I started a job without agreeing on a salary — and then it turned out to be too low by Alison Green on November 2, 2021 A reader writes: Last month, I received a call from my friend Jason, a teacher at our local community college. His department was struggling to find teachers, and he wanted me to teach a class this semester. The students were already two weeks behind at that point. I said I would consider it and he […] Read the full article →
did I make a mistake by sharing my salary with a coworker? by Alison Green on October 18, 2021 A reader writes: I have always believed that knowledge is power, but when it comes to salaries, is there ever a reason to keep such things quiet? For my entire career, I have stayed in the dark about what my coworkers were earning and likewise did not share my salary either. This is the unspoken […] Read the full article →
is there any good reason not to share salary bands within a company? by Alison Green on September 2, 2021 A reader writes: My company recently underwent a pay equity analysis, which revealed that we are in the middle of our industry for compensation and that we have a significant disproportion of white males in executive leadership. No big surprises there. However, part of the action plan is to create salary bands that will adhere […] Read the full article →
should I stay at a job I don’t like if it could lead to a big pay-off in a few years? by Alison Green on August 31, 2021 A reader writes: I’m facing a major decision that I thought I was solid about but now I’m not so sure. I went to school later in life and graduated in 2014 as an accountant at the age of 32. I’ve been working in my field ever since progressing from bookkeeping at a small manufacturing […] Read the full article →
you should ask for more money when you get a job offer. here’s how. by Alison Green on August 25, 2021 Since a lot of people are changing jobs right now, here’s a round-up of advice on negotiating salary when you get a job offer. Before the Offer Stage Salary Expectations how to answer questions about your salary expectations does an employer asking you to name your salary requirements first mean they’re jerks? Salary History how […] Read the full article →
what to say to job applicants when you know you can’t offer fair compensation by Alison Green on June 7, 2021 A reader writes: I’m hiring for an open position and have received applications from a number of really fantastic, experienced candidates who do the work we do wonderfully. I’d love to bring one of them on to our team. However, the budget I have been given for hiring is nowhere near what is fair for […] Read the full article →
some findings from 24,000 people’s salaries by Alison Green on May 17, 2021 The salary survey a few weeks ago got a huge response — 24,000+ people shared their salaries and other info, which is a lot of raw data to sift through. Reader Elisabeth Engl kindly took the raw data and analyzed some of the trends in it and here’s what she found. (She asked me to […] Read the full article →
look at 24,000 people’s real-life salaries and sort by industry, job, and location by Alison Green on May 5, 2021 Last week’s salary survey has received more than 24,000 responses. You can view all the responses in a spreadsheet that you can sort by industry, job, location, and more. And if you haven’t filled it out yourself yet, please do! (If you’re having trouble loading the spreadsheet, it might be getting tons of traffic right now. […] Read the full article →
how much money do you make? by Alison Green on April 27, 2021 It’s hard to get real-world information about what jobs pay. Online salary websites are often inaccurate, and people can get weird when you ask them directly. So let’s take some of the mystery out of salaries. Fill out the form below to anonymously share your salary and other relevant info. (Do not leave your info in […] Read the full article →
can I ask contacts at other companies how much money they make? by Alison Green on April 22, 2021 A reader writes: Is there an acceptable way to ask distant contacts at other companies how much they’re making? I’m in a role that exists across most industries but at wildly different levels of pay and responsibility (executive assistant). I often come in contact with other industry assistants through meeting setups and other correspondence. Is […] Read the full article →