I’m young, and I’m underpaid / I’m tired but I’m working, yeah – Alanis Morissette

Last year I blogged about the monetary value of one’s work and a few different ways to measure it. Now I want to know more about people who think their jobs don’t pay appropriately.

I was intrigued by the results to my current poll about whether people feel they are paid appropriately for their work. It’s no surprise that “underpaid” was the most popular answer, but I wasn’t expecting such a landslide victory. So far one person claimed to be overpaid, and not one person claimed to be paid appropriately.

“The Rules” of social etiquette and keeping one’s job might prevent me from learning why you all feel as you do, but I hope some will feel brave enough to explain. I suppose it’s obvious why someone who feels overpaid would keep that job, but I wonder why so many of you feel underpaid and yet stay where you are. Keep in mind that you can enter anything you want as your name and email address. Really the only person who must use discretion on my site is me since my real name is at the top of the page.

Do “underpaid” people think they are paid less than they are worth, or simply less than they want to earn? Are they paid less than another person in a similar position with similar qualifications, either within the same company or elsewhere? Are they paid less than the prevailing rate for their job in the area?

Why do “underpaid” workers stay put? Are there no other acceptable jobs? Is their current position universally underpaid, making it pointless to look elsewhere? Is the job search process not worth the trouble? Are they paying their dues and hoping to move up within the company someday?

And for you “overpaid” people, what makes you think you are overpaid?