Let Me Tell You How Much I Earn

Let Me Tell You How Much I Earn

If you are graduating college, or in the market for a new job, you are likely consumed with thoughts and questions about salary and compensation. The Internet, while immensely helpful in all other walks of life, is silent and inadequate when it comes to researching what you can expect to earn. Websites like glassdoor.com and salary.com offer scraps of questionable information, but ultimately leave you feeling unsatisfied and, still, uninformed. We hold our earnings close to the vest; a pride-filled generational practice handed down since the first early hunters and gatherers were promoted to tribe leaders.

Last month I had lunch with a friend who said, in the course of relevant conversation, “Let me tell you what I earn”. And he did. And it was refreshing. Partly because it was important to the conversation and allowed us to finish what we had begun, but partly because people just don’t do that. I have discussed life, love, loss and more with my closest friends, but I have never honestly imparted to them what I earn in a year. Though merely a curiosity amongst friends, earnings and the lack of consistency and transparency associated with it, can be frustrating when planning for the future.

One of the most common questions I’m asked when speaking as a representative of my baseball team, is “what do you think of the exorbitant salaries in Major League Baseball?” My answer is this: Baseball players are paid accordingly with the level of revenue their contribution generates, not relative to their physical, mental or emotional contribution to the game. They play baseball. For 4 hours each day. And not every day. But they contribute to a greater sum of parts that generates more than 8 billion dollars annually. The case you make for the salary you want or need should be directly relative to your contribution. And it’s your job, when interviewing for a job, to promote that correlation.

Here’s the thing: The job you are seeking is likely going to offer less than you are hoping. And as a job-seeker, you likely need the job more than the job needs you. Exceptions? Yes. Many? No. While industries vary wildly, and earnings potential fluctuates, you are almost always likely to be underwhelmed.

There is good news, though: You are in charge of your own destiny. If you have the opportunity to interview for a job, you have the opportunity to advocate for your needs, and to put yourself in a position to get what you want. While information on salary and pay scale may fall short, you can gain a strong understanding of the position for which you’re applying, and how your skill set will allow you to excel in that position. And help you make more money for said company. And for yourself.

Control that which you can control.


Mike Abramson is the General Manager for the Hartford Yard Goats Minor League Baseball team, Double-A Affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. You can follow him on Twitter at @YardGoatsGM.

要查看或添加评论,请登录

Michael Abramson的更多文章

  • WORKPLACES ARE GETTING WOKE BUT IS IT WORKING?

    WORKPLACES ARE GETTING WOKE BUT IS IT WORKING?

    When I first went to college in the mid 90’s, I was delighted by most everything. Spaced-out classes, theater-style…

    10 条评论
  • STRONGER. FASTER. VEGAN.

    STRONGER. FASTER. VEGAN.

    Two years ago my wife made me watch a documentary called What the Health. She didn’t MAKE me, I’m a grown-up, but it…

    6 条评论
  • THE END OF THE TRAIL

    THE END OF THE TRAIL

    I have a dream. Someday, hopefully in the near future, I’d like to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail.

    48 条评论
  • THE FAILURE RESUME: A DEEP DIVE INTO THE SHALLOW END OF MY CAREER

    THE FAILURE RESUME: A DEEP DIVE INTO THE SHALLOW END OF MY CAREER

    When I was 20 years old, I put together my first resume. Typed on a word-processor, printed on resume paper, and tucked…

    28 条评论
  • WE'RE KILLING EACH OTHER WITH EMAIL

    WE'RE KILLING EACH OTHER WITH EMAIL

    This morning, when I arrived to work at 8:30am and fired up my laptop, I had 47 new emails. The 47 emails had arrived…

    13 条评论
  • THE SUPERBOWL OF HYPERBOLE A Beginners Guide to Sports Social Media

    THE SUPERBOWL OF HYPERBOLE A Beginners Guide to Sports Social Media

    In July of 2016, the Hartford Yard Goats issued a press release citing every Minor League Baseball team not following…

    1 条评论
  • HOW I BECAME A GM – My Journey to the Top of the Middle

    HOW I BECAME A GM – My Journey to the Top of the Middle

    I am the General Manager of an MLB affiliated Minor League Baseball team, one of only 160 or so in the world. I am…

    2 条评论
  • LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE: HOW TRAGEDY SHAPED ME

    LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE: HOW TRAGEDY SHAPED ME

    When I was 12 years old I was with a good friend who died suddenly. Valerie had ridden her horse by my house, which she…

    10 条评论
  • OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: A NON-BASEBALL GUY IN A BASEBALL WORLD

    OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: A NON-BASEBALL GUY IN A BASEBALL WORLD

    Through my journey as the General Manager of the Hartford Yard Goats, I have the pleasure of speaking at many dinners…

    2 条评论
  • How to Become a Big League Executive

    How to Become a Big League Executive

    The question I’m most frequently asked by college students studying Sports Management, high schools students…

社区洞察

其他会员也浏览了