My Self-Esteem In Dollars

Ok, so here is the situation: I get a job offer that would include a .8% raise. With my skillset, I am currently making 16% under my market value. I have been the least-paid software developer in any given company for about the past five or six years.

Mistake #1: I stayed at the same company for six years and allowed myself to be drastically underpaid and endured a company-wide salary-freeze for at least three of those years. My skillset and experience grew but my salary did not.

Mistake #2: When I went to my next job I gave my salary history. Because it was already low, the company thought I could start at less than market value. I still demanded somewhat more pay and got it but was still under-market value significantly. I did not believe my skills were good enough and actually felt guilty because I thought I demanded too much and was over-paid.

Mistake #3: When I went to my next job I again gave my salary history. Because it was already low, the company thought I could start at less than market value. I had just been downsized and felt terribly inept and took what they gave me without any negotiations.

Mistake #4: In my most recent interview for a new job I again gave my salary history. Because it was already low, the company thought I could start at less than market value. This is the company that offerred me the .8% salary increase. After they made the offer, I agreed to it and went back to my desk and thought a while.

Software development is not as lucrative as some fields but is much more lucrative than most. Because so few of the population can program at all, much less program ingeniously, a mediocre programmer can make more than the average worker. I am grateful for this and thankful that I can program mediocrely but something is not right. It was just a month or so ago that I was getting offers that would make for AT LEAST a 16% raise. I did not take them because I was holding out for a job closer to home with a better commute.

So I then walk over to the cube of a co-worker and started to discuss salaries. I found out that, again, I am the least-paid developer in the department and that everyone else is making AT LEAST 15% more than I. My co-worker informs me of what I should demand given my skillset, education, and extensive experience. I decided to take a stand.

I phoned the potential employer back and informed them that I am no negotiator but it is past time for me to stop settling for less than my market value; thus, I refused the job. He stated that he would run it by his boss and get back to me. I did not care, I was tired of being taken advantage of just because I don't feel very confident in myself, I am too nice, am female, and tend to be loyal to a company regardless of their treatment. I informed them that had give them my minimum salary requirements and would not take less.

To my surprise, the potential employer sent me a revised offer later in the day increasing my offer from a .8% increase to a 12.4% increase. That still puts me at 3.6% under market value; however, due to the high desireability of the job and opportunities, I will probably accept the offer tomorrow.

It is time for me to move along in the world on many fronts so let's go. I just hope I can stop giving potential employer's my damn salary history.