Do you feel that you’re underpaid and underappreciated at work? Staying in a position that you feel doesn’t pay what you deserve is a career mistake.

It’s important to your financial future to take action to bring this issue to the attention of your employer and get the salary you deserve.

There could be different reasons behind your low salary. Your management might not notice your hard work or you might have accepted a job with a low starting salary.

Try these options if you feel you’re underpaid:

1. Learn to take credit for your ideas and your work. If you feel that you’re underpaid because management isn’t noticing you, it’s time to draw attention to the valuable work you do. These steps will encourage your managers to notice your talent and hard work:

• Meet with your direct supervisor to talk about your job and duties. Ask them to define what your job duties are and to assess how well you’ve been performing them.
  
• Speak up during meetings. Present your ideas with enthusiasm and take credit for what you do.
  
• Take ownership of your work by adopting a passionate attitude and celebrating every small victory and achievement.

2. Ask your manager why you’re underpaid. Your management might not realize how hard you work or might see things differently. You might find that you’ve been underpaid due to a bad performance review or that the company is struggling at the moment. Ask if there are things you can do to improve your performance and earn a raise.

3. Ask for a raise! Present your request in a tactful manner and be prepared to negotiate your new salary. Keep these tips in mind when negotiating for a raise:

• Practice your arguments on a friend beforehand.
  
• Instead of coming up with a number first, you can simply state that you feel underpaid and see what they offer.
  
• Alternatively, you can choose a mid-range number at first to leave some room for negotiating.

4. Consider taking a similar job with a different company. If your current employer isn’t noticing your hard work or cannot afford to give you a raise, you might be better off with a different employer. Working for a company in a remote area where the skills and experience you possess are not common could result in a much higher pay!

5. Consider taking on more responsibilities at work. If you can’t get higher pay for your current job duties, this is a good option if the additional duties are interesting and if your employer is willing to give you a raise for adding them. Your employer might even offer training that would be valuable to your career in the long-term.

Ask yourself which strategies make the most sense for your current situation. You’ll most likely get the salary you deserve if you can get your managers to notice you, show that you’re willing to keep working hard, and that you’re a valuable investment for the company.

Consider switching to a different employer if you get the feeling that things are not going to change. Do plenty of research to get an idea of how much employees in a similar position and with a similar background get paid, and go for it!

Karla Dennis

As seen in Forbes Magazine, Karla Dennis is an expert tax and business strategist. As an enrolled agent, Karla is licensed to represent taxpayers in all 50 states. She holds a Masters in Taxation and Business Development and is the author of two books, Tax Storm and Against the Odds.

Karla, CEO of consultancy firm Karla Dennis And Associates, Inc.™, has saved her clients thousands of dollars and has been featured in various media outlets such as Forbes, MSNBC, KTLA, Yahoo! Finance, and SmartMoney, marking her as the ultimate tax expert.

As of 2014, Karla became the new host on the “Mind Your Business” radio show, KTLK AM 1150, sharing her financial and business knowledge with the greater Orange County and Los Angeles areas. As a supporter of women’s rights and issues, Karla is part of the Women Network, an organization built to educate and mentor women. In addition, Karla is the radio host for Women Network Radio, a show that aims to uplift and empower women of all walks of life.