Salary Story: Hot Yoga & Friendship Helped Me Cope With Work Stress
Last Updated May 13, 2025, 11:00 AM
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
Been in the workforce for at least five years and interested in contributing your salary story? Submit your information here.
Age: 30
Location: New York
Current industry and job title:
Healthcare advertising, associate director
Current salary: $125,000
Number of years employed since school or university: Nine
Starting salary: $50,000 in 2016
Biggest salary jump: From $75,000 to $95,000 in 2020.
Biggest salary drop: N/A
Location: New York
Current industry and job title:
Healthcare advertising, associate director
Current salary: $125,000
Number of years employed since school or university: Nine
Starting salary: $50,000 in 2016
Biggest salary jump: From $75,000 to $95,000 in 2020.
Biggest salary drop: N/A
Biggest negotiation regret: While recruiters may present themselves as friendly, not all of them have your best interests at heart. Some may do the bare minimum, especially if they perceive you as desperate or an easy target to accept a position, in order to make their commission. So it's better to give a poker face and don't take no for an answer if you want to raise the offer.
Best salary advice: Men don't think twice about negotiating their salary they just do it, so as women we need to do the same.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT