How this 30-something journalist increased his salary six times

Do you want to earn more money at work? Of course. for our series The recharge, Canadians across industries tell us exactly how much they make and how they handled every raise, promotion and job change to get it. Each month, a different executive shares their journey and top tips on how you can better negotiate your salary, too. First, a Toronto-based communications leader working for a tech company has BC how he went from making less than $30,000 to over six figures in a decade of full-time work.

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Current job title: communications leader
Industry: technology
Location: toronto

First full-time job salary: $26,500 in 2015 as a news anchor and radio reporter

After graduating from journalism school, I worked freelance jobs and short-term contracts as a writer and editor at national newspapers and news websites. I did this for two years, averaging $40,000 a year. Then, in 2015, I got a job at a local radio station an hour outside of Toronto, in the city where I grew up. They offered me $26,500. I asked if they could do better and they said no so I agreed. It was a huge blow to my income and I didn’t even try to negotiate; I knew how difficult it was to get into radio. But since the job was in my hometown, I was able to live with my parents and save on rent. I also knew that this job would not be something I would stick with long term. I wanted to get airborne experience for my portfolio. I worked from Tuesday to Saturday, chasing stories, doing interviews and writing scripts. From noon to late afternoon, he anchored the news and recorded segments for six other network stations.

Second job salary: $50,000 in 2016 as a newspaper editor and technology reporter

The radio station was a super high pressure environment. A newspaper editor he had worked for on a previous contract had moved to another newspaper and was building his technology section. He knew that I have always been interested in technology and offered me a job as a digital editor. He could also write technology articles and produce videos and other multimedia, which I liked. They offered me $50,000 and I didn’t negotiate because this job met all my requirements and doubled my salary. In addition, he knew the editor and enjoyed working with him.

About a year and a half after beginning this work, the newspaper had a push to unionize. Around the same time, management took me into an office and gave me a $1,000 raise. They didn’t say this outright, because that would be illegal, but I assumed the raise was to convince me to vote against unionization. I took the raise, didn’t negotiate, which brought my salary to $51,000. The newspaper never ended up unionizing.

Third job salary: $83,000 in 2018 as a senior communications associate at a technology company

I always wanted to get into the technology industry. I had made a name and a reputation as a reporter, reviewing gadgets, attending product launches, and getting exclusive interviews with the founders. It was a good time to try something different and move on to a communications role at a tech company. I thought I could always go back to journalism if it didn’t work out. Also, pay in journalism was not good and job security was questionable.

I saw a posting for a communications associate position at the Canadian office of a major US tech company. I already knew their head of communications and approached him about the position. I applied formally, but I think my connection helped me get the job. They offered me $79,000. There was no salary range listed and I did not dig around or ask others for an industry average. I just tested the water as at that stage in my career I had learned that you should always try to negotiate your salary. So I gave it a try: I asked for $85,000. I felt more confident negotiating at this point as I had work experience behind me. I figured they weren’t going to say “No, we don’t want you anymore.” We settled at $83,000. I was in charge of communications for the consumer portfolio, which meant I would write announcements about new app features, for example. I had a great boss and got a crash course in communications.

After being there for about four months, some people left the company and some people got promoted, so I was promoted to Canada Communications Leader. That role involved identifying opportunities in the business that I thought tech journalists would be interested in, then working with a public relations agency to get the word out and get coverage. The promotion came with a $3,000 raise. I just took it and didn’t trade. I took on a lot more work for not a lot more money, but I had a manager who supported me and trusted me. Besides, it would have taken me decades to earn a salary like that in journalism.

Third job salary: $90,000 in 2020 as Senior Media Advisor for a Transportation Authority

My wife is from New Zealand. In early 2020, we had lived in Canada together for about four years and thought about trying to live in New Zealand to see where we wanted to eventually settle. We moved there in January 2020 and got married a month later. I was lucky to get a job before we left Canada.

After working in technology, I wanted to try the public sector. I worked for the transport authority of a major city in New Zealand. They covered traffic, sidewalks, parking, roads, bike paths, everything related to movement. I applied for a position as a communications associate.

I raised my salary expectations to NZ$110,000, the equivalent of about C$90,000, which was higher than what they expected for a public sector position. But they were very interested in hiring me based on my experience. So they upgraded my title to a senior communication position so I could qualify for a higher salary band.

In this job, I wrote press releases and managed media inquiries, seeking answers to them within the organization. Anything with the public sector moves at a bit of a slower pace, especially compared to a tech startup. In fact, he found it a bit boring at times, especially since he was used to the fast-paced nature of newsrooms. But I did enjoy going into “crisis communications” mode, like when the Covid lockdowns hit. Provided strategic advice to the head of communications and the CEO using my previous newsroom experience to let them know how a journalist might think.

After a year in New Zealand, my wife and I decided that we wanted to live there permanently. But we felt like we weren’t done with Canada yet. So we thought, before we settle down and have kids, we’d do one more season in Toronto.

Fourth job salary: $147,000 in 2021 as a national communications lead at a technology company, with 10 percent equity

In early 2021, I came across a job offer for a New Zealand-based tech company. They had flipped Canada as a priority market and were hiring someone to run communications here. It felt like the Venn diagram of my past experiences lined up for this job. I was hired in the spring of 2021.

I gave them a range of $140,000 to $160,000 and they offered me $147,000. I took them up on their offer as they said that was all the leeway they had. I really wanted to work in the company.

Due to Covid travel restrictions, I worked in their New Zealand office for eight months, running communications in Canada remotely, before returning to Toronto in early 2022. So, at first, I was paid the equivalent in US dollars. from New Zealand, but when we moved back, they paid me in Canadian dollars.

I also got the equivalent of 10 percent per year in stock options, which was a pretty exciting bonus. This company is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and I saw many opportunities for growth, especially since I would have a direct input into the performance of the company in Canada. I would identify interesting stories and narratives within the company and find ways to build brand awareness. I knew the company was interested in a good work/life balance and that was part of the appeal for me.

In the summer of 2022, I got a raise as part of the company’s annual review process. They were based on performance: I know of some people who got a two percent raise, others who got four percent, and others who didn’t get a raise at all. I earned four percent because I was exceeding my defined performance goals, which brought me to my current salary of $150,800.

Best Trading Tip: Bet on Yourself

When I graduated from journalism school, I knew I wanted to be a technology reporter. But when my portfolio only had written work and not broadcast. I wanted to show that I could do both and diversify my skills. By taking the radio job and accepting a lower salary, I was betting on myself. It was less about the money and more about the path to get to an end result. In a way, I was reverse engineering my dream job. It’s not always a bad idea to take a lower-paying job, if you can afford it, know you’re gaining skills, and have a plan for your next steps.

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