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I think that you have already received some good
counsel from the collected wisdom of the list, but
here are a few more thoughts:
>I unfortunately did not have any idea what I was "worth" at
>the time, so I took what I could get. Now that I have found
>out what the area standard for salary is, I realize that I am
>grossly underpaid.
This happens to a lot of people -- not just to new
technical writers. Those who move to a new state or
country could easily make the same mistake.
Don't be too hard on yourself at this point, and don't
let your disappointment build up into outrage or
discontent. Are you able to put a roof over your head,
feed yourself (and your family), pay down student
debts, and still go out for a movie on the weekend?
If so, you're in a lot better shape financially than a lot
of other people. Be thankful, not bitter.
Not only am I underpaid in relation to
>others in the area with the same experience and job duties,
>but there is a serious parity problem within the company. I
>started at the same wage as someone in the company who
>has only a GED, and transferred from Clerical to Customer
>Service. This is one of my key points in the negotiation.
Does your company have a salary schedule? Many
mid- to large-sized companies follow a pay schedule,
which outlines the range of salaries (minimum to
maximum) an individual with certain qualifications
and job duties can expect to be paid. If your company
does not have a salary schedule, employees will be
paid according to the "best bargaining" scale -- whoever
is best at bargaining gets the best wage.
The "best bargaining" approach is not altogether bad.
Generally companies will offer reasonable salaries based
on what the company can afford to pay. Remember that
companies do not have unlimited coffers. They may be
forced to pay their staff below-average wages simply
because they don't have money to burn on wages. It
is best to give your employer the benefit of the doubt
rather then believe that they are cruelly forcing you to
live in abject poverty. Then again, if they are forcing you
to live below the poverty line, my advice is to find
another job -- fast!
If your employer is paying you a lower-than-average
wage (and are unwilling to pay more) you can still
negotiate for non-monetary remuneration. Try asking
for better equipment, more flexible working conditions,
stocks/shares in the company, more vacation time,
and so on.
>The road block:
>I was told that the amount I was asking for was out of line
>because they just interviewed someone with a Masters in
>Tech Writing who is only asking $31,000. I was requesting
This is a common tactic in negotiation, one that you
should not be surprised by. You'll see it again and
again. Your best response is to ignore it, or counter
with salary statistics from the STC. My personal
favourite response/tactic -- in the past -- has been to
go on a few job interviews. Find out what other
employers are willing to offer you. If you get a job
offer (even if it is lower), tell your employer. This
increases your value to your company, because
the last damn thing they want to do is spend money
and time looking for your replacement. The job
interviews may also help you find your "dream job".
The key to all of this is to believe in your own value
without losing sight of the fact that the company is
(a) training you, which costs them money, (b) not
trying to ruin your life, and (c) a good place to work.
Like I said earlier, don't let salary negotiations twist
your perceptions. You might be a valued employee,
you might really like your job, and you might be earning
a decent wage based on your experience and where
you live.
>for the past four months my workload has been double because our
>third technical writer left (for better pay), and our intern was
>fired because she never showed up.
Workload is a good negotiation point. You may
have to change your tactics, though. Instead of
arguing for more money, demand that they hire
another writer so you don't have to put in so much
overtime. The quality of your work experience is
sometimes more valuable than the balance in
your bank account.
Best of luck, and don't push it too hard. Find the
balance that is right for you, and don't dream of
owning what others have -- it is complete folly,
and will only make you dissatisfied with what you
already have.
