Seattle Marketer Grew Salary From $22,000 to $180,000 Over a Decade Before Layoff

Elianor Williamson, a 36-year-old living in Seattle, saw her salary climb from $22,000 to $180,000 over roughly a decade before being laid off, according to Business Insider, which verified her income and employment history with documentation. Williamson studied global wine studies at Central Washington University, graduating in June 2013, after a program that never discussed salary expectations with students.

She briefly worked at a wine tasting room before deciding to pursue a corporate career, landing her first salaried position later in 2013 as an event coordinator at a nonprofit that organized wine-related fundraisers, paying around $22,000. That job marked her first salary after previously being paid hourly. Williamson says that after reaching $180,000 and then losing that job to a layoff, accepting a pay cut in her next role felt like taking a step backward.