--- title: My First Raise...OMG So Embarrassing! description: "I absolutely cringe when I think about how I handled my first raise. Here is everything you need to know: how much to expect, when to push back, and more." image: https://theindependencelab.com/hubfs/young-woman-disappointed-in-raise.png --- [![image (58)](https://theindependencelab.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image%20(58).png?width=195&height=70&name=image%20(58).png "image (58)")](https://theindependencelab.com/) - Offerings - [Interview Frameworks Mini Kit](https://theindependencelab.com/interviewminikit) - [Mock Interview](https://theindependencelab.com/mock-interview) - Free Resources - [Senior Year Job Search Timeline](https://theindependencelab.com/jobsearchtimeline) - [Life Resume Template](https://theindependencelab.com/liferesumetemplate) - [Networking Rubric](https://theindependencelab.com/networking) - [Interview Warm-Up Worksheet](https://theindependencelab.com/interviewwarmup) - [Interview Checklist](https://theindependencelab.com/master-your-first-job-interview-checklist) - [First Job Survival Kit](https://theindependencelab.com/first-job-toolkit) - [Post-Grad Glow Up](https://theindependencelab.com/post-grad-glow-up-guide) - [Emotional Wellness Cheat Sheet](https://theindependencelab.com/mental-wellness-cheat-sheet) - [401k Checklist](https://theindependencelab.com/401k) - [Books I Recommend + Notes](https://theindependencelab.com/22-books) - [Archive](https://theindependencelab.com/blog) - [About](https://theindependencelab.com/about) - [Press](https://theindependencelab.com/press) [Get the Weekly Drop](https://theindependencelab.com/subscribe) ![woman disappointed about first raise ](https://47169197.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/47169197/young-woman-disappointed-in-raise.png) [\< Go back to blog](https://theindependencelab.com/blog) [Career Growth](https://theindependencelab.com/blog/tag/career-growth) [Financial Literacy](https://theindependencelab.com/blog/tag/financial-literacy) # My First Raise...OMG So Embarrassing! I absolutely cringe when I think about my first raise now. More make up I absolutely cringe when I think about my first raise now. I was living in New York City. I had gotten a full-time job following my [internship at a magazine publisher.](https://theindependencelab.com/blog/internships-can-change-your-life) As a fact-checker, I literally had to make sure that everything other people wrote was true. Grueling, but it was the perfect foot in the door and fueled my dream career. But I was making peanuts! $30,000 in New York City. That is crazy to think about now. Then I got my first raise. In my head I was thinking OK, this is it. I stuck out the $30k and now I will be rewarded!!!! Then my boss told me my salary had increased to....$33,000. Wah wah Don't get me wrong, I was grateful for any increase, but it just seemed like so little...$3,000 over 12 months living in such an expensive city was hard for me to wrap my head around. It was less than $100 a paycheck after taxes. But from the company's perspective, it was a whopping 10% raise. Which is actually difficult to get. Most raises are in the 3-5% range. And I cringe now because my boss was soooo excited to tell me the good news, but I was so disappointed, it must've shown on my face. I wish I could go back and thank her, but also tell myself it gets better. **The reason I am sharing this now is so you, as an early career professional, know what to expect.**   ## Here's exactly what you need to know when it comes to your first raise   ### **How to respond** First things first, pause before you react. Your face does more talking than your mouth in the first 10 seconds. You may or may not be caught off guard when you receive news of a raise. But having this phrase in your back pocket can help slow things down: "Thank you. I want to give this the attention it deserves, so can I come back to you tomorrow with any questions?" That line buys you 24 hours. It shows gratitude and stops you from either gushing over an amount you're happy about or visibly deflating in front of the person who fought for it. Then do the math that night. Annual number, monthly take-home, what actually changes in your life. A 10% raise on $30k is $3,000 a year. After taxes in New York, that's roughly $80 to $90 a paycheck. It's a real raise, but it won't make a huge dent in your budget. 🚩 What not to do: "That's it?" in the meeting. It's not a career ender, but it definitely makes the next conversation harder than it needs to be.   ### **How to know if the amount is normal or an insult** Standard merit raises land in the 3 to 5% range. Promotions move more, usually 8 to 15%. A first raise at 10% is a strong one, which is exactly why my boss was thrilled. But those percentages don't equate to much when your salary is fairly small to begin with. So run the number against these reference points instead of against your feelings: ➟ Under 3% with no explanation: ask what the range was and what would move you into the top of it. ➟ 3 to 5%: normal. This is the system working as designed, not a message about your worth. ➟ 8% and up: someone is advocating for you. Say thank you, and ask what earned it.   *PS: If you haven't received a raise at all, that also requires a conversation.*   ### **When to push back** First, you have to understand if you have a real case. Most first raises are not the moment to negotiate. But you can push back if any of these are true: your responsibilities grew after your offer letter, you're doing work above your title, you found out a peer with the same role makes significantly more, or you got a strong performance review and a raise that doesn't match it. Now it's time to prep for the conversation:   ### 📣 Need → Strength → Impact "I've taken on \[what you took on\]. I've gotten strong feedback on \[the result\]. Given that, I'd like to talk about getting to \[$X\]." Use a real number, not "more." And ask for the conversation on a date, not someday. "Can we put 20 minutes on the calendar this week?" 🚩 Do not bring up your rent, your student loans, or your cost of living. Your bills aren't the company's problem. Your contributions are the only thing they care about.   ### **How to think about your future** The people who end up underpaid in year five are rarely the ones who got a small raise in year one. They're the ones who learned early that asking was pointless and stopped asking. So here's how to secure your next raise: ➟ Track what you own. Every new responsibility, every win, every piece of feedback. This becomes your casefile. ➟ Learn the schedule. Ask when reviews happen and what the raise cycle looks like. ➟ Do the two-year check. If your salary and your title look identical to two years ago, while your job looks bigger, you have your answer. Changing jobs is how most early career people get their largest jump. Unfortunately, progress is usually slower than you expect. But your long term trajectory matters more than any single bump. Understanding how compensation actually works protects your confidence and your expectations. *Have any questions about your salary trajectory? Let's figure them out together. Just respond to this email.*   Most of all, trust yourself. 💜 Brianne ## Looking for your first job (so you can get that raise)? Here are 3 ways I can help: **1\. Free Resource** [Life Resume Template](https://theindependencelab.com/liferesumetemplate): build the stories that get job offers, regardless of how much experience you have   **2. Interview Framework Mini Kit[![job\_interview\_kit\_cover](https://theindependencelab.com/hs-fs/hubfs/job_interview_kit_cover.jpg?width=500&height=563&name=job_interview_kit_cover.jpg)](https://theindependencelab.com/interviewminikit)** You already know the questions they're going to ask. You just don't know what to say. The Interview Frameworks to Land the Next Round Mini Kit includes 20 interview questions & 20 frameworks + the AI grader. Get flexible frameworks to help you mold your answers to exactly what the hiring manager asks. [Get the mini kit](https://theindependencelab.com/interviewguide)   **3. Mock Interview to Build Confidence** If you want feedback on your actual answers and communication skills, book a mock interview session. We'll run through real questions, and I'll tell you what's working and what's costing you the offer. [Book a session (LIMITED SPOTS!)](https://theindependencelab.com/mock-interview) ## Latest articles There is so much more to learn on your journey to your independent life. Check out all our articles here. [![woman frustrated that entry level jobs require experience](https://47169197.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/47169197/woman%20frustrated%20that%20entry%20level%20jobs%20require%20experience.png)](https://theindependencelab.com/blog/how-to-get-experience-when-nobody-will-hire-you-without-it) [Career Growth](https://theindependencelab.com/blog/tag/career-growth) ### **How to Get Experience When Nobody Will Hire You Without It** Written by Brianne Rush, on Oct 15, 2026, 9:00:00 AM Since graduating from Elon University in May with a strategic communications degree, Rachel Grandis has been searching ... Read more [![showcase coachability and communication during job interviews](https://47169197.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/47169197/woman-showcasing-coachability-in-interview.png)](https://theindependencelab.com/blog/interviews-have-changed-this-year) [Career Growth](https://theindependencelab.com/blog/tag/career-growth) ### **Interviews Have Changed This Year (Here's What You Need to Know)** Written by Brianne Rush, on Oct 8, 2026, 9:00:03 AM I remember when interviews were about verifying what someone knew. You grilled them on frameworks, tools, past ... Read more [![proactive approach to job search](https://47169197.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/47169197/Proactive%20approach%20to%20job%20search.png)](https://theindependencelab.com/blog/stop-mass-applying-do-this-instead) [Career Growth](https://theindependencelab.com/blog/tag/career-growth) ### **Stop Mass Applying. Do This Instead.** Written by Brianne Rush, on Oct 1, 2026, 9:00:03 AM During my early career, I applied to 127 jobs and got a whopping 2 interviews. 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