We are giving away free, accurate salary AND equity data for startup job seekers.
No self-submitted surveys. No out of date Glassdoor guesses. No relying on secondhand stories about notional share value.
These compensation bands are created from direct access to HRIS systems at thousands of startups, stirred together with the best equity database in the world.
And now they are one short email away for anyone applying to a startup job (sorry public company tech folks, we can't help you yet).
Since opening this inbox ~1 month back, we've helped thousands of candidates negotiate on a level playing field with recruiters. Seems fitting to kick off a week of giving thanks by helping thousands more—so share with your friends!
(Apologies to those of you who haven't heard back from us yet - we had a spam filter issue that we've since fixed. Your data is coming soon, I promise)
𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 @ 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗮 𝗱𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺, 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴:
Position
Level (ex: Level 5 or "senior IC" or "middle manager")
Location (US city)
Function (Eng, product, etc)
Company valuation (ballpark is fine)
𝗔 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆-𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽𝘀:
If you only know the number of shares you'll be receiving, you don't know enough. Ask for the total fully diluted outstanding shares so you can divide your offer by the total and get a ownership percentage.
Are there opportunities for refresh grants (either for tenure or merit)? How about chances to get liquidity on your options before an IPO or M&A event?
You may find the total number of shares is not up for negotiation (though you should always ask). Okay - how about the other aspects of equity? Maybe your vesting schedule, acceleration triggers, or even type of stock are a better avenues for bargaining.
See if there is any flexibility around the exercise period after you leave the company. 90 days (the standard window) is a very short timeframe!
It can feel daunting, but ask the hard questions. What's the current company valuation? Has it changed recently? Are there major investor preferences on the cap table that dull the chances of employees realizing real value down the road?
Help us help startup talent get hired in time for the holidays 🙏
#cartadata #compensation #startupequity #salary #equity #startuphiring
DISCLOSURE: This communication is on behalf of eShares, Inc. dba Carta, Inc. ("Carta"). This communication is for informational purposes only, and contains general information only. Carta is not, by means of this communication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice or services. This publication is not a substitute for such professional advice or services nor should it be used as a basis for any decision or action that may affect your business or interests. Before making any decision or taking any action that may affect your business or interests, you should consult a qualified professional advisor. This communication is not intended as a recommendation, offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. Carta does not assume any liability for reliance on the information provided herein. © 2026 Carta. All rights reserved. Reproduction prohibited.
