Help! I’m Under Paid!

One of our readers, Christine, wrote in with a great question. Apparently, Christine is doing quite a bit in her office. Though she is technically in the HR department, she helps out in all areas, working with executives and helping other departments when needed. Her list of duties is enormous! Her question now is about pay. She writes:

I had a conversation with my boss, our director of HR, and she informed me that we try to be very competitive in our pay. She said that I could go to www.salary.com to find out if the jobs here are competitive in pay to everyone else. So I went there and looked up my job and found out that I am making $10,000 less per year than the lower end of the pay scale for my position. My question is, how do I approach my boss and ask her about my pay? Is this something that I should even talk to her about? Please Help Me!!!!

First off Christine, this is absolutely something you can and should talk to your boss about. Don't forget that this is a professional relationship - it's a two way street. You both need to be benefiting from it. Let's face it; you aren't volunteering your time. And, even though your paycheck should never determine your worth, it does speak to your value within the company. You deserve to be paid at a rate that you feel is equal to the true value of the work you do.

That said, a lot of things come into play when addressing the issue of salary with your boss. In your situation, your boss pretty much walked into this one - she told you to visit salary.com without first looking at it herself. If she had, she would have seen the figure and probably wouldn't have directed you that way. However, a $10,000 discrepancy isn't horrible depending on your situation. You'll notice that most salary sites give a range that looks like a bell curve. For most administrative positions, it usually extends out about $10,000 above and below the average, meaning that the majority of people make the middle amount, with smaller numbers making an amount about $10,000 more or $10,000 less. One assumes that the newer, less experienced people fall at the lower end of the bell curve while the more experienced, longer term employees fall at the higher end. That means that the rest of us should fall somewhere in the middle. Obviously, you said you fall $10,000 lower than even the lower end so it sounds like you definitely have a few things to consider.

When evaluating your salary and comparing yourself to this analysis, consider the following:

How long have you been in your position?
How long have others in your office been in their positions?
Do you handle more than others in similar positions in your office?
Do you train others in your office?
Do you have a higher education (any college experience) or are you in the process of gaining such education?
How much do you like your job? Do you want to stay long term?
Have you had any disciplinary issues that your boss has addressed with you?
Have you had a performance review in the last six months (and did it result in a raise)?
At what salary were you hired? And was there promise of more in the future?
Have you discussed your future career and financial goals with your boss?

Once you have asked yourself these questions, if you still feel that you should be at a different point on that salary bell curve, you have every right to discuss the matter with your boss. My suggestion for how to go about doing this is as follows:

1. Know why you deserve more

I suggest that you make it clear in your mind why you feel a raise is in order. Is it only because you know you might be able to make more somewhere else? Were you perfectly satisfied until you knew that others were making more than you? That's fair enough but hopefully, there's more. It's best to ask for more money when you feel you're contributing significantly more to the company's bottom line - you are either producing more than you were, processing more efficiently, or simply working more effectively, allowing a greater synergy to take place and thus, increasing the bottom line profit. Remember that the people handing out salaries will always be looking at how you contribute to the company as a whole.

2. Take documentation with you

While I do think you should reference salary.com because your HR manager brought it up for comparison, I don't think you should focus your energy on that. Instead, focus on what you do to deserve the higher wage. Take examples of your work, letters written by clients complimenting your service, and analysis of how your work is making the company stronger and more productive. Be prepared to state specifics. Be ready to prove your worth.

3. Have a number in mind

When you address the topic, be prepared for negotiation. Rarely will you simply get exactly what you ask for. It is much more common that you will have to compromise. Have a figure in your head for the amount you want and one for the amount you are willing to accept.

4. Create a path

If your boss is unable to meet your request, ask that you both establish a clear set of goals that will help you earn the salary you want in the future. Create a very clear path for attaining your financial goals. Make sure that you are forthright about your expectations. If the company is going to be unwilling or unable to meet your needs in the future, it's best to know now.

5. Be prepared for the alternative

If your boss is unable or unwilling to listen to your requests and understand your financial goals, you may have to consider the alternative - that the only way to make more will be to go somewhere else. I've been in corporate environments where the salary range is very tight and predetermined. The boss has little ability to adjust for high performers. In a case like that, you may find that your work would in fact be more appreciated (financially speaking) at another company. But that's a difficult decision to make and a lot of thought and research should go into it.

6. Do your research

Below, I've listed a few links to articles that may interest you. I suggest you take some time to read up on this topic before approaching your boss. Salary is always a delicate and difficult subject. But going in prepared will make all the difference. Good luck to you!

Suggested Reading:

How to Ask for What You Deserve and Break the Glass Ceiling

Using the Web to Get the Boss to Pay More

Salary Negotiation

How to (Not) Ask for a Raise