The Underpaid Red Flag Checklist
Salary red flags and recommended responses
| Red Flag | What to Do | Urgency |
|---|---|---|
| Your salary is below Glassdoor median for your role | Research 3 more sources; document | High |
| New hires are offered more than you earn | Request salary review meeting immediately | Very High |
| Your raise history has trailed inflation for 3+ years | Calculate real wage loss; prepare market data | High |
| You’re performing at a senior level with junior pay | Prepare promotion or salary adjustment case | High |
| Colleagues in same role earn 20%+ more | Document and address at next review | High |
| Your employer never mentions your worth in reviews | Ask explicitly: 'Am I at market for this role?' | Moderate |
How to Discover If You’re Underpaid
- Run Glassdoor, Payscale, LinkedIn Salary for your specific role, location, and years of experience
- Review job postings for similar roles — job listings reveal current market offers
- Ask peers in your industry (carefully and selectively) or check salary transparency communities
- Use the BLS Occupational Employment Statistics for government baseline data
- Complete a few recruiting conversations — asking about compensation range reveals the market
💡The Recruiter Conversations Strategy
Engaging with recruiters (even casually) is the fastest way to calibrate your market value. A 30-minute call asking 'what are you seeing for roles like mine?' reveals real-time market data. You’re under no obligation to change jobs — but you’ll quickly learn whether your current salary is competitive.
Check Your Market Rate
Enter your salary and role details — compare against market benchmarks to see if you’re being paid fairly.