how much are you worth

How Much are You Worth?

(It’s more than you think!)A DAWEG Seminar Aimed at Senior Women

Engineering and Geoscience Students

by E. Croft, P. Eng. and K. Savage P. Eng. 1999-2006 DAWEG, E. Croft and K. Savage


Don’t Sell Yourself Short• The decision to hire you is the “big” one. • Salary negotiations generally won’t affect it.• Future pay raises are increments of your starting

salary.• APEGBC Recommended 2002 starting median

salary is: $46,850. Considering current inflation rates that’s about $50,700 for 2006. If there is anything that makes you more than mediocre, then ask for more!


Don’t Sell Yourself Short II• Letting yourself go “cheap” reduces your

value to your company.• So know your own worth. One tool you can

use is the APEGBC Compensation Survey: http://www.apeg.bc.ca/library/compsurvey.html

• Compare yourself fairly to your peers – networking pays – find out what others are being offered in comparable jobs.


The Numbers Game• In negotiations, whoever names the number first loses. HR

people may ask: How much? They are doing this as part of their evaluation.

• You can answer with questions:– What is the salary range for this position/others like it in the

company (you should try to find this out ahead of time)– How do your compensation levels compare to the APEGBC

recommendations, or to the industry average (Mech, Civil, EECE, etc.) (Warning! HR people do NOT like these surveys)

• You should be prepared to discuss the question. Knowing how much you want demonstrates self-confidence and self-worth – but don’t get cornered into a naming a number – that is THEIR job.


Other Salary Tools

• http://www.hitechsalary.com/index.cfm

(salaries seem a bit high, but will give you a ball park – specific to cities in Canada)

• https://www.payscale.com

(specific to cities in Canada – salaries seem reasonable)

• Job Advertisements often list pay scales.


Don’t Sell Yourself Short III

• Carefully review any contract you are ask to sign. If there are things you can’t agree with, black them out and initial the blackouts before you sign. Make sure you keep a copy of your contract.

• Make sure the process for review and advancement is clearly understood. Your first review should be within 6 months.


Take Your Time• Don’t “jump” at the first offer you get. Take your

time, and consider each offer carefully - you can ask for at least a few days.

• Engineering is cyclical, it has slow times and hot areas…Sometimes it may take a year or so to find full time employment; this isn’t abnormal - stay networked and current through courses, professional volunteer activities, conferences, etc.


Act Professionally

• Once you have accepted an offer you cannot turn around and accept another (better offer) from another company.

• HR professionals talk to each other – be warned.

• Do not directly discuss other offers during negotiations – this usually provokes a highly negative response.


Gender Based Pay Inequities

• Anyway you slice it, they exist – so it is good to be aware of these issues.

• Lets have a look at the numbers...


Statistics Canada Data(Full Time Earnings)

Area of Employment Female % of Male

Computer Services 95%

Telecommunications 85%

Engineers/Architects 74%

Civil 77%

Mechanical 67%

Electrical 87%

Chemical 66%


1996 APEGBC Survey: salary and responsibility level by year of graduation

30000

35000

40000

45000

50000

55000

60000

65000

70000

75000

80000

Year of Graduation

Sa

lary

200

250

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450

500

550

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Po

ints

Men Median Salary

Women Median Salary

Men Median points

Women Median points



30000

35000

40000

45000

50000

55000

60000

65000

70000

75000

80000

Year of Graduation

Sa

lary

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Po

ints

Men Median Salary

Women Median Salary

Men Median points

Women Median points



30000

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50000

60000

70000

80000

90000

100000

Year of Graduation

Sa

lary

200

250

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450

500

550

600

650

700

Po

ints

Men Median Salary

Women Median Salary

Men Median points

Women Median points



30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

80000

90000

100000

Year of Graduation

Sa

lary

200

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Po

ints

Men Median Salary

Women Median Salary

Men Median points

Women Median points

three woman sample


1996 APEGBC Survey: compensation versus responsibility level

3000040000

5000060000

700008000090000

100000110000

120000130000

140000150000160000

170000180000

190000200000

Points

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$-

$20.00

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int

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lue

male median salary

female median salary

male $/point

female $/point



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110000

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Points

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male median salary


male $/point

female $/point



3000040000

50000600007000080000

90000100000110000

120000130000140000

150000160000170000180000

190000200000

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luemale median salary


male $/point

female $/point



30000

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80000

90000

100000

110000

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<200 225 275 325 375 425 475 525 575 625 675 725 775 825 >850

Points

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male median salary


male $/point

female $/point


Analysis I

• Median salaries for women are lower than men, no matter how you look at the numbers.

• As experience goes up, women are increasingly underpaid compared to their male counterparts (based on both years from graduation, and “experience” points).


Analysis II

• For both sexes, compensation per “experience point” goes down until it reaches a certain level (700 pts) after which compensation goes way up!

• Unfortunately, the glass ceiling is as hard as rock! No statistical data for women above about 600 pts!

• SO… WHAT CAN YOU DO?


Conclusions: Knowledge is Power

• Know the starting salaries of your peers.

• Know the recommended starting salary.

• Re-evaluate your salary/experience EVERY year – the largest increases in your salary occur when you move to a new job.

• Keep your resume up to date as well – and ready to go.


Stay Connected• As an EIT/GIT or P.Eng./P.Geo, DAWEG

is your organization, for networking, workshops, symposiums, and just getting connected! MEN are WELCOME!!!!

• EMAIL: [email protected]

• WebPage: www.mech.ubc.ca/~daweg

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