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On Obtaining Appropriate Compensation...

Posted by Cliff on from the getting-paid-(close-to-)what-you're-worth dept.

wpc4 asks: "I've been working at my current place of employment in California for going on 2.5 years. I work for a rather big HMO providing IT support for over 2000 users. In my time there I have had no negative feedback, I am the "go to" for the department, I have improved our service area's image to other IT departments in our organization, had one promotion, and so forth. I am currently making over $5k less than the minimum for my title, while some new employees just got hired with the same title and lesser skills as myself and were hired on at over 30% more than I make, yet I have 2.5 years of seniority. Since I'm not union I don't appear to have any way of trying to get myself compensated appropriately, is there anything in the California labor laws that I can pull into play? Any suggestions at all before I look for other employment?"

6 of 184 comments (clear)

  1. I have to ask... by GuyMannDude · · Score: 4, Interesting

    In my time there I have had no negative feedback...

    Yeah, but have you received any positive feedback while you've been there? (I know you mention one promotion your got -- but anything else?) Maybe they think you're just an average employee.

    GMD

    --
    watch this
  2. Working is a privilege... not a right! by foooo · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I for one am sick of hearing people go on about their job like it's their birthright to have a good job at good pay.

    If your job stinks... look for a better one.

    If your job doesn't pay well... look for a better one.

    Your boss isn't required (nor should be) by law to provide you with cake and also let you eat it.

    The ball is in your court.

    ~foooo

  3. Re:Since you didn't mention it... by splattertrousers · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If you ask, I'd recommend keeping it short. Don't go on and on about how great you are, and don't bring up all kinds of comparisons with other people in your company or in other companies.

    I'd aim for a 10 second pitch.

  4. Re:Ask, but have a backup plan by ivan256 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    But has others have said, under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you say anything like "or else I walk". NEVER.

    If you're willing to take the risk, threating to walk is in fact the *most likely* way to get you what you want. I'm not talking about saying anything rude, just politely inform your boss that if you're not going to be paid what you're worth you'll have to consider leaving for a company. It gets the point across and doesn't burn any bridges at the same time. In fact there was a survey done recently that I heard about on BBC newshour where managers said that said this was most likely to result in succes of any method (but was also most likely to get you fired), but I can't seem to find it on their website.

    Don't do this if you absolutly can't live with loosing your job, but if asking nicely doesn't work and you can handle the risk, go for it.

    NEVER say never. :)

    Besides, looking for a job is one of the worst things you can do if are at all interested in keeping your current job. Once you start looking you'll find you mentally "check out" and leaving becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. You shouldn't have to shop around if you are certain that entry level people are being hired into equivalent positions to yours at a higher salary then you have.

  5. Was in a similar situation and got a raise. by Confessed+Geek · · Score: 3, Interesting


    I had been working for about 2 years and found out the new position equivelent to my own would be payed more. So I came in to my bosses office with my resume told him i quit and applied for the position.

    We both knew I wasn't really quitting but it made my point and I got a small promotion and new salery a bit above the incomming position.

    I don't recommend the quitting part but applying for the new position might not be a bad idea.

  6. Re:Ask, but have a backup plan by Phronesis · · Score: 3, Interesting
    The key is that you can look much more appealing to your boss when someone else is chasing you. Your market value is the most someone will pay for you today, so you sometimes need to look around energetically to determine your market value. Once you have established this empirically, you can receive what you're worth (by definition).

    Last year my friend had given up on getting an adequate raise at his current employer (asked many times, received little). He looked around and got a firm job offer from another outfit, went to his boss and asked whether the boss wanted to make a counter offer, and the boss gave a raise on the spot more than twice the raise my friend had imagined he could get. He turned down the other offer, stayed with his old outfit, and is much more happily (and gainfully) employed, and has a better relationship with his boss.

    The key to this is that he would have been very happy to take the other job too, so this was not a bluff, nor a negotiation in bad faith.

    Another friend received the following advice from his boss:

    We don't have enough money to pay everyone what they're worth, so we pay them the minimum it takes to keep them. Most people grumble but stay put. Substantial raises are reserved for people who do great work AND have other options. If you have a firm competing offer and I can't live without your contributions, I can get authorization to give you a good raise, but otherwise you're pretty much stuck with COLA.