Are you Worth More?
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by Jenny Ungless, Monster’s Career Life Coach 
The issue that many of us moan most about, but few of us feel comfortable talking about with our bosses, is our pay. Yet research repeatedly shows that unhappiness with our pay is a significant – though by no means the only – cause of job dissatisfaction. So how do you find out what you’re really worth – and then make sure your company pays you accordingly? Here are our top tips to help you make sure that you’re being properly rewarded.
Research your worth
First of all, get your facts straight. While you may not know what your colleagues are earning - many workplaces discourage employees from discussing pay with each other – you can get a pretty good idea of your basic market worth in a number of ways. Check out job advertisements for roles similar to your own. Speak to recruitment consultants to get a sense of where your current skills and experience would put you in the marketplace. Or check out our Salary Checker to get more information about pay scales in your industry.
Build your Case
Once you’ve got an idea of what the industry “norms” are, the next step is to put together your case for being paid at the same rate or higher. This is where you need to have concrete, specific examples of the contribution you’ve made. Where possible, quantify this in terms of what you’ve actually added to the company’s bottom line. In other words, how much new business have you brought in, how much money have you saved the company or organisation, what else have you contributed? It’s also useful to be able to demonstrate that you’ve thought about your future within the company and are prepared to make extra effort to progress.
