Every child's first question whenever an adult mentions their job is, "How much do you make?" It has long been believed that asking this question is disrespectful, but what if that stigma disappeared? Meet Hannah Williams, a social influencer who has dismantled the stereotype and transformed what it means to ask that question. Many individuals nowadays receive inadequate pay, some of whom might not be aware of the severity of their situation. Rather than avoiding the question, Hannah pushes it to the forefront to increase transparency about the subject. Read on to learn how she is leading the change.

Where are you based?
I’m based in the Washington D.C. metro area but for the past year I’ve been traveling extensively around the country to interview people from all walks of life to discuss the topic of salary transparency.

What inspired you to start creating content on TikTok? Why did you choose to concentrate on salary transparency?
I started making salary transparency content when I discovered I was underpaid about $25,000 in my prior career as a Senior Data Analyst. Once I realized salary secrecy only benefited companies and was costing mostly women, minorities, workers with disabilities, and the LGBTQ+ community millions of dollars each year, I knew something had to change. This inspired me to conduct street interviews asking people how much they make to show how valuable these conversations can be. I filmed and shared our first video all on the same day in April of 2022, and it went viral overnight. Since then, we’ve been able to create real dialogue about the topic of salary transparency and I’m so proud of all the momentum we’ve been able to create about the subject.

Why do you think there is such a stigma around discussing salaries, and why is it important to break it?
There are a few reasons speaking about pay has been stigmatized, the largest of which I think is due to corporations villainizing these discussions. Employers are the only benefactors of pay secrecy, so it largely behooves them to scare their employees about pay. For this reason, many of us have experienced employers telling us we shouldn’t talk about pay and threatening to fire us if we do so. These actions are often illegal, but companies continue to do so because it saves them money and we don’t fight back. Another reason pay is taboo is that many of us correlate our self-worth with our salaries. Sometimes when we ask people if they’d like to do an interview, they say, “I don’t make enough.” I’m not sure what that means, but it’s not right. None of us are ‘unworthy’ because of our pay. Our paycheck is simply a number that has nothing to do with our individual self-worth and value. For these reasons, it’s important to break this taboo. No company should get away with paying their employees less than they deserve, and no worker should be afraid to ask for what they deserve. When pay is transparent and destigmatized, we all win in more ways than one.

You travel all over the USA asking people about their salaries. From your experience, where is the best place to live considering salaries and cost of living?
Oregon and Utah shocked us in terms of how much people we interviewed were making, and the cost of living in those states, but those cities lacked the energy and culture of other high-cost-of-living cities we’ve been to like NYC and Boston. At the end of the day, it all comes down to tradeoffs of what you value and what you can afford.

What do you think the best job opportunities are out today?
The best job opportunities today are in technology (specifically artificial intelligence), trades, and entrepreneurship. These jobs tend to report the highest salaries, have opportunities for remote work, and teach valuable skills. Entrepreneurship itself can also be lucrative because your salary isn’t capped, it’s unlimited.

Are there any job salaries that surprised you, positively or negatively?
I’m always disappointed to hear low salaries most frequently from teachers, social workers, healthcare workers, and other valuable workers in our communities. Compared to finance and tech workers I interview making multiple six-figure salaries, I consider these workers highly underpaid. Many times, this comes back to public funding vs. private organization, but I think it points out a critical need for us to vote intelligently for representatives that determine how much we should pay the most valuable workers in our society.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to make more money?
If you’re at or applying to a company, conduct market research to ensure you’re confident about your market rate and prepared to negotiate your salary to match that market rate. Also, remember to take advantage of company benefits to max out your 401(k) match if possible, and consider opening a Roth IRA to maximize your savings.

What is the best way to negotiate one’s salary?
One thing to remember is that you should always negotiate your salary, even if the first offer you receive is within your perceived market rate. Understanding that the first offer you get isn’t always the last offer, and if you accept it, you might be leaving money on the table. Of course, you should always research your market rate to ensure you're being compensated fairly, and make sure your rate consists of a minimum and maximum range, with a difference no greater than $20,000. Then once you get an offer, always ask for the top of your salary range, because the worst they can say is 'no', and they'll negotiate down from that rate. If you ask for the bottom of your range to start, you could receive less than you'd like in the final offer. My favorite tip is always to wait 24 hours before accepting any job offer. Even if you're satisfied with the rate, tell them you need 24 hours to review the offer. This has not only helped me get more money in the final offer if the company is pressured to fill the role, but has also brought me peace of mind in thinking through and making my final decision.

Can you explain job hopping and why one should do it?
Job-hopping is the act of transitioning from one job to another, usually within less than a year of tenure at your job. Job-hopping helped me increase my salary from $40,000 to $115,000 in less than 3 years, and if you’re looking to increase your salary drastically, this is the best way to do it. Typically, workers make 1-5% more each year on their current salary. Meanwhile, job-hopping can get you increases of 10% or more with one transition.

We love that you testified for the Pay Range Act. Can you tell us a bit about this act and the significance of it?
The DC Pay Range Act is a bill that will require employers in Washington, DC to list pay ranges on all job openings, similar to the New York Pay Transparency Law. This bill is significant not just because it would pass in my neighborhood, but because it would ultimately help close pay gaps for thousands of workers. With this law, DC employers would be forced to obey ethical pay standards, bringing more power, protection, and pay, to workers. I’m thrilled to support it and am eager to see all states pass similar laws.

Can you tell us about your Salary Database?
Recently we released an incredible, free salary database that provides crowd-sourced, non-aggregated, contextual information from thousands of user’s real life salaries. When I found out I was underpaid, it was incredibly difficult to conduct market research online to learn what my peers were making. The biggest issue was that many large, reputable databases provide aggregated rather than raw data, meaning I would see an average salary based on thousands of recorded salaries which made it difficult to see how my particular market rate might be compared to this aggregated salary range. Our database, which has already gathered 5,000+ salaries with little to no marketing, allows users to search job titles and filter responses by location. Each salary response is also filled with extra contextual information provided by the anonymous respondent, including their educational background, years of experience, company, career advice, and more. Our database has already helped thousands of workers find salaries directly related to their own experience instead of comparing to an average number, helping them conduct the most accurate market research, ultimately resulting in higher, more equitable salaries industry-wide.

Do you feel there are still populations that are clearly being discriminated against in jobs when it comes to their salaries? Is this seen more in certain areas/professions? What piece of advice would you offer to a victim of these discriminatory tendencies?
Absolutely. Pay gaps currently exist for women, minorities, workers with disabilities and the LGBTQ+ community. Most companies today do not understand why or how they determine pay because they do not have comprehensive pay structures. Without this, decisions about pay are made without clear frameworks by individuals, and those individuals can be inhibited by biases and discrimination that are reflected in people’s salaries. Several studies have proven that when women (and Black men) negotiate for the same amount as white men, they receive less (HBR). The issue isn’t in employees, it’s within employers, and it affects almost all areas and professions. The best defense against discrimination as an employee is to understand your state’s labor laws, and what your rights are in the workplace. If you’ve been illegally discriminated against, you should speak with a labor lawyer, and file a complaint with your state’s labor committee. Don’t let this keep you from moving forward in your career. Most people I speak with have had at least one nightmare employer, and also one dream employer. Keep looking for good employers, and don’t settle or loosen your standards!

What steps do you suggest individuals take if they want to initiate conversations about salary transparency in their workplaces?
If you want to have conversations about pay in the workplace, it’s crucial to do so off company property and company time, if you can help it. Until pay is normalized in the workplace, many organizations still villainize these conversations, and even though it’s your legal right, you want to protect yourself from retaliation as much as possible. My other piece of advice is to be the first to share your pay, especially if you’re asking your colleague to share theirs. If they aren’t open to sharing, don’t force them or get upset. There are many reasons that some people are uncomfortable with talking about pay (many times cultural), and you need to respect your coworker’s boundaries.

What role do you see social media platforms like TikTok playing in changing discussions about salary transparency?
Social media has opened the door to transparency in so many ways, not just by providing reach for these topics, but a platform for others to share their experiences. Ten years ago, no one was talking about pay the way we are now. Thanks to platforms like TikTok, many of us can have these conversations with others around the world who also see value in transparency.

Do you have any money savings tips?
To set yourself up for success, figure out your monthly budget, and revisit it every time your financial circumstances change. Make sure you're budgeting for all your necessary expenses (rent, utilities, food), and don't forget to make minimum loan repayments and pay off your credit card each month so you don't harm your credit or owe more to the bank in interest. Sticking to your budget isn’t always fun, but it will keep you on the right track to meet your goals and will keep you out of financial trouble.

What objectives do you have for your TikTok channel going forward? Do you have any exciting new projects you would like to share?
My goals with Salary Transparent Street are to 1) help workers learn about different careers, salaries, and how to maximize their earning potentials, 2) petition the federal and state government to pass legislation that favors workers, and 3) encourage employers to adopt pay transparency within their organizations. Our Salary Database is an exciting new resource for our community to better understand their market rate, and we’re developing a new show on YouTube currently that will provide more information about jobs and pay.

It has been a crazy past few years, how have you been staying positive?
The best way I stay positive is to remain grounded and spend time with my loved ones. I have incredible support in my life that has helped me get through all the highs and lows of the crazy past few years, I’m not sure I could have handled it without them. Community, ultimately, is just as important to me in real life as it is on social media.

What is your motto in life?
“Do it scared”. There are lots of quotes and sayings that have helped me throughout my life, but this is one that comes to mind frequently. Many people wouldn’t guess from my platform as a public interviewer that I struggle with mental health, and sometimes my anxiety can be debilitating. In the past year, I’ve had several exciting opportunities to take part in public experiences that I didn’t think I was mentally up for. Every time I’ve had difficult moments like this, I think of this quote. I remember that I’m not perfect, and the expectation that I am perfect is unrealistic. I’m human, and just because I get nervous doesn’t mean I don’t have something to say, and don’t deserve to have my voice heard. I remind myself that there are people out there who don’t feel represented, and that me being courageous enough to “do it scared” helps them, and everyone, feel seen and heard. If you ever find yourself unsure, afraid, or nervous, remember that you can do it scared.

To learn more about Hannah Williams, please follow the links below:
Instagram: @salarytransparentstreet
TikTok: @salarytransparentstreet
Youtube: @salarytransparentstreet
www.SalaryTransparentStreet.com.

Hannah Williams - Dealing With Salaries In Reality