As part of an ongoing series examining compensation across industries, we're hearing directly from experienced professionals about their salary trajectories. These candid conversations explore the often-overlooked aspects of employment—negotiation tactics, raises, promotions, and job transitions—with the goal of empowering younger workers to advocate confidently for themselves and embrace calculated career risks.
A 27-year-old quality assurance engineer in medical device manufacturing currently earns €51,000 annually after six years in the field. Her professional journey has included significant fluctuations: starting at €18,000 in 2015 and reaching her present salary following a strategic career move in 2022.
The engineer's most regrettable negotiation occurred early in her career. When transitioning between departments shortly after graduation, she requested additional compensation but was denied on the grounds that she'd recently received a modest raise. Looking back, she recognizes she was significantly underpaid compared to peers of the same age and should have been more assertive. Notably, her new department's immediate reaction—"Why didn't we hire you sooner?"—suggests they would have accommodated higher salary demands.
Her career progression included a notable setback in 2020 when pandemic-related furloughs reduced her salary from €35,000 to €27,000, though she recovered to €38,000 the following year. The pivotal moment came in 2022 when, at her farewell celebration from her previous employer, she learned a male colleague performing identical work held a senior position and earned approximately 40 percent more than she did.
The turning point that prompted her job transition was accumulating frustration over persistent undercompensation. She now advocates for professionals to research their market value by consulting with recruiters, emphasizing that exploratory conversations—even without accepting positions—provide essential benchmarking information. Her current role better reflects what she believes her skills command in today's job market.
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