Excuse my bluntness, but everyone has a price. Your price is the amount you agreed to for the position you’re in today.
This varies from company to company but the market generally sets the price. It’s an amount in exchange for your skill sets. Most of us are continually looking to increase this price.
In order to raise this price, you have to raise your skillsets through experience, education or leveraging your talents and network.
I once worked in a place where a legal consultant billed the company £1000 per day for her time. Clearly, her price was set according to what she thought she was worth.
The best part was she leveraged her network for projects she didn’t specialise in but was able to do the work through a third party and still invoice us for her time.
Despite what it cost her, she still billed her £1000 per day worth.
On the flip side, I worked at a restaurant in my younger years. I’ll be honest, it was very long hours and physically draining. Although it felt like at the time I was getting my money’s worth, in reality I wasn’t. My physical labour didn’t equate to more money or a better price.
My point in all this is the price you agree to is rarely ever your worth.
It doesn’t make business sense for companies to pay above market price. You’re capable of so much more than what you are paid for, but what are you willing to sacrifice in order to match your price with your worth?
Instead of demanding an annual pay rise or a bonus, check the market and see how much you are priced at. If you don’t like what you see, get to work on levelling up your skills or learning some new ones.
