Remember also that salary often reflects luck, willingness to be unethical, and many other qualities that have nothing to do with your worth.
Unethical is a strong word, when employers have had the upper hand for way to long. How many times have you heard "$X is the highest we can go for this position" or "the maximum budget is $Y" only to find out a coworker makes more than $X or $Y? Ever heard that "company policy limits raises to 5%" and then find out someone got 10%?
I have made a science of strongarming raises out of my employers (threatening to quit, using counteroffers as leverage), switching jobs often, and stretching the truth with salary history. For example, when I made $80k with a 20% bonus (I had a good shot of getting it) I reported my "total compensation" as $96k when I interviewed. The next job offered $110k to convince me to sign. It's no more unethical than the old "max budget" line companies give.
I refuse to work in adtech (including Facebook and Google), military, or MLM schemes. I don't think everyone who does those things is unethical, but I won't even work for a company whose products I think are bad for their users/customers.
Because of that, I'm giving up on multiple high-paying opportunities every year. Is my overall income lower as a result? Maybe, maybe not. But it can't be helping me, financially speaking.
Unethical is a strong word, when employers have had the upper hand for way to long. How many times have you heard "$X is the highest we can go for this position" or "the maximum budget is $Y" only to find out a coworker makes more than $X or $Y? Ever heard that "company policy limits raises to 5%" and then find out someone got 10%?
I have made a science of strongarming raises out of my employers (threatening to quit, using counteroffers as leverage), switching jobs often, and stretching the truth with salary history. For example, when I made $80k with a 20% bonus (I had a good shot of getting it) I reported my "total compensation" as $96k when I interviewed. The next job offered $110k to convince me to sign. It's no more unethical than the old "max budget" line companies give.