Underpaid? Quit!

"Never ever accept the counter offer" Very good advice and to the point. Let's keep the American spirit alive, if you don't love it leave it.

Yacov, what do you think about the "Minimum wage" ? The state defines by law , that below some level you are "underpaid" , isn't it? Is it an exception from "no such thing as underpaid people" theory? Or actually you are agains any "Minimum wage" institution?

Yakov,

I wholeheartedly agree with you on counter-offers. Management is just buying time.

However I beg to differ on your statement that no one is underpaid but getting the salary that they deserve.

What about H1B slaves?

What about employees on their late 40s and 50s who are tied to their companies due to pension plans or benefits (existing preconditions - their own or those of a family member - might make them ineligible for insurance with another employer). Or maybe they are facing age discrimination when trying for employment at a new company and are stuck with their job. Management is well aware of their situation and might call on the company line that ‘x% is the max pay increase allowed by company rules’ and give a veteran employee a slight raise but yet below that which they would pay for a new arrival.

Among these groups there are some very talented developers who are certainly not getting the salary that they deserve. If they were not shackled by their circumstances they would certainly command higher salaries/rates - provided they take the steps to do so of course.

Maybe this was factored in ‘skills prevaling wage/rate.’ Going rate for an H1B is X, going rate for single mother with a child with leukemia is Y, going rate for 50 something with two kids in college is Z?

Because technology changes so fast, maybe a different compensation model is required for IT workers? Maybe a small base pay with benefits with the rest coming from going market rate for your given skill set? Too naive?

To Pavel. I was writing about the job market that works as market. Having the state-imposed minimum wage is good, but market dictates what's the real minimum wage is. When I was working as a pizza delivery boy, I was getting less than minimum wage at that time, but tips would make the real wage a lot higher. I was not underpaid in that pizzeria.

To Norman. People who are under H1 are not slaves, but unfortunately some managers make them work long hours. But H1 visa holders understand the rules of the game: we'll get you the green card, and you'll work harder. After geting the green card, smart developers enjoy the salary jump. Yes, it's usually prevailing rate plus/minus some amount based on the person's circumstances. Employers are tough - they know that a mother with a child with leukemia would work for less, because she needs good medical insurance. I personally would never take advantage of her situation, but the business world is...what it is. I can feel sorry for this mother, but she is not underpaid.

People in their fifties are not underpaid either (I'm talking about the USA only. Some other countries discriminate people based on age, but it's their internal issues).

After looking up the definition for deserve

1.to merit, be qualified for, or have a claim to (reward, assistance, punishment, etc.) because of actions, qualities, or <strong>situation</strong>: to deserve exile; to deserve charity; a theory that deserves consideration.

I guess I have to agree with you. Everyone gets the salary that they deserve. So maybe instead of underpaid we could say deserving of punishment and instead of overpaid we could say deserving of reward. LoL Was this a test?

Going back to H1Bs, maybe I should have used the term <q>indentured servants</q> instead.

Yakov made this comment in his article that caught my attention. He stated once that no one is underpaid. I totally agree with that statement, especially here in the USA. The problem is that irregardless of ones opinion about it, the person responsible for where you are at in all areas of your life, is you. Most people can't handle that truth, but unless you embrace it, nothing changes in your life.

How else would the 80/20 rule apply in business professions? I've seen salesman, developers, business owners, etc... making disparate incomes under very similar market conditions working with the same products. The problem is that 80% of the developers or anyone else think they are in the top 20% in their market, but can't prove it by their salaries. All they offer is excuses. Salesman are probably the worst. Where are all these 80% mediocore salesman? Nobody knows because they all think it's someone else!

I had this come up with my last boss. I said I was underpaid and worth more money. He disagreed. I went to the market and proved who was right. The market determines what you get paid and it's by the value you bring to the market. Sure, I think it's stupid to pay a professional football or basketball player millions of dollars a year, but the market is telling us in this country, right now, that is the value they are bringing to the millions of people who will pay money to watch them play.

If you feel you are underpaid, then go to the market and find out who is right!