Here Is Why You Should Get Paid for the Job You Do
By: Murad Zamanov
Tags: Employee Engagement, Employee Experience, Money, Work, Human Resources

Some of you reading the title of this article might find it very weird and unrealistic nowadays. But unfortunately, life is like gambling — it is difficult to predict, and what is obvious for us often pains us with an unexpected result.

I’d work even for free! No, you better don’t.

Based on the USA Today report, millennials want happiness more than money at work. Meaning that the generation between 25 and 35 would prefer to get paid less but do more valuable work than just accomplishing tasks.

It is not a secret that not everyone is lucky enough to work and even start a professional career with the job they love. Most people even start working in school or university times, on holidays, to have some pocket money and feel this financial independence. Students might ride from district to district by doing a courier job to save some money for personal purchases.

But some find the opportunity that meets professional requirements. Well, at some part of life, we all had this feeling of saying, “oh, I’d work there even for free!”. The possibility to say this phrase at the beginning of your career is quite higher than at any further career step.

That’s why we often have the mindset of “doing for money” and “doing for my soul,” and unfortunately, we often confuse those concepts. They are unplaceable wrong when it comes to the work you do for others. Also important to note, the fact that you do is already more important than the main reasons which strived you to do a certain job.

Lack of experience is not a sign of working for free.

Unfortunately, there are many cases when an employer makes privileged in providing a job opportunity for the candidate. It is ridiculous and leads to big problems in the future, but in the short term — even employees themselves might not see any potential threat in such kind of behavior.

Most early starters think that the absence of experience might be a valuable excuse for an employer to delay recognition or not perform any bonuses at all. That’s absolutely wrong. It damages the self-confidence and might cause problems in the future. There is nobody to be that inexperienced not to earn money.

We live in an age where unpaid internships are being banned to prevent unemployment among youth. That’s why it is tough to find excuses for an employer that tries to justify not to pay employees.

First of all, if you are a bad match for the requirements your employer has, then you wouldn’t be invited. Imagine how not bright is the future of the company you are working for if they sign you are knowing beforehand that you are not a good one? Yeah, barely someone would do that.

Secondly, you do a job, and recognition must arrive accordingly.

I’m shy to talk about money.

There are plenty of people at the interview stage who might behave uncertain to the question “what are your salary expectations?” by showing their inner desire to move to the next question as soon as possible. Difficult to highlight a specific reason for doing so. It can be a timid person or unprofessionalism.

Be that as it may, it is crucial to make clear the desired salary. Saying “don’t know” is equal to “lazy to google” in 2020. Please do yourself a favor, search for at least an average salary for the according to position, and sound it out.

There are plenty of salary calculators, enough to type it in Google. Reviews on Glassdoor, Quora, and similar platforms help you better understand the average salary of a candidacy similar to yours.

You will be whether accepted or offered a bit different contract by the employer. If negotiations will be failed, then it is the employer who couldn’t match your requirements, not vice versa. This difference should be known for every person willing to start a professional career.

Keep it legal

Like any other one, an employment contract is a must in the deals where are sums of money are somehow circulating. This should interest both to employer and employee. It is fundamental and must.

A company or startup you are working for might go through challenging times, having financial difficulties that might cause team productivity. This is an okay scenario through which went even the current digital giants. I’m sure it is also a powerful opportunity for an employee to show up his or her loyalty towards the company by contributing despite problems that been faced by the employer. It is also usually being highly valued by employers.

However, this all should not go above the employee contract. Meaning that all you have done has to be noted and considered no matter the company's size. This, at least, will guarantee any possible post payments.

Getting paid makes you more valuable.

Believe it or not, but if you do a job for free — you will never be that much appreciated as if it would be a paid job. What is more surprising is that you can deliver the same quality as if you would be paid, but the employer will never understand it. It won’t be countable.

Your attempts go past the checkout. Your deserved income won’t be considered in the financial predictions. Your payment will be always postponed to the better times.

Summary

Regardless of our personal values, vision, and goals, we strive for a certain material need for basic things in life. Saying they are not important is a lie. But the aim of this blog post is not to blame or teach anyone to love cash.

It is more about what kind of challenges employees can meet nowadays. This scenario comes more realistic in the pandemic period when finding a job is such a luxury thing that can be used by employers who prefer not to pay.