5 Signs You're Not Being Paid What You're Worth
And what to do about it.
Photo: Christina Jones Photography
Make no mistake, trying to figure out how your salary stacks up against others in your field is a challenge. The unavoidable fact is: people get cagey when it comes to talking money. (Personally, I believe that being more open about these things will only help us close the pay gap, but that's an article for another day.)
If you suspect you're being underpaid, getting a free salary report from Comparably or PayScale and scouring Glassdoor is a great start. But that's all it is—a start. To figure out whether you're being underpaid, you need to pay attention to the signs. Or, as career expert, bestselling author, and former editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan (oh, and four other magazines), Kate White says, "You need to be a mercenary for information."
Here are the top five signs you're not getting paid what you deserve.
1. You Never Negotiated Your Pay
I know this is difficult to hear because a large percentage of women don’t. But accepting this fact is the first step. "That's your first clue," says White. "It's a sign that you probably are being underpaid because often if you don't negotiate, you're leaving money on the table." Now, if you didn't negotiate, all is not lost! Make a commitment to yourself to never take a job without negotiating again.
2. You’re Doing More, But Not Being Paid More
This one might sound obvious, but employees let it slide all too often. Just recently a friend's workload was effectively doubled without a plan for a salary increase or title change. When she went to her manager to make a case for a salary bump, he threatened to simply take away her increased responsibility. Don't fall for this. If you're doing significantly more than the role you were hired to do, you deserve appropriately increased compensation. And if you can't get it at your current company, go get it elsewhere.
3. It’s Been Two or More Years Since You Got a Raise
"Here's the problem: the market rate increases faster than the rate within a company where people may be getting 3% raises," says White. "I saw it happen to people who worked for me at different times, and as the boss, you felt bad, but often the company tied your hands.”
“When the new person was coming in and was able to negotiate for a certain salary, sometimes it was better than people on the same level,” she explains. “But again, a company won't necessarily let you say, ‘Hey if I bring this person in at X, I hate the fact that this other person is only making Y.’ So if you've been at a company for awhile, you can practically bank on the fact that you are not doing as well as people coming in from the outside."
4. You Find Out the Salary of Someone in a Comparable Position
This is less a "sign" than a fact, but it's worth mentioning. Again, talking to people about salaries can be tough, but there are ways to get the information you need.
"You could ask a mentor or someone who used to work at your company and has since moved on," says White. "And maybe you could say it in a bit of a cheeky way, like 'If I told you my salary, what amount would make you think, 'Oh my God, she's an idiot?’ You're never going to get someone who left, especially in a lateral move, to tell you what their salary was. But I think if you ask in that way, sometimes people like to answer those types of questions."
"Or find people who have comparable jobs in similar companies,” suggests White. “Without asking what they make, you can say something to them like, 'Would you mind me asking you the range of X position at your company? I love my company but I'm just curious what the range is elsewhere.' I think people will often answer that as well."
However, proceed with caution.
"I've been in situations where people found out salaries by snooping around or having conversations about it in the office, but if your boss finds out it really makes you look small," says White. "So I would say that's something to avoid."
5. You Have a Gut Feeling
I have found this to be true in my own experience, and White confirms to trust your gut. If after a few months of watching and listening, you have the sneaking suspicion you're being underpaid, you probably are.
"I think a lot of times our gut feelings about things like this are absolutely accurate," says White. "It's almost as if you're picking up clues on a lot of different subliminal levels. Maybe a guy on your same level invited people from the office over for drinks and you saw his apartment and realized, 'Wow, that's pretty nice.' Or you notice the vacations he takes. And sure, maybe he's got a trust fund. But all those little things that happen—the way your boss might be evasive, the spending habits of people on your level—all those things end up being almost imperceptible clues that on some subliminal level make your stomach twist a little bit. And you just sort of know.”
"It could be from things people inadvertently say, but the point is that it's not just one thing—it's a combination of those various, vague little things, and what they add up to that speak to you on a subliminal level,” says White. “And a lot of what they say about intuition is connecting the dots and I think you should connect the dots in this case and listen to your gut."
For more advice from Kate White on negotiating and more, pick up a copy of her tell-all career bible, “I Shouldn't Be Telling You This: How to Ask for the Money, Snag the Promotion, and Create the Career You Deserve.”
Written by Kelsey Manning for Levo.
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This story was originally published on April 19, 2017, and has since been updated.
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3 Major Salary Negotiation Mistakes to Avoid (and What to Do Instead)
Read this first before making your move.
Photo: Smith House Photo
Negotiating, much like networking, is something we need to know how to do, yet it’s not a skill we are ever taught in school. But unlike networking, making a big mistake during a salary negotiation won’t just cost you a relationship, it may result in thousands of dollars being left on the table. So what exactly do you need to know when it comes to making the big ask? Here are the top three things to avoid doing in your next negotiation.
1. Getting Defensive
Let’s say you have taken on more responsibilities and put in way more overtime than your peers this past year. However, during your performance review, your boss informs you that you will only be getting the standard 3% raise due to budget constraints.
In the heat of the moment, your heart rate will naturally jump through the roof in frustration.
What to do instead:
Instead of snapping back with how unfair this is, take a nice deep breath and allow for silence. Slowing the conversation down rather than jumping into a response will create space for you to be thoughtful in your answer rather than reactive.
2. Giving In Too Quickly
Now that you’ve given yourself a moment to breathe, you can start to prepare your response. While it’s natural to worry about what will happen if you ask for more, don’t let the fear of rejection keep you from getting what you deserve.
I’m here to tell you that negotiation is a normal and expected part of working. While your boss may secretly be hoping you don’t push back, they won’t become offended when you do (and if they do, it may be an important red flag to take note of).
What to do instead:
Instead of quickly giving in, restate your value and get their buy-in. For example, “I understand that constraints in the budget must be difficult. However, the amount of hours and effort I have been putting in for the company goes well beyond the standard expectations and performance, wouldn’t you say?”
3. Not Aiming High Enough
Lastly, when discussing pay, it’s natural to worry that if you go too high you will either offend the other party, lose the position, or come across as greedy.
However, you shouldn’t lower your expectations in order to come across as more agreeable. By starting with a “safer” sounding number you are doing the work for them, and negotiating against yourself before the conversation has even begun.
What to do instead:
Focus on the facts and then aim high.
Do your research and get clear on a salary range that is both fair and reasonable. Next, instead of lowering your standards in order to come across as more agreeable, start at the top of the range.
For the example above, if a 3 to 8% raise is reasonable, don’t lower your expectations to a safer sounding 5%. Instead, anchor high and say, “I was really hoping that given the results I’ve produced in the past year, that I would get at least an 8 percent increase. Do you think that’s something we could work toward?”
Interestingly enough, by anchoring higher, you actually give your boss the psychological feeling that they just got a “deal.” Let them feel the sweet pleasure of a deal, while you allow yourself the sweet reward of a higher paycheck!
So, in conclusion…
Negotiating doesn’t have to be scary or hard. No one will advocate for you in the same way you can advocate for yourself. You are in control of your financial well-being, and you know the value that you create. Now, share it with the world! And most importantly, share it with your boss when you ask for that next raise. This awkward and uncomfortable situation will only last a few minutes, and it may result in thousands of more dollars in your bank account.
“You shouldn’t lower your expectations in order to come across as more agreeable.”
—Kathlyn Hart, Financial Empowerment Coach
About the author: Kathlyn Hart is a financial empowerment coach and a motivational speaker who supports ambitious women earn more. Her salary negotiation boot camp “Be Brave Get Paid,” which teaches women how to confidently own their worth and ask for more, has helped women increase their income by an average of $15,000. In addition, she is the host of The Kathlyn Hart Show, where she interviews entrepreneurial women about their journey from dreaming to doing.
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This post was originally published on March 26, 2019, and has since been updated.
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