In an unheard attempt to promote pay transparency, a corporate employee from the United States sparked a LinkedIn controversy revealing comprehensive record of her earnings. In a TikTok video, Charlotte Chaze, shared her employment journey of full-time employment, ranging from being a research assistant with a $A41,000 salary to reaching the position of a senior analytics manager earning $A230,000.
The video encompassed a wide spectrum of positions, including unpaid internships and jobs that compensated her as meagerly as $A3.30 per hour. She listed all her earnings gradually increasing to $US12 an hour, €2 an hour, $US29,000, $US28,000, $US70,000, $US90,000, $US104,000, and culminating at $US158,000.
Chaze acknowledged that this approach might not gain traction on LinkedIn but expressed her wish that it would. However, she also cautioned others not to adopt the same approach.
In her video, she shares how she currently operates her own small business, and openly shares her salary information only with the intention of assisting others and allowing them to benefit from it. She strongly believes that when individuals who have achieved success disclose their salary details, it serves as a motivating factor for others to pursue what they genuinely deserve.
She advised that revealing one’s current salary to potential future employers could potentially lead to receiving lower offers or being undervalued in negotiations.
In the video, she also demonstrated her accomplishments and how she secured a new job that elevated her salary from $A41,000 ($US28,000) to $A102,000 ($US70,000). She mentioned that she utilised her knowledge and experience to assist her best friend in obtaining a significant salary increase.
Chaze’s video on salary transparency has garnered over 480,000 views, generating mixed reactions among viewers.
Some individuals expressed concerns about the potential negative consequences of sharing salary information. One commenter pointed out that employers can use this revelation to lowball one’s new salary if it’s a jump in pay. Similarly, some other individuals shared their own experience and explained how posting one’s pay publicly gives potential employers data to keep underpaying if one has been in underpaid positions.
However, many people commended Chaze for her transparency. One viewer expressed appreciation towards this level of transparency. While, another applauded Chaze, stating that it belongs to the realm of ‘not all heroes wear capes.’ They further expressed the hope that Chaze’s approach gains wider acceptance.
Overall, the commenters feel it’s ‘Not a terrible idea,’ as it sets the expectation for recruiters.
