Spotify has adamantly continued to place a hyper focus on Black talent and voices, from its new initiatives to curated playlists featuring Black artists globally. The streak of the spotlight being on Black creatives carries on as Spotify is sponsoring Levels, a new program dedicated to aid in leveling the playing field for junior and mid-level Black professionals in the music business. With the recent rise of Black executives taking over record labels and creating more seats at the table by building their own , it’s still critical to note that the margin of Black executives compared to their counterparts is significantly low. A wake-up call for action presented itself when USC Annenberg reported that across 70 major and independent music companies, only 4.2 percent of the executives were Black. Launched by the non-profit Executive Leadership Council, Levels’ four-month virtual cohort program will onboard 60 participants and each will be partnered with an International Coaching...

After you have successfully completed a job interview, the inevitable question of your new salary will come up. If you are just starting out as a new engineer, it can be difficult to figure out what salary you should ask for, and whether or not the number you have in mind is correct. In fact, many new software engineers , data scientists , and web designers skip the salary negotiation process altogether, even if employers are flexible on compensation, because the process can be tedious and nerve-wracking. Salary negotiation can be scary, especially when you’re just getting started. However, if you have a specific salary in mind, or think you are worth more than the salary offered by the job, you should not hesitate to negotiate. While you may not have as much experience as other engineers, if you can prove your worth to an employer, you’ll be surprised at how flexible they can be. To help you navigate your first salary negotiation as a new tech worker, we’ve compiled a list of top...