I'm a 27-year-old editor earning up to $46,000 a year. Here's my salary journey over 3 jobs.

 I'm a 27-year-old white Hispanic woman currently working as a digital-content specialist at a media company in the Southeast. I make up to $46,000 a year, including $4,000 in bonuses. My primary duties are editing and scheduling stories. 

Salary negotiations have been a daunting process for me. We're always told to take the initiative and ask for more, but rarely has it led to the desired result for me. It's more socially acceptable for men to be aggressive. In my experience as a woman, that tenacity did not read well. People don't like when women act like men. 

I have never asked an employer for a raise. Working closely with my higher-ups has taught me how replaceable we are to them. I'm nervous that if I push too hard, I will be out of a job. 

To some extent, my unwillingness to negotiate comes from one negative experience that scared me off. I could probably benefit from being a little bolder. But at the same time, nothing is a fairy tale. You don't always get what you want when you ask for it, even when you produce really well. 

Here's my salary journey over the past six years.

Editor's note: Insider has verified the subject's pay and identity with documents for their current, or most recent, job.



A part-time community newspaper reporter, $15 per hour

I had just graduated from college, and I was looking for work in journalism. I emailed all the local publications. The hiring manager for this role was the second one to respond to me and the first one who wanted to see me in person. She interviewed me, asked me questions about my experience with the college newspaper, and then hired me on the spot. It all happened very quickly.

The negotiation process was nonexistent. I didn't know what to expect or what was reasonable. I just really wanted to start working. When she offered $15 an hour, I accepted it with no hesitation.

Two years later, I received a $0.25 hourly bump. I was told it was due to tax reasons, and I didn't think much of it. During my time with this company, I never asked for a salary raise because I was too scared.

I worked part-time for the two years I was with the company, reporting on local stories. There was a possibility I'd get a full-time offer, but that never materialized.

After leaving the community newspaper, I found my first salaried position. 

The negotiation process was a little different this time. Again, I wasn't sure what a fair offer would look like, so I asked for $38,000. This company, however, was very transparent and told me the role's base salary was $40,000.

A year later, I was promoted to junior editor. It was a prolonged process. They wanted me to continue writing because they didn't have a strong writing team at the time, but they also thought I would be a good editor. Junior editor was the compromise. I spent half the time writing and the other half editing, with an editor's salary of $45,000.

Seven months later, I was laid off.

This third job was a little complicated because I accepted the offer with no intention of staying long term. I did not like their PTO package. It only allowed one day off per quarter and three days off the total for the first year.

They offered me $42,000, and I accepted it as I continued to interview for other positions.

I found another position that offered me more money and a much more generous PTO package. When I told the job I was leaving, they negotiated with me. They offered me the chance to earn a $1,000 bonus per quarter—for a maximum total annual salary—as well as more PTO. I appreciated this and decided to stay.

While the other opportunity offered me more money initially, they were very resistant to any negotiations. This was the experience that scared me off from the process entirely. Many of my friends told me to be more aggressive this time, especially now that I was more seasoned in my career. But essentially, the hiring manager told me they were not budging on the salary, that I should either take it or leave it.

I am still with the third company and my responsibilities have expanded quite significantly. I essentially manage all the content for this digital company. There's been talk about me receiving a raise, but nothing has happened so far.

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