Found out my boss makes $80k more than me for the same job

Saw the salary list on a shared drive by accident last Tuesday. We both do the same tasks but he came from a bigger company. How do I bring this up without looking like I snooped?

2 comments

2 Comments

quinnbailey1d agoTop Commenter

Wait, are you sure it's actually the same job though? I mean titles can be the same but responsibilities really differ. That bigger company experience he brought in might actually mean he's handling stuff you don't see, like higher level client stuff or strategy work. Not saying it's fair, but companies always pay for what they think someone brings from outside. You gotta think about what you can actually point to that shows your work is identical, not just the job listing. If you really want to bring it up, frame it as wondering about the pay band and what it takes to move up, not that you saw his exact number.

rowan5931d ago

Honestly Quinn brings up a good point but here's something nobody's talking about. What if the new guy negotiated his offer way better than OP did back when they started? Like maybe OP accepted their first offer without pushing back while this guy came in and fought for more money from the jump. Companies don't always base pay on performance or responsibility, sometimes it's just who asks for more during the hiring process. Makes you wonder if the real lesson here isn't about comparing work but about learning to negotiate harder when you walk through that door.