This Job Hunting Hack Could Get You a ‘Wild Salary Bump,’ According to Ramit Sethi
Written by
Marc Guberti
Edited by
Cory Dudak
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Picking up a side hustle and making additional investments can increase your income, but you can also make more money without working harder.
Ramit Sethi shared a quick job hunting hack that can result in a “wild salary bump” that only takes a few minutes.
It’s All in the Approach
Sethi’s big job hunting hack, which he shared in his newsletter on Dec. 2, is to search for variations of your job title or industry. The way you word your role impacts how companies view your skill set and expected salary. For instance, Glassdoor projects the average content marketing specialist earns $49k-$82k per year. However, the content marketing manager role commands an expected salary of $81k-$144k per year.
Content marketing specialists and content marketing managers share similar responsibilities, and the same can be said about digital marketing managers. These managers have an expected salary range of $93k-$167k per year.
Therefore, when you are applying for a job, it makes more sense to list yourself as a digital marketing manager instead of a content specialist. However, you must demonstrate that you have fulfilled the tasks that digital marketing managers are expected to perform.
Glassdoor is a good resource, but it’s not your only option. Job hunters can also use Payscale and Salary.com as additional resources to gauge the expected salary for any occupation.
Develop New Skills That Align With the Higher Paying Role
Some people can upgrade their role and already have the skills and experience that match up. However, you can also request additional work from your current employer that gives you some experience with tasks related to the higher paying role. Taking online courses and receiving certificates from them can also strengthen your resume’s appeal.
Sites like Glassdoor offer a projected range. This range depends on several factors, such as your experience, results, location and other factors. In most cases, you shouldn’t take a long-term role that is below the minimum salary on these sites. Furthermore, you can qualify for the high-end of the salary range if you have enough experience and results.
Earning More While Working the Same Hours
Side hustles are great, and so is making cash flow from investments. However, it’s possible to increase your hourly earnings if you present yourself in a different way. Referring to yourself as a digital marketing manager instead of a content specialist will increase your income, and you can find the same anomaly in any industry.
One of the other perks of this strategy is you will likely land a job with a better title. A content specialist using this strategy may be able to immediately jump into a digital marketing manager role. Then, experience in that role can set them up for a higher paying career opportunity in the future, such as VP of Marketing. According to Glassdoor, the expected salary for this role is $206k-$341k per year.
It’s easier to climb the corporate ladder if you shift from job to job while upgrading your role and taking on more responsibilities within the company. Taking on extra responsibilities does not always mean working longer or harder than anyone else. The way you position yourself matters, and it can help you rise to a high-paying role sooner.
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