UX writer Kimberly Nguyen took to Twitter to share a strange job listing that she noticed her employer had posted on LinkedIn. To her surprise, the listing was for another UX writing position, except with a salary range was "$32k-$90k more than they currently pay me." So of course, she applied.
My company just listed on LinkedIn a job posting for what I’m currently doing (so we’re hiring another UX writer) and now thanks to salary transparency laws, I see that they intend to pay this person $32k-$90k more than they currently pay me, so I applied.
— Kimberly Nguyen (@knguyenpoetry) March 7, 2023
After her post gained traction, Kimberly made sure to keep everybody updated on her journey to solve the mystery of the higher-paying listing. She also made sure her co-workers were kept in the loop. "I’ve got some audacity," she said. "I posted the link in the group chat of all of us underpaid UX writers and now we’ve got an emergency meeting tomorrow to talk about it."
If the difference where like $10-15k I feel like I’d be less upset. But I’ve been asking for a raise for months and they’re out here flaunting they’re willing to pay a new person at least $32k more than me??? For the same job??
— Kimberly Nguyen (@knguyenpoetry) March 8, 2023
After Kimberly's application, the listing was taken down and reposted. It would appear that it is being offered to somebody within the company, and was not intended to attract external applicants.
They're saying it was an internal posting and wasn't meant for anyone to apply to externally because public companies legally have to post jobs even if it's an internal conversion...but that doesn't solve the fact that someone internally is now still going to make $32k+ more???
— Kimberly Nguyen (@knguyenpoetry) March 8, 2023
Not people throwing their hands up in this meeting and saying "There is no such thing as pay equity."
— Kimberly Nguyen (@knguyenpoetry) March 8, 2023
True MVP award goes to my coworker for saying, "wtf is this salary range? None of us make even close to the bottom end salary range."
— Kimberly Nguyen (@knguyenpoetry) March 8, 2023
TLDR: nobody is getting a raise. Nobody is getting anything. Salary transparency for what?
— Kimberly Nguyen (@knguyenpoetry) March 8, 2023
Now we're talking about possible layoffs because what better way to get people to take what they're given and shut up than to threaten them with job loss?
— Kimberly Nguyen (@knguyenpoetry) March 8, 2023
This experience, and her company's reaction to it, has officially shaken Kimberly's trust enough to start looking for positions elsewhere. "I'm officially announcing that I am looking for UX writing roles," she said. At least she was able to use the virility of her Tweet to plug her poetry collection.
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