I don't think I'm paid enough for my experience and qualifications. What can I do?

20 January 2010
Mark Burton

This is a very common question. If you feel underpaid and you're not prepared to accept the status quo, you have a couple of choices. You can either approach your current employer to try and negotiate an increase or look for an opportunity with a new organisation who you feel will pay you what you're worth. If you're planning on trying to negotiate a pay rise then go in to the discussion armed with facts.

Salary surveys, like the one by HSW and Attwood Burton carried out in 2008 (click here to read it), can give you information about how well rewarded you are for your qualifications.

Quantifiable evidence of how your pay compares to an industry average may strengthen your hand. You should be prepared to highlight the value you've brought to your employer, showing what benefits you've achieved and how this has saved money, improved performance or brought any quantifiable value.

If this doesn't bring you better rewards, or you feel you could be better paid elsewhere, you will need to up sticks. It's often the case that a company only realises the value of an employer when they leave and they find that they need to pay more than they were paying the person who has left. However, at this stage in the economic cycle, it's not quite as simple as it used to be.

There's no doubt that the job market is depressed. Employers know that there are an awful lot of people out of work or under threat and so salaries are being squeezed. Companies know that they can set their expectations higher, pay a little less and will still be able to find someone. So it might be that at least for now you won't find better rewards elsewhere and equally can't get better rewards from your current employer.

There's a good argument for sitting tight until things improve. If you do decide to move, as there are fewer opportunities in the job market, make best use of your contacts network, use a good recruiter and make sure that you're maximising your chances.

Mark Burton works for Attwood Burton, a specialist health , safety and environmental recruitment consultancy.