Journey to $195k as a Writer in Communications

A female-focused glimpse into different paths to financial success.

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What's your age, location, pronouns?

36, Los Angeles, she/her

What’s your current job?

I write thought leadership content and manage communications for a small team within a major tech company. I often ghost write external-facing content for top executives as well as author my own pieces—all focused on innovation and the future of tech. I also prepare pitch decks for company leadership. Our team is an innovation-driven one, so whenever we have ideas we want green-lit by leaders, I help craft the narrative and messaging around it so our team can move forward.

We'd love you to walk us through your pay journey. How did your income progress over time? What were the turning points that led to the most salary growth/loss? What were some times where you struggled the most?

My very first full-time salary was $33K/year as an assistant editor for a family-owned magazine publishing company in a low cost of living state in 2011. That was still a big improvement from my $10/hour (no benefits) as a magazine intern for a major media company.

Over the years, the only way I was able to significantly grow my income was by switching employers. After I spent time in the magazine world, I was able to grow my income by moving over to a communications role in higher education. I stayed in that arena for awhile, especially because I had access to a good retirement plan. I worked my way up from a communications specialist role to a director of communications role. While I stayed within a single university system, I switched campuses, which afforded me higher income as I worked my way up. By the time I reached a director of communications role for a school within a university, it was 2017 and I was making $60k.

I realized I did not like directing communications (and in higher education, these roles and departments are very underfunded and understaffed). After one year, I got the opportunity to switch to a writing role at the same university in a different department. While it offered no pay increase, they would match my salary (which was higher than they intended to pay, I think). While it was technically a step down career-wise, I was thrilled to take that job. I was actually being paid 60k a year just to write! I wrote meaningful stories and worked with really talented people. To this day, that is one of the best career decisions I ever made and one of my most favorite jobs I've ever held.

The pandemic hit and around the same time my job line was affected and moved to another department. I was still employed, but my responsibilities totally changed and it was time to move on. I moved to my home state of California where I found a similar role. While my pay increased to $90k a year, I was living in one of the country's most expensive cities (San Jose) and was struggling to live within my means.

For financial reasons and because the job wasn't a good fit, I started looking for something else. My neighbor at the time was a graphic designer working in tech. I had always assumed my background of long-form journalistic writing didn't really have a place in tech. But after talking to her, I learned that not only was I wrong, I had also seriously underestimated what a creative in tech could earn.

I started looking exclusively at tech companies, and found an amazing role within a major company. Including stock and bonuses, I more than doubled my annual compensation. I started with a $160k/year salary with 15% target bonus and a 90k stock grant that vested over four years.

While my salary and bonus were adjusted when I relocated to LA to work fully remote, (157k and 10% target bonus), I've continued to receive additional stock grants and sometimes bonuses have been higher than 10%.

At times when you took significant job risks, did you have a safety net?

I've never had a large financial safety net. But I know I'm fortunate that my parents would do whatever they could to help me if I needed it.

Any recent purchases that made you excited or happy?

I moved to a prime area in Los Angeles recently and I love my new apartment. I was able to keep my rent under $2k a month—hard to do in LA. Layoffs are common in tech, so I wanted to be prepared by being able to save more and find a lease that I could afford with less income if I needed to. I also was able to free up money to travel more and spend on other things that spark joy.

What’s one of the worst money mistakes you’ve ever made?

Credit card debt. I chalk it up to going through mental health struggles and learning how to manage my finances in a very expensive city, but while I was in San Jose, I racked up a bunch of credit card debt. I had moved long distance twice within a year. I was spending too much on things like going out to eat and shopping. Whenever I would find that I blew my budget, I would feel shame and frustration and ignore it by blindly spending money the rest of the month. I was also struggling with alcohol, so I was always spending more money than I planned when I would go out. Between Jan 2021 to Jan 2023, I had racked up nearly 20k in credit card debt. I was so ashamed.

After I got my job in tech, I used the first year of stock vestings to pay off my debt. I was so grateful for this chance to wipe my slate clean. I also quit drinking alcohol, which has helped my finances considerably.

What’s one of the best financial decisions you’ve ever made?

Securing a job in tech. I am able to save significantly more. I am putting more into my 401k than ever before. I am on track to be able to buy a home within a few years in one of the country's most expensive cities. And I am able to do things I love outside of work, including travel.

Would you attribute your financial success to luck, privilege, timing, and/or hard work?

All of the above. I do hustle and I knew my income needed to be higher, so I worked hard to achieve that. But I know my privilege (education, race, socioeconomic background) has also played a huge role.

Also I really am grateful I met my neighbor and straight up asked her about her salary in tech. We're still taught it's taboo to talk about money, especially salaries. But if I hadn't, I wouldn't have realized how much I could be making if I switched industries. Maybe I should have figured that out sooner, but either way, I finally figured it out.

What job/pay advice would you give to your younger self? What have been your biggest learnings?

1. Credit card debt is so much harder to pay off than you think it will be.

2. You're not an imposter. You are worth every penny (and more, probably).

What would you want to be if you weren't doing this job?

Interior designer

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