I’m On £10,000 More Than My Parents Made & I’m So Proud

Illustrated by Eutalia De La Paz.

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 women 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. Published stories receive £100.

Age: 29
Location: Manchester
Current industry and job title: Marketing manager, higher education
Current salary: £46,000
Number of years employed since school or university: Seven

Starting salary: £14,000 in 2015
Biggest salary jump: From £33,000 to £42,000 in 2020
Biggest salary drop: N/A

Biggest negotiation regret: My biggest regret would be when I secured my first graduate job. I settled for a very low salary and then settled again for a small raise of £2.5k at my first pay review. I wish I’d have had the confidence and experience to understand and communicate my worth. I allowed more powerful men make me feel guilty for asking for more.

Best salary advice: Be open and honest with friends about salaries, look to those in positions you’re aspiring to move into and learn from their experiences and take the time to record your successes during your work and not just when you need to or are actively looking to apply for promotions or new jobs.