Slate Technology ICYMI | Is $55K Enough To Work At Your Favorite Podcast?
Sep 3, 2025
The hosts dive into the drama sparked by a low-paying job listing from a fashion podcast, igniting debate over the expectations of entry-level salaries in high-cost cities. They unpack the viral backlash, especially from younger audiences, who are fed up with exploitative work practices. Reflections on hustle culture and early career struggles add personal depth to the conversation. Plus, there's a critique of the girlboss movement and its implications for income inequality in the podcasting world, making for a thought-provoking discussion.
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Early-Career Hustle At NPR
- Candice Lim recounts her first out-of-college job as an underpaid, overworked intern at NPR's How I Built This.
- She celebrated a promotion to temp when her pay rose to $21.25/hour and remembered feeling ecstatic despite low pay.
Cobbling Gigs During Early Career
- Kate Lindsay describes cobbling together multiple low-paid gigs after college while hustling in New York.
- She worked long stretches, sometimes from early morning to past midnight, for little money and lots of experience.
Why The Job Listing Sparked Outrage
- The Cutting Room Floor posted a New York in-person role combining bookings, studio coordination, and personal assisting for $55,000 with no benefits.
- That job package triggered immediate backlash about pay, expectations, and city cost-of-living.