John Lee Dumas a.k.a. K. Vonnie uploaded an article explaining why he doesn’t keep his income secret. While it is nice that he thinks about how it affects other people, the author presents a very surprising argument that some persons who don’t keep their income secret are actually sabotaging themselves in the workplace. Even though Dumas doesn’t go into detail, the argument seems to have more to do with wanting to avoid opportunities and pressuring other people to help you move up the career ladder. It is nice that he thinks about it, but this argument is the most detestable way of thinking.

I am a member of Corporate America and I hear this all the time, especially when talking to managers. It is so very difficult for people to become elite, high-ranking executives in companies like mine.

Management has a reputation of being places that hold your best interests in mind, which means many of the changes and opportunities that come your way in your career are designed for you and not for you to move forward. Your monetary income is pretty much information like what your current salary is, but it’s also the only way that you are able to change your life and raise your career level. When I tell management about a good employee, they believe me because we are talking about the same information (which is true for us). If I had to make a bold statement, I would say that managers are very interested in individuals who keep their money secret from management. All the high-level executives in our organization keep their income secret, but that is not necessarily always the best thing for my career.

While Dumas raises some valid points about the pros and cons of not having the income information known, there is no denying that it makes getting over the hump in your career that much easier. Before long, you can ride on your old resume and send to junior managers all the lucrative opportunities that are out there. Sure, you may not be getting the best opportunities but at least you have proof that you are succeeding. This also carries over to your networking skills because your money may not be the most compelling piece of information you can offer an interviewer but in some cases, it is the most important. In my experience, networking is the hardest part of your job search. Of course, there are individuals out there who are more engaged in their job search and know that this might sound crazy but have managed to land jobs without disclosing any monetary income. And even those individuals can tell the interviewer that they are not looking for a new salary, they just want a promotion and a more demanding position. It seems like they are already following in their colleagues’ footsteps.

I don’t know what’s more frustrating for me, my work ethic being held back by not being able to put forth my best effort, or getting a far less than competitive salary because I could not show that I was motivated and capable of rising to the top. I am not a person who is lazy and I get up early and socialize my day with a group of people that I enjoy. I just need to take a moment to reflect on some of the subtle ways I am holding myself back in my career as opposed to making myself more successful. I just couldn’t care less if I am paying my bills, so long as I am making enough to set a comfortable foundation for my family.