20 Signs You’re Being Underpaid by Your Employer

From online salary comparisons to internal salary disparities, these telltale signs will empower you to assess whether you’re receiving fair compensation for your contributions.

Low Experience, High Pay

If new positions at your company require less experience but offer higher salaries, you might be underpaid. A discrepancy in pay between newer, less experienced hires and yourself suggests potential underpayment for your level of expertise and tenure.

Local Salary Disparities

Comparing salaries for similar positions in your geographic area can reveal whether you’re earning less than the local average. If salaries for comparable roles in your region are consistently higher, it indicates potential underpayment based on regional standards.

Stagnant Salary

If your salary hasn’t increased over time, you may be falling behind inflation and market standards. Despite years of service and potential performance improvements, a lack of salary growth suggests you’re not being fairly compensated for your loyalty and contributions.

Specialized Career

Highly specialized careers should command higher salaries reflective of unique expertise. If your specialized skills and knowledge aren’t adequately reflected in your compensation, it’s a sign you’re being underpaid for your valuable expertise.

High Demand Career

Industries experiencing high demand for talent should offer competitive salaries to retain skilled employees. If your career field is in high demand but your salary doesn’t reflect this, it suggests potential underpayment compared to market demand.

Inflation Consideration

Failure to adjust salaries for inflation can result in de facto pay cuts over time. If your salary increases don’t keep pace with inflation rates, you’re effectively earning less in real terms, indicating potential underpayment.

Selective Raises

Offering salary increases to new hires but not existing employees may signal underpayment. If your company prioritizes raising salaries for newcomers but neglects current employees, it suggests you’re being underpaid relative to market rates and contributions.

High Turnover

A revolving door of departing colleagues could indicate dissatisfaction with compensation levels. Frequent turnover suggests employees may feel underpaid or undervalued, signaling potential underpayment issues within the organization.

Company Growth, Stagnant Salaries

Company success should translate to employee compensation; lack of salary growth amidst company prosperity suggests underpayment. If your company is thriving financially but your salary remains stagnant, it indicates you’re not reaping the rewards of its success.

Competitive Offer

Receiving a higher salary offer from another company highlights potential underpayment at your current job. If external job offers exceed your current salary, it suggests you’re being underpaid relative to your market value and skillset.

Online Salary Data

Researching average salary data online for your position can reveal discrepancies between your pay and industry standards. If the listed average salary is lower than your current salary, it’s a sign you may be underpaid.

Online Salary Calculator

Utilizing online salary calculators tailored to your industry and experience level can help pinpoint whether your compensation aligns with expectations. These calculators provide metrics specific to your position, aiding in determining if you’re being paid fairly.

Unchanged Salary, Increased Responsibilities

If your workload has expanded but your salary has stayed stagnant, you may be receiving less compensation than you deserve. A disparity between added responsibilities and unchanged pay indicates potential underpayment.

Discrepant Benefits

Comparing your benefits package to those of your colleagues can uncover disparities that suggest underpayment, even if your salaries are similar. If your benefits are comparatively less comprehensive, it’s a sign your overall compensation may be inadequate.

Industry Transition

If transitioning to a higher-paying industry hasn’t resulted in a salary increase, you may be earning less than market value. Your new role’s starting salary, based on your previous lower-paying position, suggests you’re being underpaid.

Lack of Negotiation

Failure to negotiate your salary, especially after years in the same position, could indicate you’re being paid below market rates. Negotiating for higher compensation can help ensure you’re being fairly compensated for your work.

Disparity in Internal Salaries

Discovering that similar positions within your company command higher salaries may signal underpayment. If colleagues with comparable roles earn more, it suggests your salary may not reflect your true worth.

Colleague Comparisons

If colleagues with similar backgrounds earn more than you, it’s a red flag for potential underpayment. Comparing your salary to peers with similar education and experience levels helps determine if you’re being paid fairly.

Lack of Performance Reviews

The absence of regular performance reviews may indicate your employer’s reluctance to discuss compensation, possibly indicating underpayment. Performance reviews provide opportunities to discuss salary and ensure you’re being adequately compensated.

Recruiter Insights

Insights from job recruiters can shed light on prevailing salary trends, helping gauge whether you’re being underpaid. Recruiters can provide valuable information about industry standards, allowing you to assess if your current compensation is competitive.

11 Overlooked Benefits of Spending Time Alone

People often look at being alone as something bad. However, today, we’re spotlighting 11 awesome benefits of spending time alone that’ll have you marking your calendar for some quality me-time.

It Nurtures Self-growth

Seeking solitude isn’t just about getting away; it’s a rich soil for personal growth. Studies suggest that alone time can enhance self-reflection, leading to stronger personal identity and self-satisfaction. This introspective journey fosters a deeper understanding of oneself, paving the way for growth that’s as fulfilling as it is transformative.

It Reduces Anxiety

Do you need a balm for that anxious mind? The absence of social pressures helps stress levels decline, offering a peaceful respite from the fast-paced external world. Alone time not only benefits our mental health but also enhances our overall quality of life, making it a powerful emotional wellness tool.

It Helps Cultivate Patience

Spending time alone can be a masterclass in patience. In our always-on world, solitude allows us to slow down, teaching us the value of waiting and the beauty of pacing ourselves. This practice in patience isn’t just beneficial; it’s essential, helping us navigate life’s rhythms far more gracefully and attentively.

It Improves Decision-making

Alone time sharpens the mind, particularly in decision-making. A quiet space free from outside opinions gives clarity, allowing thoughts to marinate without interruption. This mental clarity leads to more thoughtful, considered decisions. In fact, solitude can be the secret ingredient to unlocking higher levels of personal and professional decision-making prowess.

It Fosters Mental Fortitude

Solitude isn’t just a retreat; it’s a training ground for mental resilience. Embracing time alone strengthens our ability to face our challenges head-on, building a robust mental fortitude. This resilience is invaluable in life, equipping us to navigate ups and downs with grace and confidence, ultimately enhancing our psychological well-being.

It Helps Us Value Our Relationships More

Time spent alone can paradoxically enrich our connections with others. By stepping back, we gain perspective on the importance of our relationships, appreciating their value more deeply. This newfound appreciation fosters stronger bonds, as solitude teaches us never to take the presence and support of our loved ones for granted.

It Improves Emotional Regulation

Solitude offers a sanctuary for emotional processing and regulation. In the silence of being alone, we’re better equipped to confront and understand our feelings, leading to improved emotional health. This introspective practice allows for a more balanced emotional life, enhancing our ability to respond to situations with clarity and calmness.

It Improves Personal Exploration

In the quiet of being alone, we’re afforded the luxury of diving deep into our hobbies, interests, and passions without distraction. This journey of self-discovery not only enriches our lives with fulfilling activities but also helps us carve out a more authentic existence tailored to our unique desires and curiosities.

It Boosts Creativity

Solitary hours are a muse for creativity. The quiet of being alone often sparks inspiration as the mind wanders and explores without external distractions. Historical figures from Einstein to Virginia Woolf have touted solitude’s role in creative breakthroughs, proving that some of the best ideas come when we’re thinking alone.

It Helps Us Disover Self-reliance

Solitude teaches the invaluable lesson of self-reliance. When we’re alone, the necessity of solving problems and making decisions independently strengthens our confidence in our abilities. This empowerment isn’t just about surviving without others; it’s about thriving on our own terms and discovering an inner resourcefulness we did not know existed.

It Increases Social Energy

Solitude recharges our social batteries. Just as we need sleep after a long day, alone time gives us the space to rejuvenate our social energy. This restorative process ensures that when we do engage with others, we’re more present, attentive, and genuinely interested, enhancing the quality of our social interactions.

13 Slang Terms That Will Make You Sound Outdated

Language evolves at a dizzying pace, and slang is arguably its most fleeting component. What was cool yesterday can quickly become passé. In this ever-changing linguistic landscape, staying updated can be a challenge. Explore these 13 slang terms that might reveal more about the era you’re from than you realize.

Flossy

“Flossy” hit the scene in the late 1990s and early 2000s, describing someone showing off their wealth or style in a flashy way. It’s closely tied to hip-hop culture, where luxury and opulence often take center stage. Despite its sparkle, contemporary terms like “lit” or “on point” have replaced ”flossy.”

Cowabunga

This one surged in popularity thanks to the ”Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” epitomizing the radical surf culture of the time. Its association with the animated heroes gave it a cool edge, but as years passed, “cowabunga” transitioned from a trendy exclamation to a dated catchphrase.

Fly

Describing something as “fly” once meant it was top-tier in style or appeal, a high-flying compliment from decades past. Though its wings haven’t been wholly clipped, saying something is “fly” now might not soar to the heights of compliment it once did, feeling more like a throwback than cutting-edge praise.

Salty

“Salty” once described someone who’s upset or bitter, often in a playful, teasing manner. While it might still pepper conversations, its heyday has waned. Using “salty” today might not necessarily make you sound outdated, but it’s slowly seasoning out, with newer terms taking its place to describe irritation or displeasure.

Coolio

“Coolio,” an exaggerated twist on “cool,” perfectly encapsulated the laid-back vibe of the 1990s. It was the epitome of trying to sound hip and with it. However, today, dropping a “Coolio” in conversation is more likely to elicit smiles of nostalgia rather than nods of agreement on your coolness factor.

Crib

“Crib” was once the ultimate slang for someone’s home or apartment and brought an edgy, cool factor to everyday conversation. Rooted in hip-hop culture, it soared in popularity. Now, using “crib” to invite friends over might just bring back more memories of MTV’s “Cribs” than actual acceptance of the invitation.

Chill Pill

Telling someone to take a “chill pill” used to be a laid-back way of asking them to calm down—no actual medicine involved. But if you say it now, you will probably get a laugh instead of the calm you’re hoping for because it’s likely to remind folks of old sitcoms.

Peace Out

“Peace out” was the go-to farewell in the 1990s, encapsulating a vibe of cool detachment and easy-going attitudes. Its popularity peaked alongside the rise of hip-hop culture and alternative rock. However, today, “peace out” has been edged out by much simpler, more globally recognized farewells like “bye” or “see ya.”

Cool Beans

Boy, is this one old! “Cool Beans” sprouted in the late 1970s and blossomed through the 1980s as a quirky, enthusiastic way to express approval or agreement. Unfortunately, unlike the beans it metaphorically references, this once-trendy phrase’s freshness has wilted over time. Modern-day folks prefer “cool” or “awesome” sans legumes.

Shiznit

“Shiznit” first appeared in the late 1990s, popularized by the rap scene, serving as a stand-in for expressing that something was the absolute best or genuinely cool. However, its sparkle has dimmed in the shifting linguistic landscape. Present-day vocabulary favors direct praise like “amazing” or “incredible” without the coded flair.

My Bad

“My Bad” became a popular phrase for admitting a mistake with a casual tone in the 1980s, particularly within the basketball courts of America, before dribbling into mainstream usage. In recent years, however, the phrase has declined in use, with more people opting for a straightforward “sorry” or “my mistake.”

Hella

Originating in the 1980s in Northern California, “hella” soon became a popular way to say “very” or “a lot,” deeply rooted in Bay Area culture. Though it spread through music and pop culture, today it’s seen as nostalgic, with “super” and “really” becoming more universal replacements outside its original region.

Stoked

Once upon a time in the 1980s, if you were “stoked,” you were basically the coolest cat on the beach, riding a wave of pure excitement. Nowadays, saying you’re “stoked” might make folks think you’ve time-traveled from a retro surf competition. “Excited” keeps it simple without waxing your linguistic surfboard.