Your Salary and What It Should Be
People want to make money. At least, most people do. Many want to pile on gobs and gobs of it. They need to pay for a car, a house, and their food. Is your salary what it should be?
There are always some fundamental factors involved in the work that you do. Certainly, the level of skill and talent are important. Universities, trade schools, and certificate programs enroll lots of people every year. Each person is determined to become of more value.
What Matters
If you are in the distribution business, or the retail sector, a degree in engineering may not matter that much.
If you are in the manufacturing sector, the fact that you can shoot 3-point baskets all day long or sing the lead role at the community theatre may not matter that much.
Your salary is important to you. Your job or the job that you seek has likely been classified by the organization as having a value and an associated salary. For nearly all jobs it is not about what you can do, but more about what the organization needs from you.
Your Salary
The best path for anyone insistent on earning more money is not to push their employer. It is to fulfill the employers needs the best.
Here are a few of many ways this can happen:
- Bring more awareness to your job role by consistently doing great things that attract attention because they are of great value to the employer.
- Improve your own skills to align with the needs and demands of the employer and arrive ready to give.
- Be compelling enough with your work that the employer believes the risk of losing you is more expensive than replacing you.
The third one is the trickiest. It has significant risk.
Be mindful of how employees are treated. Are they tools to complete a job or are they bringing value that can’t easily be replaced?
Value is based on perception. So is the salary range of your job.
The difference between being the cheapest solution or the most expensive solution is always based of the perceived value of the buyer.
-DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a five-time author and some of his work includes, #CustServ The Customer Service Culture, and Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
