Are you paid less than your peers? Are you feeling resentful? I hear you and I was there. Looking to the future, there are ways to channel that resentment into something that will ultimately address this injustice and get you paid a fair wage.

1. Start inquiring about a company’s practice for salary increases before you accept a job. A company’s salary increase policy deeply influences your ability to grow your rate. Accepting a job just to get in the door, and then moving up, while possible and not terrible for your experience, is potentially detrimental to getting paid a fair industry set wage.
2. Do not let your last salary dictate what you make next. First, see if your state has a law that prevents future employers from asking what your last salary was. Second, if they can and do legally ask you to share your current or last salary, clarify that what you made last was for a different job. Your compensation matches what you will deliver. If they believe you will do a good job (which they do if they are offering you the position), then they should pay you for that job, which is irrelevant to your last job’s compensation.
3. Be very informed about industry set rates before you consider an offer. Researching standard rates for the work you’re about to perform is essential to being informed about what you can realistically expect and what you should accept. Negotiations are generally in favor of the company because they have the money and you need a job. However, you can level the playing field by doing your homework and showing up equipped with more information.