How One Publicist's Salary Changed Over 10 Years

In our series My Salary Story, women with at least 10 years of 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. Interested in contributing your salary story? Email us here.

Last week, we spoke to a 34-year-old nurse practitioner in New Jersey, who reflected on learning to negotiate. Today, we hear from an account executive in public relations who boosted her income and expertise with a side-hustle.

Age: 32
Current Location: Michigan
Current Industry & Title: Senior Account Executive
Starting salary: $12/hour
Current salary: $103,000
Number of years employed: 10 years
Biggest salary jump: $20,000
Biggest salary drop: $9,000
Biggest salary regret: "Like many of my career regrets, it's simply not speaking up for what I want. I failed to negotiate my salary for a couple of positions, and it's a regret I won't repeat again."
Best salary-related advice: "Do your salary research and be prepared to defend your salary requests, whether it's a job interview or an annual review. I always struggled with understanding my value at the beginning of my career. As I've moved through several job changes, doing my research has helped me better understand my value and what I should be asking for."