In our series Salary Stories, women with long-term career experience open up about the most intimate details of their jobs: compensation. It’s an honest look at how real people navigate the complicated world of negotiating, raises, promotions and job loss, with the hope it will give young people more insight into how to advocate for themselves — and maybe take a few risks along the way.
Been in the workforce for at least five years and interested in contributing your salary story? Submit your information here.
Age: 28
Location: San Francisco, CA
Current industry and job title: Tech, social media manager
Current salary: $120,000
Number of years employed since school or university: 10
Starting salary: $15/hour
Biggest salary jump: $60,000 to $100,000 in 2020 because of a job switch.
Biggest salary drop: I have not experienced a salary drop.
Biggest negotiation regret: When I was offered my current job, I didn't negotiate at all because it was a massive salary jump for me and seemed beyond what I could expect anywhere else. Of course I found out later that a teammate with less experience had negotiated an offer $10,000 above mine, and I haven't yet been able to catch up to my peers.
Best salary advice: It never hurts to ask for more. Do your research and try to find what similar companies are offering, and then take every opportunity to negotiate. Even if you're already getting a promotion or a cost of living raise, you can still try to negotiate. Just be reasonable, have data in your back pocket, and a list of accomplishments to back you up.
