Can we talk about money?

[BrandySnaps1]

Seeing a lot about the national wage being £35k.

As women can we share our stories, age and salary? I'm 35, been in my industry for around a decade. Currently on 45k, going up to 46k after a little negotiation. Just started the role and am pregnant.

Dont think my new employer was happy (I told them wayyy in advance when i was jus gone 12 weeks) and not expecting any kind of maternity pay from them as will only be in the job 6 months before i have to leave.

Some of my friends get paid 70/80/90k in finance. Whats the average of everyone here?

I personally think using the term 'luck' both devalues women's capabilities and provides an excuse for making poor life choices. 🤷‍♀️

Men don't tend to use the work 'luck' quite so often!

Basic c£250k, + further target 100% bonus and 50% in LTIPs (shares). I'm sure I'll be accused of lying but find it frustrating that some people on here can't believe women can be high earners, so decided to share.

I'm 39 and trained as a chartered accountant in a big 4 firm before moving into industry in my mid-20s.

Maybe they dint.
But they are in the exact same place. Maybe we should remind them too!

Bloody well done.

Then don’t reply and scroll on. It’s quite simple really 😅

I don't think anyone has ever said that women can't be high earners.

But when the average salary is only 30k, it's fairly likely that a lot of posters on here are exaggerating somewhat, lol.

39, £41k plus up to £6k in bonuses.
I don't have any particular 'skills' I'd high level of education but I am good at what I do.
I have friends who earn much more and friends (particularly in the north) who earn much less. So I feel I'm average.

Maybe they should.

I personally find it quite arrogant when people say that they haven't had any luck. That doesn't mean that you haven't also worked hard but let's not pretend that people aren't affected by things completely out of their control as well.

Or there could be a higher number of educated women in tech, finance and the law, and/or working in London on MN.

Yep, there's an element of that too.

But there have been quite a few prolific posters on here who have been called out for posting complete bollocks - so IMO, taking everything people say at face value is stupid at best.

I am tired of women apologising for earning money and being all Uriah Heep about it= ooh I am sooo lucky- or having to acknowledge their privilege 500 times before opening their mouths.

Oh, and I am not a high earner.

@MotherofGorgons it's not apologising, it's being humble, I have worked hard and strategically, but equally acknowledge the privilege I have had in my life that has got me here too. Women don't need to become arrogant twats to swing the pendulum. My emotional intelligence is an asset, not a flaw.

I never said they had to do that - you're projecting massively.

I'm just saying I think it's arrogant to pretend that you haven't had any luck along the way and that your high salary is solely down to hard work. And I would say the same to any man.

But MN is a bit weird when it comes to speaking about any kind of privilege in the first place, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

I speak as someone who is autistic and who comes from a pretty privileged background. I'm under no illusions that if I had a different upbringing, I'd probably not have a diagnosis and would find life even more of a struggle than I already do.

I'm not a high earner either btw. But I am still capable of acknowledging my privilege.

You said it better than me!

I'm in my fifties and earn 26k a year (part-time 2 days a week). Now my kids are bigger, I'd like to work more but struggling to find anything.

I really cannot get behind this horrible trait some of the people on here have of trying to devalue what others have achieved.

I didn't get into a high paying role by luck. I come from a working class background, lost one parent to suicide and the other to a terminal illness by the time I was 25. Bog standard comprehensive schools, no degree, big family so we weren't taken on fancy holidays or enriched with extra tuition or networking opportunities.

I made decisions that held risk but ultimately paid off, I sacrificed personal time and time with my family, I worked long days often well into the early hours, looked for and fought for opportunities and I cultivated a reputation for being really good at what i do.

All I know is, the people who can show a little gratitude and understanding for how they have got to where they have, and empathy for those not in that position, will likely be happier and more grounded people. It is so chippy to insist your success is down to hard work alone.

52, £170k plus bonus and bens. Moved company last year after a long career in a multinational. Exec role at a medium sized business that has investment in place to grow rapidly. Wanted to push myself a bit. Half of me is loving it, the other (pretty menopausal) half of me is questioning why I didn’t just stay where I was for the easier ride! Had my kids at 35 and 37. Had to go back to work full time as have always been the bigger earner. Made me a bit militant about how I was rewarded for the time I spent at work. And more effective. Saw too many women taken advantage of - grateful for part time hours and apologetic for having kids. Salary has almost tripled since my youngest was born. I work hard and am good at what I do. Working class background, finished education at A’Level. Have had a bit of luck along the way and have seized all the opportunities presented. Looking at the women in my team - mid level roles between ages of 35 and 45 - they are all being paid 65+. But the gender pay gap is alive and well still across the company and wider business world. I like my job but regret having fallen into the trap of higher salary equalling higher outgoings and am looking forward to scaling it all back when the kids are the other side of uni. I’m not sure men have these types of chats about money? Or are as judgy? It’s just work - most people spend up and down accordingly. Some people on here will have partners earning an absolute whack and there seems less judgement around that? And tbh if my DH started earning a packet tomorrow I’d be happy to take my foot off the gas a bit so no judgement from me.

Amazing, love to see it! This is a similar career path to the one I've taken, and I'm looking to secure this sort of package for my next role.

@SmellsLikeTeenSpirits I don't think men waylay other high earning men and explain why they can't earn the same, no. They just do what they can.

29 on 60k in finance with a 20% bonus in summer that’s just been confirmed

The thing that I'm always bemused by in relation to higher earners is that you have women with lived experience sharing what their day to day is like, and you have other people with no idea saying they can't imagine it being like that, so it must be untrue.

One of my friends is a Big 4 partner. She's probably on around £1m (I've never asked). I know she advises multi-billion £££ companies, so her work value isn't measured in the minute by minute, more in the overall consultancy she provides.

I wouldn't be surprised if she was also on MN as well as me, given she's also a parent, and everyone has time during the day which allows them downtime, even if it's only 2-3 minutes here and there.

Sorry to derail the chat, but how did you get into a product lead role?

I’ve been in optimisation (predominantly a/b testing) for 7 years and want to transition into a PO role.

thanks in advance if you have any pointers!

@NameChangeAsICouldBeOverReacting yeah of course! I have worked in IT for years, doing IT solution analysis, architecture & BA roles and also briefly as a scrum master - so where I am they were looking for people who can understand both IT and business outcomes and be a bridge between the two. So when you're applying to roles make sure your cv is reflecting the things in the job description and apply them to things you've done in the past. It tends to get you through the screening process and then you have way more of a chance when you get to a f2f interview. Product ownership is really just having a vision and roadmap for the things you own and making sure you can understand the benefits and prioritise the things that will bring value to the business (& be able to articulate them to the people that will fund them!) It was the same for me, it's always something I'd wanted to do and it's really interesting so far! Hope that helps!

Well yes exactly

I’m a junior big 4 partner and not making anywhere near your friend - but there are plenty of senior women in our firm who are.

And it’s been no easy feat even for me - 3 years uni, 1 year law school, 1 year masters, 2 years chartered tax advisory exams whilst being pregnant, 2 years training contract, then 13 years post qualification and switching jobs - working late nights, weekend, holidays each time

women are starting to get into more leadership/exec/board positions - finally they are getting to be in the room or at the table

im the main breadwinner in my family and so it made sense for me to return to work post Mat leave - even though we pay a lot for childcare in London

i want my daughter to know anything’s possible - rather than to accept only what they know or see

but alas there will always be people who think women are lying

if this was a forum for men, there would be no such disbelief