52% of working Americans feel they are underpaid. This, according to a recent Gallup Poll. Naturally, there are those that permanently believe they are underpaid, even though their salaries are in line with their skills and positions elsewhere. But, there are also people who are genuinely underpaid, and they should know that – after all, they may want to take some action, by pressing for a raise even looking for positions somewhere else.
If you suspect you may be underpaid but are not sure, there are some pretty clear signs, if you know what to look for. Here are seven of them.
- Your Own Research Shows Higher Salaries for Similar Positions
There is a lot of college writing on the topic of average pay, most of it categorized by career field. You can do your own research – the Bureau of Labor Statistics is a great source – it even provides wage statistics by geographical regions of the country, which is certainly a factor as you compare salaries. If you discover that your pay is below average, you do have some “ammunition” when it’s time for annual raise considerations. Particularly in small companies, a boss may not even know that employee salaries are not comparable.
- There is High Turnover at Your Current Company/Organization
If everything else is pretty good at your place of work – people get along; people like their supervisors; the overall climate is good – but still the turnover rate is high, it is possible that people are leaving for more money elsewhere. If you are close to one or two others and feel comfortable asking, find out if being underpaid is the reason.
- The Company Has Grown More Profitable, but You Aren’t Sharing in That
Most organizations like writing services that start small and have original employees will reward those employees when the company succeeds and takes off. If you are not sharing in your company’s success with higher pay, then it’s time to have a conversation with your boss or start looking for a new place. There are lots of custom writing services that can help you with a resume.
- You Have Been Given More Responsibilities but No More Money
Companies downsize. And, often, they do so by not replacing those who leave. They simply delegate those tasks to the remaining employees. If you have been the “victim” of such a practice, you need to speak up – diplomatically, of course. Your moderate raise will certainly not be anywhere equal to the cost of the employee that left.
- You Find a Posting on Your Company’s Website with a Higher Salary
Believe it or not, this does happen. And then you have a choice to make. Do you confront your boss, do you stay silent, or do you just go out, get some writing help with that resume, and start looking? This will be a major decision, not to be taken lightly, of course. Still, there is no harm in finding out what you are worth in the marketplace. If nothing else, it will be something you can use to negotiate a raise, especially if you are otherwise happy where you are.
- You Believe You are Underemployed
A lot of college grads are working at Starbucks. This has become somewhat of a joke, but it is true. They are underemployed – not using the knowledge and skills they acquired through school. And even though many of them probably wrote for money on the mob marketplace in their business courses, here they are.
A recent PayScale survey resulted in 46% of respondents stating they were underemployed. And this is a conversation you should have with yourself now. You may have been originally hired below your skill level, and many do, in order to get in with an organization or at least get a job related to their career fields.
But what has happened since then? Have there been openings that you are qualified for but are not getting? If this is happening, then you are both underemployed and subsequently underpaid. And your prospects are not good where you are.
Here may be your solution: Keep your current position and begin a strategy to market yourself. You may want to try some consulting work in your field on the side; certainly, you should make the effort to re-brand yourself, and that will probably mean some homework help or assistance with your resume.
- You Have “Settled”
Job security is an important benefit, especially during times of economic downturn. And certainly, after the economic crash of 2008, many employees saw job security as their highest priority. That may have been true for you, too. It is now 2017, and the marketplace is opening up. Your skills may a bit rusty over the past nine years. So, what have you done to make those skills more current? If your answer is nothing, then you have some work to do. Part of getting paid what you believe you are worth will involve you. If you take steps to get additional education and training, make sure that your employer knows what you are doing. And when you complete coursework or training, announce that to your superiors. Make your career goals known as well.
Many believe they are underpaid; some in fact are. If you discover that you are, you need to make a plan to change that. That plan may include a serious conversation with your employer; it may include upgrading skills and talents and it may mean a new job search. The one thing you don’t want to do is sit and “stew.” You will become resentful and unmotivated. And that is good for no one.
