SINGAPORE: A Singaporean worker felt disappointed after finding out his employer had lowballed him.
On Saturday (Feb 8), he shared his experience on Reddit’s ‘Ask Singapore’ forum, explaining that he had tried negotiating a higher salary before accepting the job last year. However, he didn’t push too hard and eventually settled for the offer, which was already a 10% increase from his previous salary. “I was quite desperate to land a new role as I had been out of employment for a while,” he admitted.
Recently, though, he discovered something that made him question whether he had made the right decision. A fresh graduate on his team, who had joined just a few months before him, earned 7% more despite having no prior work experience. This realization left him undervalued, as he had two years of engineering experience and performed the same job.
“I know there are salary ranges for job postings, but for the fresh grad to have no experience but yet make more than me in the same role….. can’t help but feel bad about it,” he expressed.
He turned to the forum for advice and asked, “How should I handle this situation? And how could I have done better during the job interview process to negotiate?”
“Do not compare with fresh grads. It’s all about what you’re worth…”
In the comments section, many Singaporean Redditors pointed out that having more experience doesn’t always guarantee a higher salary. They speculated that other factors might have come into play in this case.
Some suggested that the fresh grad may have received a higher job offer elsewhere and used it as leverage during salary negotiations. Others believed that the fresh grad might have possessed stronger skills, demonstrated better performance, or had notable academic achievements that gave them an edge.
A few also noted that companies sometimes allocate different budgets for different hires depending on the timing of recruitment or market conditions.
One Redditor wrote, “You can only claim you’re lowballed if you have obtained a better offer elsewhere. Until then, you’re paid fairly and exactly what you’re worth in this market. Do not compare with fresh grads or whatever – there are plenty of fresh grads that outearn people twice their age. It’s all about what you’re worth to the market and how many competing offers you have.”
Another added, “Like you said, you were desperate to land a new role. You had no leverage; HR factored that in; you were ‘fairly’ priced based on your circumstances.”
Still, a few Redditors sympathized with the worker, acknowledging how frustrating it must be to earn less despite having experience. They suggested bringing it up with management or his boss to see if there was any way to address the pay gap.
One Redditor commented, “Talk to your boss if you’re confident he likes you and wants to keep you. It happened in my company recently, and he got a raise.”
Others encouraged him to start looking for a better-paying job. One Redditor said, “Honestly, the best thing for you to do if you’re unhappy with your salary is to move to another company.”
What to do if you find out your coworker is earning more than you
Finding out a coworker makes more than you can be pretty frustrating, especially when doing the same amount of work or even more.
But before reacting out of anger or envy, salary negotiation coach Olivia Jaras suggests taking a step back and approaching the situation logically. Instead of letting emotions take over, start gathering solid evidence.
Check what people in similar roles at other companies are earning. Gather proof of the value you bring to your workplace, including your achievements, contributions, and any extra responsibilities you have taken on since you started.
Once you have researched and figured out a fair number based on your skills and impact, meet with your manager to discuss a raise. Keep the focus on your worth, not on what your coworker is making. The goal is to prove why you deserve higher pay, not just to point out that someone else is earning more.
If, however, your request is denied despite presenting strong evidence, Jaras advises looking for new job opportunities where your work is better valued.
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Featured image by Depositphotos(for illustration purposes only)