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Salary Story: I Threatened To Leave My Job & Got A $48,000 Raise Instead

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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: Atlanta, Georgia
Current industry and job title: Program Manager, Logistics
Current salary: $130,000
Number of years employed since school or university: 7
Starting salary: $57,000
Biggest salary jump: $82,000 to $130,000
Biggest salary drop: I have yet to experience a salary drop.
Biggest negotiation regret: When changing roles, I wish I had spoken up when I was asked if I was okay with the salary being flat. I wasn't but assumed I would risk getting the job if I spoke up. This was an opportunity for me to say no and truly negotiate.
Best salary advice: If it matters to you, consult with others about their salaries, promotions etc. Old-school mentality makes it seem like a taboo topic but it doesn't need to be. It wasn’t until I was a few years into my career when a coworker willingly shared their salary and it helped me gauge my salary target. From then on, I realized I would be leaving money on the table if I didn’t speak up.
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