How to promote yourself when you're underpaid

If you’re in the market looking for a job and it so happens that you’ve been working for your current employer for years earning modest annual increases, chances are you need to negotiate more with the future employer to bring up the proposed salary at par with the market average. Simply put, how do you get ahead if you’re paid below industry average?

According to Risk Slayton, President of Slayton Search Partners in Chicago, underpaid professionals may need to change jobs more often over a short period of time.

"They have to look at this as a two step proposition," he says. "They have to get themselves closer to the market average in one move and they'll likely have to move again three to four years later to get themselves to a competitive compensation level."

Other than the paycheck, you also have to look at other fringe benefits like signing bonus, the possibility of telecommuting, vacation days, reimbursement for education expenses and the like.

While it's true that tougher times calls for tighter budgets for most companies, it doesn't mean that you should allow yourself to be paid less than industry average. Know your strong points, capitalize on your skills and experience and negotiate wisely. You may have to set a specific target tied to your bonus to prove your worth to the company. You have to be aggressive to reach the salary levels of other professionals in your industry.