Personnel(ly) Speaking

A Monthly Newsletter from

Personnel Management Systems, Inc.

April 2009

  

You Get What You Pay For.....

So don’t use this data to pay

 

Good HR people understand something about compensation and what to pay people.  In fact, most of us even took more than a few statistics courses and, if pressed, could probably explain the difference between means, medians, modes, and modems.  And, like most good HR people, when we are asked “what should I pay someone?” we refer to reliable sources for the data.

 

Unfortunately, like many other subjects, the internet has made everyone an expert.  People go on the internet and “research” how much they should be paid and then want to argue that they are paid too little (curious how no one has ever called and said they are paid too much!).  Good HR people, of course, do not do their salary research on the internet.  They subscribe to and utilize complex and, in some cases, costly salary surveys compiled by real compensation experts using real statistical controls and analysis.  The data on the internet may be interesting or even “fun” to look at, but it is not statistically valid.

 

We checked out our theory and looked at some commonly referenced compensation sites to see what a Quality Control Manager in Seattle, Washington should be paid.  Here is what we found:

Payscale

 $66,000

Monster

 $96,489

Yahoo! HotJobs  

 $67,817

Indeed

 $71,000

CareerBuilder

 $81,583

Salary.com  

 $97,000

 

This is not the kind of data that you would want to use to run your company.  There is almost a 50% difference between the highest and lowest compensation above.

 

The moral to the story?  Don’t do your compensation research on the internet.  Instead, rely on compensation experts and your friendly, neighborhood HR person to help you. If you need further assistance on this or any other Human Resource issue, call on Personnel Management Systems.

 

Personnel(ly) Speaking is a monthly comment on HR issues of importance.  It is intended to provide general information and must not be construed as legal advice.  Reproductions are allowed as long as credit for this information is given to PMSI.  We welcome your comments, questions, and concerns.  © PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, INC., Corporate Office (425) 576-1900, Colorado Office (720) 497-0200, www.hrpmsi.com.