Career Comparison: Know Where You Stand

Career comparison is one of the best methods to assess your career progression. Are you on track? Are you ahead of your peers? Is your career path changing from its traditional course? All of these questions can be answered by comparing careers to both peers and mentors.

But how can you compare your career to someone else’s? Knowing your peers’ background including schools, degrees attained, and previous experience can provide insights.

The most pertinent of career comparisons is compensation. Most people are unwilling or afraid to compare compensation for fear of retribution from breaking company policies. It’s true companies tend to frown upon this type of behavior, but why? The reason is that if everyone knew what the other earned in compensation, then the company would have to explain why certain people get paid more (or less) for doing the same job. Discrimination lawsuits have erupted from that information. But what if your company IS discriminating?

Salary calculators including SalaryBase provide title based compensation comparators so people can see the range they can expect for performing a certain job. This service is much needed, but only goes so far. For example, these services don’t explain WHY there is a range and what differentiates someone at the top of the compensation range from someone at the bottom. Is it experience, educational background, nepotism? No one knows. And employers don’t want you to know.

If you're serious about knowing your career status, just ask those around you. The worst they can say is no.