Woman reapplies for same job after company lists with higher salary than she earns

A woman has gone viral for reapplying for her own job after her company advertised the position with a higher salary than her own.

An US woman has revealed she reapplied for her own job after her company listed the position with a much higher salary than her own.

Kimberly Nguyen, a UX (online user experience) writer from New York City, came across the job listing on LinkedIn and was shocked to find out that her employer was offering more money than she was being paid.

“My company just listed on LinkedIn a job posting for what I’m currently doing (so we’re hiring another UX writer) and now thanks to salary transparency laws, I see that they intend to pay this person $32k-$90k [$A48k-$A136k] more than they currently pay me, so I applied,” the 25-year-old tweeted.

The tweet has been viewed over 12.2 million times and has more than 219,000 likes.

UX writer Kimberly Nguyen revealed she reapplied for her own job after her company listed the position with a much higher salary. Picture: Facebook/Kimberly Nguyen

My company just listed on LinkedIn a job posting for what I’m currently doing (so we’re hiring another UX writer) and now thanks to salary transparency laws, I see that they intend to pay this person $32k-$90k more than they currently pay me, so I applied.

— Kimberly Nguyen (@knguyenpoetry) March 7, 2023

Ms Nguyen, a Vietnamese-American poet, didn’t name the company, but highlighted pay inequity has been an issue.

“I don’t want to hear one more peep out of them about diversity, equity, and inclusion,” she wrote.

“I don’t wanna see any more of our C-suite execs recommend books for women’s history month.

“There were tangible actions they could’ve taken and they chose to perform these values. No thank you.

“I have also been arguing for months about the pay inequity. I have told my managers multiple times that I know I’m being underpaid.

“I have gotten the run-around, and they know they can do this right now in a tough labour market.”

Ms Nguyen said she would be “less upset” if the pay difference was only $US10,000 to $US15,000 ($A15,000 to $A22,000), however, that was not the case.

“I’ve been asking for a raise for months and they’re out here flaunting [that] they’re willing to pay a new person at least $32k more than me??? For the same job??” she asked.

The poet didn’t name the company, but highlighted pay inequity had been an issue. Picture: Facebook/Kimberly Nguyen

Ms Nguyen said she posted the job ad in a group chat with the company’s other UX writers and asked if they were allowed to apply for the job.

She explained “an emergency meeting” was called the next day to address the job listing.

The ad was eventually taken down, but later reappeared on the career website, according to the writer.

“Wait they just posted it again as a separate job posting. Who in HR is misunderstanding the assignment? Can I apply again?” she tweeted.

“They’re saying it was an internal posting and wasn’t meant for anyone to apply to externally because public companies legally have to post jobs even if it’s an internal conversion.

“But that doesn’t solve the fact that someone internally is now still going to make $32,000 more???”

Ms Nguyen said she posted the job ad in a group chat with the company’s other UX writers and asked if they were allowed to apply for the job. Picture: Instagram/@knguyenpoetry

According to Ms Nguyen, employees were told that “nobody is getting a raise” and were threatened with “possible lay-offs”.

“Because what better way to get people to take what they’re given and shut up than to threaten them with job loss?” she quipped.

Speaking with website BuzzFeed, Ms Nguyen said she “felt disrespected” after seeing the job listing.

“I don’t make anywhere close to what the listing advertised,” she told the outlet.

She added her employer has not responded to her application.

“I’m actually pretty sure they’re going to fire me for this whole debacle,” she added.

The writer later tweeted that she was “officially announcing that [she’s] looking for UX writing roles”.

I'm officially announcing that I am looking for UX writing roles preferably remote, but I am currently located in New York City. Let me know if you have any leads.

— Kimberly Nguyen (@knguyenpoetry) March 8, 2023

Since her initial post, Twitter users have praised Ms Nguyen for applying for the job and expressed how they could relate to her experience.

“I asked for a promotion, assuming it would come with a raise,” one person wrote.

“I got the promotion … and the same two per cent yearly cost of living raise that everyone else in the org[anisation] did. Nothing else. And they acted like they did me a favour.”

“I’m joining your fan club! That was a boss move!!” another person tweeted.

A screenshot of her tweet was shared on the Reddit page Anti-Work, where users called her company’s job posting a “slap in the face”.

Ms Nguyen has since addressed the responses to tweets, writing: “My original tweet was just me whining on my little corner of the internet”.

“I did not expect it to resonate with so many of you. I’m really glad a dialogue is being opened.

“I’m glad companies are feeling more pressure, but nobody wins if we just all get each other fired.”