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Web sites like Salary.com, Vault.com and SalaryExpert.com are helping take the guesswork out of salary ranges. Use them to get a good gauge of where your salary fits within your industry. And if you happen to find out what a co-worker at your level makes, too, use that in the mix of information to help you decide what you think your fair pay should be. But don't take those numbers and run into your boss' office demanding more money because a colleague gets more. Bide your time and get a plan.
As this HotJobs/U.S. News & World Report article notes, should your research on the web and off turn up the fact that you're getting paid less than others in your industry and in your office, that doesn't mean you should go careening into your manager's office demanding a raise. It does mean you should use the information to carefully craft a pitch for a salary increase. The fact that another employee earns more than you is not in and of itself a reason you should earn the same amount. Linda Rolie, a career counselor, tells U.S. News & World Report that we each need to stand on our own merits, contributions, skills, performance, and money saved and/or earned for the company when arguing for a raise.
If you learn that salaries are far apart among your colleagues, it's fair game to ask what accounts for the difference in pay at the high end and low end of the pay spectrum, be it education, performance, experience, or a combination of all. Check out the full article here, but remember that the more information you know about salaries, the better position you will be in to negotiate the best possible salary deal.
