I've changed job positions and let them know my previous pay since they are in that role now. Sadly I think their pay is generally smaller since I negotiate until I embarrass myself and my friends are women and I understand that the negotiations are less aggressive from that population in general.
I made 12% more than them at the same job role.
And at my current I'm also about that much higher than the bottom paid (a guy internal promotion).
I asked for 12% raise citing my usefulness to the team as a whole. Still waiting on the results of that. It seems I negotiate in a very clumsy manner but still getting better results than those I know about.
Possibly those that get paid less share their pay, but those that get paid more do not?
Personally: I've reached the point where I don't want to know what my colleagues make. I know many of them make significantly more, but that's fine. In some cases I'm outright happy for them.
Yes you are exploited if you don’t know what would be possible.
Here’s an analogy. Say I wait tables at a restaurant. If I discover my boss has been skimming off my tips, I’m going to be upset — even if I was perfectly happy with my pay before I learned that.
If salaries are public it isn't a super rare case where friendly coworkers will help to build you up to asking for that promotion.
I agree with this 90%. More information is very useful most of the time, as long as it is high quality.
However, given that we humans do not have infinite processing power or infinite emotional capacity, there are obviously limits to the amount of information we want to have at any point in time. And these limits will change depending on the situation and our own internal state.
Outside of some progressive companies, what jobs exist where everyone's salary is public at the time of negotiation (when hired?) and people can negotiate salaries 2x or more for the same position?
Do you think you deserve to make 2x what your colleague does?
Did you tell your colleague why you think you deserve 2x their salary?
But the main point is that knowledge is power. Ignorance may protect your fragile ego from inconvenient truths but it’s not bliss.
And when they can't, do you think they will raise your coworkers salary to match yours, or bring yours down? (I know what I'd bet on) Persons who benefit from that asymmetry of information may not even know it. I'm not saying you are one of those people, but if your first reaction wasn't "Yes I deserve to get paid 2x my coworker", then I suspect you won't continue to be in a transparent system.
You also skipped over my first question in my previous reply. I am interested in your feedback on that. You claim that "knowledge is power". Can you point to an industry or large segment of jobs where this sort of salary negotiation (such as yours) takes place in a transparent system. Alternatively, can you point to any study/research that backs up your claim?
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One example is CEOs and top execs. Their salaries are public and have shot through the roof in the last few decades. Pro sports also comes to mind. It's much easier to ask for more when you know how much your peers are making.
To the people who think they negotiated really well and want this to be kept from their coworkers I say that a lot of you have been lied to and you are making what everybody else makes or even less. I still remember a guy proudly telling me about his great contract and his face when I told him that I made almost twice as him.