidelines that worked for me – any action on your part is of your own risk.

1) Time is your friend, for now.

Invest as early as possible because it is the effect of compound interest that provides real long-term growth. It is okay to start small; just start. It is even acceptable to invest (a small amount) of your money in higher risk/higher yield assets.

2) It can become your enemy.

Age reduces the time you have for compounding which results in an insufficient recovery window if there is any loss. So, invest now. A dollar invested at 40 will suffer from stagnant growth compared to the dollar you invested at 20. As time wears on however, you want to be doing two things:

• Increasing the amount you regularly invest (when you can).
• And begin moving a higher percentage of assets to lower risk/lower yield investments (and hold).

3) The most valuable resource? Your mind.

Go here for full disclosure.

For brevity:

• Never stop advancing your knowledge.
• Get a degree and or certifications in a field that has positive growth for the future.
• Most importantly, doing what you enjoy in an area that has barriers to entry (the more, the better).
• Limit debt from college – work through it!

4) Have a plan (and a contingency plan).

Estimate your short and long-term financial condition:

• Where are you going to plant your roots?
• Will you invest? Save? At what rate?
• Have a car? Is it paid off? Keep it until it is more expensive to fix than upgrade (create a cost-benefit analysis).
• I tend to avoid leases and buy in case, but always check the market before making a huge financial commitment.
• Will you have a budget?
• How is the stability of your career, employer, field?
• Kids? Plan ahead.
• How large will your emergency fund be?

Save in advance for purchases!

5) Build a nest egg early, and forget about it.

I understand that math can be scary, but if there is one concept that I hope you understand it is the power of compound interest:

Future value = present value * (1+yield)^N

Present value is the amount of capital you first invest, say, $1.

Yield is simply the aROI (average return of investment)

And ‘N’ is the length of the investment in years

PV = $1

Yield = 7%

N = 40 years.

A dollar invested at an annual average rate of 7% compounds every 10 years; if you take that dollar out at 25 it becomes a $16 loss in your retirement at 65. That’s a harmless example, but imagine if it were a down payment on a house, say, 15k – it becomes a loss of a quarter of a million dollars. Yep, you just lost 250k.

6) The truth about debt.

Bad debt is any debt incurred that does not pay itself off within ten years – offering little to no financial benefits.

Good debt is debt incurred because you acquired an appreciating and useful asset.

University is not for everyone, so ask yourself: Can you (realistically) garner debt from the investment in yourself and secure a career post-college that will pay off said debt in under ten years? If so, it is considered a good debt as a degree will increase your earning potential, however, if you cannot – start working now. The four years it takes to acquire an education can be used to propel yourself in a company and make money right away.

However, always look to get qualifications, certifications, or even a degree a bit later.

7) Manage well.

Income is what you live on; wealth is what you retire on.

It is entirely possible to manage your own investment portfolio, especially if you are just beginning, and I am not condoning an entirely hands off approach, but finding a suitable financial adviser can help. I manage my own (small) portfolio, but that’s because I am a control freak and I am personally interested in finance and the economy. Regardless of what you choose, I implore you to, at the very least, understand where your money is coming from and how any business you invest in makes it’s profits.

Never, in any endeavor, just leave it up to someone else to handle your affairs.

8) Diversity

There will never be a single investment that is ‘good’ forever. There will be changes in the local, national, and international economies, tax law changes, fluctuating asset values that are all unpredictable. What does that mean? Invest your money in uncorrelated assets; as such, if one is down the other can be up. Uncorrelated assets are so when the factors that drive their values are independent.

Vary your investing approach to include a multitude of different stocks/markets. I keep a large chunk of my liquidity in a low risk, secure asset that doesn’t fluctuate much and is tied into an IRA as an anchor.  IRA’s are great because they do not penalize you upon withdrawal for invested principle and future earnings.

9) Double your money (the smart, and long way).

Every company has a retirement plan that either has profit sharing and or company matching up to 5%, but the average is about 2%, and it is the instant doubling of every dollar you invest into that account. It’d be foolish not to be doing so every chance possible. Matching it with an automatic payroll deduction is a 100% interest rate on your money. Invest as much as reasonably possible and in every way possible in order to maximize your earnings, but always understand, and track your investments to gauge their effectiveness.

And, investing is not accurately represented in movies – you do not trade every single day; you hold for as long as you can.