Hi all,
Looking for some honest input on my situation in Amsterdam.
I work in digital marketing with ~10 years of experience across different industries and areas (paid media, strategy, operations, etc.). I’ve been at my current company for ~2 years, and my total compensation is ~€70k including holiday allowance + ~8% bonus.
When my contract was made permanent, I asked about a salary increase and was told I’m already within the range for my role and they couldn’t go higher. At the same time, my manager mentioned we could build a case for promotion but nothing has really happened since.
Since then, I feel like I’ve continued to perform well and take on more responsibility, which is why I’m starting to question things.
- Does €70k sound low / average / high for this level in Amsterdam?
- If I’m already “at the top of the band,” is promotion basically the only way to increase salary? How should i ask for promotion?
- If salary isn’t flexible, is negotiating fewer hours (e.g. 36h or 32h instead of 40) a realistic alternative in NL? Do you think i could keep the same payment?
Also curious how others would handle this push harder internally vs. start looking externally?
Appreciate any insights, especially from people working in marketing or hiring in NL.