How do I know if I'm being underpaid?

 

If you're not being paid what you're worth, it can be really frustrating. If you feel like your salary is keeping you from saving as much money or paying off debt, then it might be time to take action. But how do you know if your current pay is fair? Here are some steps to help determine if this is the case:

 

Know your market value -- and how to find it.

You can start by looking at the average salary for your job in your city. This will let you know if you're earning less than your peers. You can also look up the average salary of similar jobs in other cities, which can help you determine whether or not you should be getting a raise.

You might also consider looking into whether or not there are any benefits that could be driving up your salary. For example, if you work for a non-profit organization, the pay might be lower but the benefits could still be high enough to offset that difference. If you're curious about what kind of benefits are offered at different companies and organizations, Glassdoor is a great place to start!

There are a few ways to figure out:

1. Look at other jobs that require the same skillset as yours and compare your pay rate with theirs. This will give you an idea of how much they earn on average, but keep in mind that factors like experience and location can affect salaries too.

2. Ask around! If you work in a small company or in a field where salaries are typically kept confidential, use your network to ask about what other people in your field make.

3. Consider the cost of living in the area where you live and work using an online calculator like Numbeo's Cost of Living Index.

4. If all else fails (and if this isn't something you feel comfortable discussing with co-workers), there are websites like Glassdoor that can help provide insight into average salaries for certain positions within companies based on location and experience level (but these should always be taken with a grain of salt).

 

Look for signs you are not being paid what you're worth.

There are a few signs you can look for to help you figure out the answer.

First, check your current salary against the minimum wage in your state. If it's less than that, it's a good sign you're not being paid what you're worth!

Next, look at how much time goes by between raises. If it's a long time and there is no clear explanation why (like an increase in responsibilities), then it could be because your employer isn't valuing your work enough to give you more money.

Finally, think about whether or not other people at the company make more than you do. If so, that's another sign that something's off with how much they value your skillset—and thus how much they pay you.

How do I know if I'm being underpaid?

If you're at all unsure, there are some signs that may indicate that you are not being paid what you're worth.

Sign #1: Your responsibilities have increased significantly, but your paycheck hasn't. If your boss has given you more responsibility and expects more from you than ever before, but your paycheck isn't reflecting the added workload, it's possible that you are being underpaid.

Sign #2: You're working longer hours than ever before and still not getting paid overtime. If your boss is expecting you to work longer hours without compensating you for those extra hours (for example, paying time-and-a-half), then it's possible that they aren't paying you fairly.

Sign #3: You've been working at the same place for years now and have seen no salary increases or promotions. If this is happening to you, it might be time to talk with HR about whether or not there is a possibility of getting a raise!

 

Your responsibilities have increased -- but your salary hasn't.

You know you're being underpaid when your responsibilities have increased, but your salary hasn't. You may be doing more work, or taking on new responsibilities that weren't part of your job description before. Or maybe your boss is expecting you to take on additional projects without giving any notice or compensation for the extra work. The bottom line is: if all you're getting in return for extra effort and hard work is a pat on the back and no raise, then there's no doubt that some unfairness is at play here!

If your responsibilities have increased at work but your salary hasn't, that's a clear sign that something is off. It's hard to get a sense of how much value you bring to the company when you're so busy doing the job that you don't have time to think about it. But if your employer can't pay you more, or won't, then it means they don't see the value in what you do.

The first step is simply to ask for more money. Don't be shy—you deserve it! You'll probably be surprised by how easy it is to get this conversation started. Just say something like: "I've been doing [your job] for over a year now and I just wanted to check in and see if we can discuss my compensation."

If your employer says no, then ask why and listen carefully. If they say something like "because we don't have enough budget," then you may need to start thinking about other options for yourself. You could look into working somewhere else, or maybe even starting your own business if this is an entrepreneurial field for which there are lots of opportunities for freelancers or contractors

 

You're doing the work of several people.

It's a fact: you're doing the work of several people.

There's no way around it. You're working hard, you're taking on more responsibilities than ever before, and yet somehow your paycheck never seems to reflect that.

So how do you know if you're being paid fairly? Here are some signs that might indicate that something is wrong:

1) Your co-workers are making more than you—or at least they seem to be. They have similar job titles as yours, and they've been there longer than you have. There are fewer people doing the work of more people in the office, or your skillset has expanded dramatically since you started working there, but your pay hasn't changed since then either.

2) You've tried talking to your boss about this situation and nothing has changed since then either. You feel like they're not listening or don't believe what you're saying (or maybe even think it's absurd that anyone would value their job so highly).

3) You've been with the company for several years now without getting any kind of raise or promotion—even though everyone else around here seems to be getting them all the time!

 

Look out for positions and industries that have been historically underpaid.

If you're trying to figure out whether you're being paid fairly, it's important to look at the industry and position that you're in. If a position has historically been underpaid, then there's a chance that people are still being underpaid for it.

Example: Let's say I'm a software developer and I work at a company that pays me $100k per year. This is lower than the market rate for my position, which is around $120k. Because this is the first time I've ever worked as a software developer, it may not be apparent that I'm being underpaid until I start looking around and comparing myself to other developers with similar experience levels. However, if there are other companies in our industry who pay their developers more than we do, then it makes sense that our company should be paying us more as well—even if they haven't raised our salaries yet!

 

Look at positions that require the same level of skill and education as yours and see if they offer more money.

Look at the job description and requirements. What is the title of the position? What level of education or skill does it require?

Check out how much other people doing similar work are paid. You can find this by looking on websites like Glassdoor, PayScale and Salary.com, which will give you an idea of what your peers in similar positions make.

If you're not being paid enough for what you do, it's time to talk with your employer about a raise or promotion. The first step is figuring out if you're being underpaid, so take these tips into consideration when determining whether or not you're earning enough money for your efforts!

 

Ask around.

You can also ask around. Find out what people who are in similar roles to you are earning. Ask friends, family members and colleagues who work in different industries. You can also use social media to find out what other people are earning—search for "salary" or "pay rates" on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. Finally, there are several online resources available like Glassdoor.com and PayScale.com that will help you determine whether you're being underpaid or fairly compensated compared to others in your industry, location and experience level (see below).

 

Takeaway: It's important to be aware of what your job is worth so you can ask for a raise.

How do I know if I'm being underpaid?

It's important to be aware of what your job is worth so you can ask for a raise. The best way to find out how much your job is worth is by looking at data on the average salary range for jobs like yours, and seeing what other people in your industry are earning. The Bureau of Labor Statistics keeps track of this kind of thing, and they have tons of data on their website. You can also look up salary sites like Glassdoor or Payscale, which have more detailed information about wages for specific jobs.

Once you know what the average salary range is for a job like yours, you'll be able to better determine whether or not you're being paid fairly—and if not, you'll be able to start thinking about how much money your company would need to pay in order for you to feel satisfied with the compensation package they've offered.

 

Conclusion

If you're feeling underpaid, or if you just want to make sure that you're getting paid what you deserve, there are a few things you can do.

First, start by talking to your manager or HR department. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, try to find someone who will listen and keep it confidential—a friend, family member, or mentor will often be able to give you some perspective on what's going on in your organization.

If the problem persists after talking about it, try bringing it up again in another meeting with management. If that doesn't work, consider talking to an attorney about whether or not your company is breaking the law by paying employees less than minimum wage.