How much are you worth?

Add comment February 13th, 2008

How does society decide if someone is paid fairly? Are the people who do the hardest labor paid the most money? No, if that were the case, ditch diggers would receive larger salaries. Are the people who make the biggest difference in our community getting paid the most? No, if that were the case, teachers and police officers would be highly compensated.   

I believe an individual’s worth is directly related to how easily they can be replaced. There are many people that can dig ditches, teach, and protect our communities. Professional athletes, movie stars, and musicians are compensated with multi-million dollar annual incomes. Why? Because they have a skill that very few people possess. They are difficult to replace.  

It’s been stated that no individual is overpaid; you are worth what you negotiate.  If you feel you deserve more money, develop a list of things that you contribute to your company and make the case that you would be a very difficult person to replace. You will likely see an impact in your weekly paycheck.