I have made more money and bonuses moving jobs every 4 or 5 years or so. It has added more money and higher titles to my resume simply by moving up the ladder with each new company. I have found (in my experience) that there are diminishing returns associated with sticking with one company for too long. You aren't alwayd considered the freshest and more cutting edge talent regardless of keeping your skills and continuing education up to date. You get to renegotiate your package with every move. You also establish your value, not over time, but as fresh talent. These are logistical gains due to moving around. A manager I had a couple of years ago explained to me that management held the idea that they were lucky to have attracted me to their company because I had work for other highly respected companies (and these companies were not all in their industry.). He said that the company would benefit from my time at these other companies. Mind you this was more perception than due to my work since I had only been there a couple of months when he shared this. But being perceived as sought after goes hand in hand with $, title and value walking in the door. But there is a trade off. You give up the comfort of your routine at the same company and seeing long time friends everyday and being settled in your company and knowing how things work. So I am not saying you have to build a career moving companies, but just consider your career growth staying put and ensure there is momentum and always consider your options.

Anonymous, Great questions, and I understand your frustration. Here's my question to you: What do you want to do? What do you want to feel? Is there an upside for you to being angry about these other employees making the same or more money than you? As a career coach, I recommend making peace with the current reality. That doesn't mean you agree with it...just that you aren't banging your head against a wall in frustration about it. Accept it as the reality it is. Once you've made that peace, you can then make the decision whether to stay or go from that energy. I promise you, if you start job searching with anger, the employers will sniff it out. In the meantime, I would suggest doubling down on the effort you are putting forth at work. Not to get a raise or external recognition, but to be able to look yourself in the mirror every night and know you slayed it. You performed at your highest level.

Thank you for bringing this topic to FGB. It's an important one. You've received some great advice already so I'll add my two cents. Before you decide to look for another job in another company, determine if you want to continue to work at your organization. Does it bring you energy? Do you agree with the culture and values? If so, you need to speak up and talk to you boss. I wouldn't approach it based on what others make but what your value is. As others have suggested, research your position and see what others in your industry are paid and then determine your skill level within that role. One final tip - be sure to approach it without anger or frustration. Try to control your emotions and approach it from a position of value. Depending on the response, may help you answer the first question...is this the organization for you? Best of luck!

I've looked at a couple of salary calculators and I know that I'm grossly underpaid (at least 10K below the median) based on my experience & skill level. But what if no company in your area is paying even that median salary? How do you find that better paying job? I did a prelim interview for a job a few years ago with a title that sounded higher than the one I had, only to find out that the pay scale was the same. Few jobs list the salary range in their ads or in the interview (if you even get that far), so how do you know what the pay range or budget is for a position you might be interested in? It's very frustrating knowing you should be paid more but aren't.

I can relate to this, as I have and have had colleagues in the same role with less experience who are paid more. My first piece of advice is not to get too hung up on it, otherwise you'll drive yourself crazy. Your feelings are totally valid, but the truth is you may not catch up to them salary-wise as soon as you'd like to. I agree with some of the other suggestions here to tally up your accomplishments and to prepare a strong argument for a decent pay raise during your next review, or salary compensation discussion (when that does happen). I would advise against comparing yourself to others during that conversation, but rather focus on your own strengths and accomplishments. In the meantime, sure, you can always peruse and see what else is out there, but if you're happy with your job, and you being paid lower could potentially save you from a future cut (as I've seen happen), then I'd advise you to lay low for now until a good opportunity to speak up presents itself.

This is a case of knowing your worth. How long has it been since the buyout? Are the others overpaid? Can you leverage your experience to move up in this new company? What else is out there and what's the market rate for your position? Salary freezes are tough. The best way around them is either up or out.

Early in my career I was a compensation analyst with access to everyone's salary and I drove myself crazy by comparing myself with others! My advice is to STOP looking and consider whether you feel you are compensated adequately. Were you happy prior to the acquisition? Do a little research as to what others in your field, outside of your company, earn - it could be eye opening. You can use online tools or speak with headhunters who can let you know the going rate (this is one of the reasons I always encourage people to return headhunter calls, they will be happy to share info with someone who takes time to talk with them). If you are indeed underpaid, collect your facts and speak with your manager using a non-confrontational approach. You can say you noticed the difference in your salary and the others, and that prompted you to do research and share what you've learned. If you learn that the others are overpaid, rest a little easier knowing that your salary will not attract the attention of managers looking to cut overhead.

My friend's company was acquired by a much larger firm. The cultures and pay scales were different. So were the number of executives. Many people lost their titles and had their salaries reduced. This is the way things work. In your case the frustration is totally understandable but you are not in the far more frustrating situation of having this happen from within - aka a far less experienced employee waltzes in an earns quite a bit more from the start. If the acquisition is still recent there is a good chance things have not played out yet. It's rough out there so hang tight, get the new lay of the land, and look for another position while you have a job.

This is an interesting scenario. The company you merged with obviously valued employees differently and paid at a different scale from yours. Here's the good news, the company that acquired your company is the one that has stronger compensation, and now you're part of this organization. A few things, right now, you are coming from an energy of anger and frustration instead of opportunity. Shift your perspective to think, how can I become one of their valued employees too? Create an outline of your accomplishments this year, how your role improves the bottom line of the organization (processes, timeliness, savings, revenue) along with your ideas for 2021. Explain how you came from the old company where their pay structure was different and why you would like to discuss an increase that places you in line with those on your team. In the meantime, it doesn't hurt to start perusing to see what's out there. It may make you feel better. Good luck.

That is certainly disheartening. Only you can determine if you should be upset, and it sounds like you're not happy with it. It's certainly understandable. It's possible that your former employer's salaries may have been lower than current trends. Have you considered doing both? Look for a position and ask for an increase. If you do decide to ask for more are you willing to wait until the salary freeze is over? That's a tough call with all of the unpredictability we are experiencing. You can also begin to do some benchmarking to see what the pay is for a person with your position and level of experience. Use websites like Salary.com, Payscale, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn to look for comparable positions. That way, you are well prepared, confident and knowledgeable. You deserve to be paid your worth. In addition to that, share what value you have added to the department, include your deliverables and results. January is actually a good time to begin job searching. Many budgets open up during that time. All The Best!