The New Colleague Earns More – Is That Fair?

The New Colleague Earns More – Is That Fair?

You have a newly hired colleague and find out that she earns more than you. Naturally, you are upset and ask yourself whether this is fair. Of course, it may be that there is indeed an injustice. But before you hit the roof with anger, you should not stop at a superficial glance, but look for reasons why your new colleague earns more.

How Does It Come To A Certain Salary?

When setting a salary, somewhat different standards are applied in every company. On the one hand, a salary must fit into the internal structure. That means the job profile, the employee’s qualifications, her soft skills, but also external factors such as the size and economic strength of the company and regional aspects play a role. One important thing is missing from this list. What performance does the employee deliver and how well is she able to position or market herself to the boss and other decision-makers?

Does The New Colleague Who Earns More Really Do The Same Job?

If you are concerned that the new colleague earns more than you, you should compare all aspects that play a role in salary determination. Does she have a similar area of responsibility to you? Does she have the same experience and qualifications? Does she have references that indicate the quality with which she does her job? If you have made all these comparisons and still think that the new colleague is unfairly earning more than you, then the last remaining reason is: she has sold herself better compared to you.

The Digital Career Guide Tells You Whether Your New Colleague Rightly Deserves More

If you are convinced that the new colleague is unfairly earning more than you, there are still two options that you can use to plan your next steps.

The new colleague earns more than you, but is paid at the market rate. This means that your own salary is below your market value.
The new colleague’s salary is higher than the market rate. This means that you may be paid according to your market value, but obviously above-average salaries are also possible in your company.

You can find out which of these options is right for you using the Slected.me digital career coach, for example. You can filter out employees with comparable job profiles and qualifications from countless data sets and get an idea of your actual market value.

So That The Newly Hired Colleague Does Not Earn More Than You, You Must Become Active

In order to eliminate the injustice, you need to actively address the issue of salary increases. Depending on which of the two options above turns out to be the right one, you need to structure your arguments. Maybe you can even pick up some tips from your new colleague or learn something from her. After all, she seems to have a better grasp of self-marketing and negotiation skills. Don’t be afraid to aggressively highlight your achievements and successes in salary negotiations. Avoid clumsy and simple comparisons with your colleague. Bosses do not like it when such cross-comparisons are made. Put yourself and your skills at the center of the discussion.

If Everything is Falling Apart

If you incomprehensibly don’t get a hearing from your boss, don’t throw in the towel. Perhaps the timing was not optimal and there will be a second opportunity in the near future. Of course, it is not forbidden to think about changing jobs. After all, the new colleague has her own story and a position has just become available where she comes from.