Are you underpaid? 5 ways to get more value out of your job

I get that feeling everyday at work… that everyone is making more money than me. Do you get that feeling? Well, there is something you can do about it. Payscale.com has a nice article giving advice on how to get more money for doing what you do for a living.

1. Do your homework. This includes researching the current market value for the position and carrying that knowledge with you into the talks. …


2. Know your needs and wants. "You have a range in mind of what you'd really like. Otherwise, if you are out in left field-you are never going to be successful. …


3. Learn a methodology for handling the questions, "What are you looking for?" and "What kind of salary do you want?" According to DeCarlo, the bottom line is, "I'm negotiable." If it's too soon to talk about money, she encourages applicants to change the discussion topic to job requirements or expectations. …


4. Know your options and ask, ask, ask. Be familiar with possible perks and benefits, and ways to increase your salary; brainstorming and making lists can be useful here. …


5. Always negotiate in person. "You can't read an expression, show a presentation, or have convincing reasons quite as well on the phone as you can when you engage them [employers] face-to-face…

How to Negotiate Salary: 5 Expert Tips

Another way to make more money

It is common knowledge, but it is always nice to see it in hard numbers. What am I talking about? The relationship between education and income. Does getting a better education really increase your income potential, or is it a marketing ploy by Devry? Here are some numbers from the census bureau that should help answer the question.




Not a Graduate: $17,299
Graduate, including GED: $26,933
Some College no degree: $30,627
Associate's degree: $36,645
Bachelor's degree: $52,671
Master's degree: $66,754
Professional degree: $112,902
Doctoral degree: $91,370



What stands out to me in those numbers is that a Doctoral degree actually gets you less than a professional degree. Hmm...

For more statistics, visit the Census Bureau's site here.

Making a million as an employee

Are you happy with what you make? When do you think you will have a net worth of 1 million dollars? I started putting away money in my 401(k) when I was 24, after paying off about 10k in debt (went a little overboard with my spending when I started my job). Kiplinger.com has 12 steps to becoming a millionaire as an employee.

Get a raise
1. Keep your eyes peeled for better ways to do your job.
2. Don't be afraid to negotiate.
3. Get your ducks in a row and your numbers on paper.
4. Plot your strategy when it's time to move on.
Milk your benefits
5. Contribute as much as you can to your 401(k) and other tax-deferred retirement plans.
6. Flex your tax-saving muscle.
7. Review your tax withholding.
8. Stash savings in a Roth IRA, if you're eligible.
Invest like crazy
9. Don't delay.
10. Invest automatically
11. Watch for fund fees
12. Keep it simple.

Read the details here.

Are you paid enough?

Business 2.0 article about Payscale.com, a website that holds salary data for almost 5.5 million people.

PayScale's mission is to bring transparency to one of the deepest secrets in the labor market: who earns what. Until now, analysts like Radford Surveys & Consulting have tried to penetrate the mystery by compiling salary surveys with vast spreadsheets of payroll data collected from large companies.

Check it out here.