Worked examples
Real numbers, real scores.
“land a $150K offer in 18 months”
53%
Optimism Detected
- Comp increase
- $80,000
- Increase
- 114%
- Timeline
- 18 months
“get a 20% raise this year”
25%
Bold, But Sane
- Comp increase
- $18,000
- Increase
- 20%
- Timeline
- 12 months
“double my salary in a year”
63%
The Group Chat Is Concerned
- Comp increase
- $60,000
- Increase
- 100%
- Timeline
- 12 months
How it’s scored
Math, not vibes.
Every factor is scored on its own, capped, and added up to a score from 0 to 100. Same inputs, same score, every time. It measures how hard the plan leans on optimism, not your odds of success.
Full methodologyCompensation jump
Percentage increase over current compensation ÷ 3.
max 38
Timeline compression
(24 − months) × 1.5.
max 24
Experience leverage
(4 − years of experience) × 6.
max 22
Questions
Before you commit.
How big a raise is realistic?
Compensation varies hugely by role, market and location, so the calculator doesn't pretend to know your market. It scores the size of the jump against your timeline and experience, the parts that are true everywhere.
Is switching jobs faster than a promotion?
Often a bigger single jump comes from switching, but it depends on your field. Try both timelines in the calculator and see how the score moves.
How is the percentage increase calculated?
(target ÷ current − 1) × 100. Going from $70,000 to $150,000 is a 114% increase.