I recently started a new job and found out that one of my co-workers is getting paid more than I am (same position), even though she is new to the firm and I have 3 more years of experience. There is no noticeable skills difference (of course this is my opinion, but I really don’t think that management values either one of us more than the other), but I think I had less leverage coming in because I was an internal transfer into this new role.
Anyways, do you guys think it is fair game to bring this up to my manager? Or do I just have to accept my fate until a promotion / raise?
I think it is fair to bring it up. Nothing may happen though.
I brought up a more egregious case to my manager when a new hire two-year tech degree job was paid a higher grade than my CFA-in-progress role. What do you think happened? HR said that the two roles’ pay was commensurate with the market. LOL. Ahh, what can you do?
Yup, you should leave. If you can’t leave for more easily, then you’re overpaid. Value = what someone is willing to pay. If an employee came to me saying they earned less than so and so, I wouldn’t have a lot of patience for that. If you’re going to ask for an increase, justify it on your own ability and contributions, not on what someone else makes.
Agreed with former trader and igor. The misstep here apparently isn’t that you have some colleagues that are paid more than you for similar or lesser levels of work, but rather perhaps that you did not negotiate more aggressively for your own pay. Seems like the more probable outcome is that you were unaware of what the market could be willing to pay for your skill set. It isn’t too late to negotiate, but you want to get it right when you do decide to bring it up.
Perhaps it’s negotiating, or perhaps there are family connections.
You can bring it up, but your best argument for a raise is that you are producing better than they are. So try to collect data on that to build your case.
If you were unemployed before taking this job, sometimes one has to accept what one gets just to get out of unemployment or underemployment. In this case, you may not be able to monetize any difference until you take a new job. Ideally, that means at least six months or a year before jumping, and even that only if you haven’t been jumping previously.
Another route to do this is to ask what it will take for you to move up in pay grade. Try to move the conversation to a set of targets for a raise or promotion, then work hard to exceed those targets.
This is not emphasized enough. For a lot people, it not only sets the base at your current employer, but for the rest of your professional career. There should be more literature on how to be a good negotiator.
My brain is hurting right now because I’m trying to find the perfect audio clip. It was a rapper saying something like “you don’t get what’s fair you get what’s in your contract.”
I feel your pain though. I was in your situation before and left to get a big bump. I am probably in that situation again where I could go elsewhere and get more money.
the upside is that if your team or firm starts goign South and your performance and hers is somewhat equal, she will stick out like a black spot on a potato and be cut off first.
She probably had a higher salary than you at her previous job and so they had to match or give more than that. Even if it was the same as your old salary, she would have gotten a higher increase to transfer. Jumping ship always produces higher salary than internal transfers. Don’t be a noob…quit your job.