3/8     How accurate do people find the figures from http://www.salary.com to be?
        I'm deciding on a job offer, and was hoping someone can help me
        evaluate.  Thnx.  Oh.  Job is software engineering, of course.
        \_ I find them accurate.
        \_ I don't find them accurate, but it's hard to say.  I was being
           paid $10k less than what http://salary.com said, and when I brought it
           up to management they said my company does extensive market
           research to make sure we are paid at Market or better, based on
           individual skill set, experience, blah, blah.
           \_ Man, that's a shitty way to find out that you're being screwed
              by your employer.
           \_ Did you expect them to apologize for underpaying you?
              \_ No, I expected them to adjust my pay to a fair amount.
                 \_ Didn't work, did it?  Next time ask for something more
                    achievable, like world peace or blow jobs from the
                    receptionist.
           \_ 10% less than the median or 10% less than the 25th percentile?
              I have pretty much always been paid around the 75th percentile
              according to their job descriptions. You have to get the
              title that goes with your number of years of experience though.
              I have pretty much always been paid between the 50th and 75th
              percentile according to their job descriptions. You have to get
              the title that goes with your number of years of experience
              though, which isn't always your title at work.
              \_ In this case it was $10k less than the median, and I
                 used the correct number of years in the calc.
                 \_ Unless you are a substandard performer (and you should
                    know that from performance reviews, etc) you are being
                    underpaid then. If you have asked them for a raise and
                    shown them the comps, then you have no recourse but
                    to start looking for another job. It is probably a
                    good idea to interview every other year or so in any
                    case, to keep yourself fresh
           \_ That's exactly what my manager told me when I asked four years
              ago.  Then my company went bankrupt, and two months later I got
              an offer which was 20% over my old salary (I told them my old
              salary).  If I had really been paid at market, I don't think
              anyone would offer me a 20% increase knowing that I was already
              jobless for two months.
        \_ It depends on the company.  My old job I was < 25th percentile;
           my new one (pretty much same job description) I'm 75th.