salary.com type sites

[pontifex]

If you looked up your title and the area you work in and you saw it was significantly higher than what you are being paid, could you use it as leverage for a raise or would your employer just laugh at you?

 

[Descartes]

I would say no. The problem is, the majority of people simply can't be thrown into a simple label with a laundry list of predefined responsibility. A more reliable measure is to know how your company defines your paygrade or simply what the industry itself is like.

 

[JS80]

I'd say this is way more accurate

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: JS80
I'd say this is way more accurate

Only if people from your company have posted reviews...

 

[KB]

I have used salary.com in negotiations, and my boss has too. The only issue is that the titles on salary.com are so numerous that I choose the more highly paid Senior Software Engineer VI to compare my salary to, while the boss chooses the lower paid Senior Programmer III to compare the job to.

 

[her209]

The best leverage for getting a raise is walking in with a job offer in hand for six figures.

 

[Bignate603]

It never hurts to have something like that to show the going rate for somebody with your skills.

 

[ultimatebob]

I like the ComputerWorld salary surveys better. They seem far more accurate.

 

[911paramedic]

http://www.collegegrad.com/salaries/salaries.shtml

^That's the one required for my student loan, so they can see how much I will be earning and if I can pay back what they are loaning me. It looked pretty damn close for my intended course.

 

[soccerballtux]

Originally posted by: her209
The best leverage for getting a raise is walking in with a job offer in hand for six figures.

Sounds like you know from experience!
Was this straight out of college? What industry?

 

[edro]

They are always elevated... or... maybe I am just underpaid.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: edro
They are always elevated... or... maybe I am just underpaid.

yeah, i'm looking at tech support and its showing average is like $45k. I make $34k

 

[ultimatebob]

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: JS80
I'd say this is way more accurate

Only if people from your company have posted reviews...

Yeah, that site needs a LOT more reviews and salary postings before it will be really useful.

That said, it does do a good job of showing how bad it is to work for IBM. I'll give them props for that

 

[Nightfall]

Seems that all of the online salary reports are elevated. I am fortunate enough to know a few HR managers around the area and they give me more accurate reports. Salary.com is way too elevated, especially for MI in a down economy.

 

[imported_Lothar]

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: edro
They are always elevated... or... maybe I am just underpaid.

yeah, i'm looking at tech support and its showing average is like $45k. I make $34k

Does salary.com take state differences into account?

I haven't checked if it does or not but it seems to me that you're comparing Centigrade to Fahrenheit.
Your state = Centigrade
California(think Silicon Valley) = Fahrenheit

Does it take into account employer differences as well?
If you're doing tech support for your local middle school or junior high instead of a corporation or a small business, expect to start at the bottom of the barrel.

 

[LS21]

bureau of labor statistics >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> salary.com

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: Lothar

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: edro
They are always elevated... or... maybe I am just underpaid.

yeah, i'm looking at tech support and its showing average is like $45k. I make $34k

Does salary.com take state differences into account?

I haven't checked if it does or not but it seems to me that you're comparing Centigrade to Fahrenheit.
Your state = Centigrade
California(think Silicon Valley) = Fahrenheit

Does it take into account employer differences as well?
If you're doing tech support for your local middle school or junior high instead of a corporation or a small business, expect to start at the bottom of the barrel.

it supposedly goes by your area (by zip code)
I don't know if it looks at anything else.

 

[Pastore]

hahaha... It says the median Sys admin salary for my area is 60k...

The median around here is realistically around 35k... That site is a joke.

 

[imported_Lothar]

1.) Stop using salary.com
2.) Find out what your competitors are paying by applying for their job and getting an offer letter from them.
3.) Walk into your Boss office and show him the offer letters.
4.) Profit?

 

[ultimatebob]

Originally posted by: Lothar
1.) Stop using salary.com
2.) Find out what your competitors are paying by applying for their job and getting an offer letter from them.
3.) Walk into your Boss office and show him the offer letters.
4.) Profit?

Seconded, although I include a resignation letter along with those offer letters.

 

[bonkers325]

it depends on the field, if your job relies heavily on experience then salary.com is worthless

if it relies on certs, licenses, and the like... then salary.com is a bit more applicable.

 

[SacrosanctFiend]

Originally posted by: ultimatebob

Originally posted by: Lothar
1.) Stop using salary.com
2.) Find out what your competitors are paying by applying for their job and getting an offer letter from them.
3.) Walk into your Boss office and show him the offer letters.
4.) Profit?

Seconded, although I include a resignation letter along with those offer letters.

We terminate anyone who does that, no questions asked. The best way to get a raise is to show how you add value, not to show that you can get more money from another company.

 

[Joemonkey]

Originally posted by: SacrosanctFiend

Originally posted by: ultimatebob

Originally posted by: Lothar
1.) Stop using salary.com
2.) Find out what your competitors are paying by applying for their job and getting an offer letter from them.
3.) Walk into your Boss office and show him the offer letters.
4.) Profit?

Seconded, although I include a resignation letter along with those offer letters.

We terminate anyone who does that, no questions asked. The best way to get a raise is to show how you add value, not to show that you can get more money from another company.

They're probably glad to be terminated so they can work at another company and get paid what they're worth. If you already paid them what they are worth they wouldn't be doing it in the first place.

 

[SacrosanctFiend]

Originally posted by: Joemonkey

Originally posted by: SacrosanctFiend

Originally posted by: ultimatebob

Originally posted by: Lothar
1.) Stop using salary.com
2.) Find out what your competitors are paying by applying for their job and getting an offer letter from them.
3.) Walk into your Boss office and show him the offer letters.
4.) Profit?

Seconded, although I include a resignation letter along with those offer letters.

We terminate anyone who does that, no questions asked. The best way to get a raise is to show how you add value, not to show that you can get more money from another company.

They're probably glad to be terminated so they can work at another company and get paid what they're worth. If you already paid them what they are worth they wouldn't be doing it in the first place.

Considering you know nothing of our compensation structure, your comment is lacking. There is much, much more to a compensation structure than base pay.

 

[PingSpike]

Originally posted by: SacrosanctFiend

Originally posted by: ultimatebob

Originally posted by: Lothar
1.) Stop using salary.com
2.) Find out what your competitors are paying by applying for their job and getting an offer letter from them.
3.) Walk into your Boss office and show him the offer letters.
4.) Profit?

Seconded, although I include a resignation letter along with those offer letters.

We terminate anyone who does that, no questions asked. The best way to get a raise is to show how you add value, not to show that you can get more money from another company.

So your companies official policy is "you can't quit, you're fired"? I fail to see how this would change this situation.