Same start, £680,000 apart: Understanding the career wealth gap
A fictional story inspired by overlooked truths about workplace equity
Earlier this year, I read a post by Dr. Eliza Filby that stuck with me.
It told the story of two graduates… same role, same start… but radically different career outcomes. It was fictional, but it hit hard because it echoed conversations I’ve had over the last decade with friends, colleagues, and clients.
With full gratitude and credit to Eliza for the original framing, I’ve written a reimagined version. This version is rooted in the lived experiences of high-potential, underrepresented professionals navigating systems that were not built with them in mind.
This is not the story of any one person, but it reflects real, recurring patterns.
Meet Jay and Alex: Two graduates, one career start, different journeys
Jay and Alex are fictional.
Both started at the same company with the same ambition.
Ten years later, they are separated by a £680,000 gap in wealth, wellbeing, and peace of mind.
Jay is first-generation, state school educated, with no inside connections.
Alex attended private school, earned a Russell Group degree, and grew up around boardroom conversations and summer internships.
They both believed the same thing: “Work hard and you’ll rise.” Only one got the full translation.
Why this workplace equity story matters
Jay and Alex started in the same place with the same title, salary, and dream. But equality on paper rarely leads to equity in practice.
From day one:
Alex clicked instantly… familiar language, shared reference points, warm introductions to leaders.
Jay watched, listened, tried to decode the culture, and learned the unspoken rules… eventually.
As Jay would later say, “No one told me what mattered beyond the job.” Alex never needed telling. She already knew.
The invisible playbook behind career progression
Alex was labelled “high potential,” paired with a sponsor, given stretch projects, and promoted early.
Jay was solid, managed well, but never positioned for acceleration.
Same effort, different tailwinds.
The pandemic divide: How crisis exposed inequities
By 2020, cracks widened.
Alex moved home rent-free, saved £12,000, and hired a coach.
Jay supported his family, Zoomed from a cramped flat, and burned out in silence.
Same lockdown, different leverage.
And still, Jay was called “resilient.” We need to stop admiring resilience while doing little to reduce the need for it.
What confidence really needs to thrive in the workplace
Alex was encouraged, celebrated, and backed.
Jay was coached to “tone it down.” It wore him down.
Not because he lacked skill, but because he lacked psychological safety… the kind that allows confidence to grow.
Confidence is not a personality trait. It is a climate.
Breaking down the £680,000 career wealth gap
While Jay and Alex are fictional, the math behind their wealth gap is not.
Over ten years, the gap is made up of:
Missed equity awards: £180,000
Housing market gains missed: £120,000
Below-market raises: £60,000
Lost bonuses: £70,000
Family support given: £30,000
Career stagnation: £200,000
Burnout-related setbacks: £20,000
These gaps don’t just exist… they accumulate and compound.
What this career equity story is really about
This story is not about bad bosses or broken individuals. It is about legacy systems that:
Reward familiarity over brilliance
Confuse confidence with competence
Mistake potential for proximity
Jay and Alex’s story is not about effort, but about access, and how often access is quietly inherited.
Who this workplace equity story is for
If you have ever:
Skipped a networking event to save money
Been passed over while someone else got fast-tracked
Felt unseen in rooms you worked hard to enter
Asked yourself, “What am I missing?”
This story might feel uncomfortably familiar.
You are not underperforming. You are navigating a system that was not designed with you in mind.
What now? Structural change is needed to close career gaps
We won’t close these gaps with career advice alone. We need structural change. That means:
Sponsorship, not just mentorship
Transparency, not just feedback
Strategy, not just survival
Cultural fluency, not just competency checklists
Your turn: Reflect, reset, and realign your perspective
This is not just Jay and Alex’s story. It is about systems, stories, and silent assumptions.
Take a moment and consider these questions:
What assumptions do you make when you imagine Jay and Alex? What gender, race, class, or background do you assign to each? Why?
Whose potential are you most likely to notice and support? Do you equate polish with promise or confidence with competence?
How does your workplace reward “culture fit”? What behaviours get celebrated, and which get excluded?
Where have you benefited from inherited knowledge or access? How can you help others without patronising or preaching?
What gaps have you personally experienced or witnessed? How have they affected your career path or confidence?
What unspoken rules do you now understand that you wish you had known earlier? Who needs to hear these lessons today?
What would meaningful structural change look like in your area of influence? What small steps can you take now?
Final thoughts on career wealth gaps and workplace equity
Jay and Alex are not real, but their story is rooted in real conversations… some I have lived, many more I have heard.
The £680,000 figure is symbolic of what does not show up on CVs, performance reviews, or dashboards.
My thanks again to Dr. Eliza Filby for inspiring this version.
If this story felt familiar, reach out:
Email me at yam@theblacksherpa.com
Share your story or thank someone who helped you write a better one
Share this post if it speaks to experiences you have seen or felt
Potential should never depend on proximity, and background should never be a barrier.
Climb steady.
I’m Yam – Founder of The Black Sherpa
Founder | Strategist | Speaker | Host of The Black Sherpa Podcast
I founded The Black Sherpa to create a world where talent rises on merit and no one’s potential is held back by bias or barriers.
Through bold strategy, storytelling, and our flagship community, The 29k Club - I help professionals grow with confidence and support leaders to build cultures that truly live their values.
Let’s connect and build a future where inclusion powers performance, and leadership reflects the world we serve.