For the last year I have worked as a contractor for a medical manufacturing company. It's small, but recently acquired by one of these huge mega-corperations that exists in 3 countries.
7ish months into my contract, I learned I was getting paid $6 less per hour than anyone else in the building. It only took one meeting and a couple weeks to “correct”.
These people will screw me if I let them.
However my direct management is great, and they did fix my wage fairly quickly. After crunch time, me and a coworker I trained to help me both received a bonus.
But they WILL SCREW ME if I LET them.
I am now being hired on. I low-key do the work of 2, maybe 3 people, though I am only busy for about half a day becuase I am good at my job.
The first time I mentioned negotiating compensation for my new title as a direct hire, HR ghosted me for an entire week. Now they have asked me “What I envision for compensation”.
Edit: title should say exhaustion, not anxiety.
My new job title is support scientist. It's a meaningless title, but better than lab tech. The 25th percentile is $2.16/hour above my current rate. The 75th percentile is $21.15/hour. That's a ridiculous range.
I am the only person who does what I do, but training someone else to do it would take 2 days. I know. The previous person who did this job quit on my first day.
If I quit, they will need to replace me with multiple people. HR neither knows this or would care. We are bleeding people and institutional knowledge constantly. I don't fear losing this job.
I make $24/hour. The store down the street pays $16/hour and would hire me in a matter of days. A company that is within my skill set but not a competitor would pay me $25/hour in the same city, it just might take a few months for a good-faith position to open.
But what do I envision for compensation?
$26/hour would almost correct inflation. Almost.
$29/hour would make my life a hell of a lot easier.
$37.28/hour is actually average pay for my job title in the US according to ZipRecruiter.
I am so tired of dealing with the process getting hired on. They ignored me for a week. And I have no idea what to say except “More”.