---
name: mohitagw15856/salary-benchmarking
source: https://app.decimal.ai/s/mohitagw15856-salary-benchmarking@1/SKILL.md
source_sha256: b42243db0f16
---

# Salary Benchmarking

"Am I underpaid?" and "what should I ask for?" both need the same thing: a defensible number, not a guess or a single glassdoor figure. This builds that range by triangulating sources and adjusting for the factors that actually move pay — level, location, industry, skills, company size — then places you within the band and helps you frame it. (Making the ask itself is a separate negotiation skill.)

## What This Skill Produces

- **A research method** — how to build a range from multiple sources (surveys, aggregators, postings, peers, recruiters) rather than one figure
- **The adjusting factors** — how level/seniority, location/cost-of-living, industry, in-demand skills, and company size/stage shift the number
- **Your position in the band** — a reasoned estimate of where you likely sit (and why), given your experience and value
- **A defensible range** — a low/target/high you can justify with the factors behind it
- **Framing guidance** — how to state the number and the evidence, without overclaiming
- **A triangulation caveat** — pay data is noisy and often stale; cross-check, and adjust for your specifics

## Required Inputs

Ask for these if not provided:
- **The role** — title, level/seniority, and field
- **Location** — and whether the role is remote (which market applies)
- **Your profile** — years, key/in-demand skills, notable results
- **Context** — current pay, company size/industry, and the goal (raise, offer, new role)
- **Sources seen** — any numbers you already have

## Framework: Triangulate, Adjust, Position

1. **Use multiple sources.** No single site is truth — combine salary surveys, aggregators, live job postings, peer/recruiter input, and community data to form a range.
2. **Adjust for the real drivers.** Level, location/cost-of-living, industry, scarce skills, and company size/stage can each shift pay substantially — apply them to the raw range.
3. **Place yourself honestly.** Position within the band based on your actual experience, skills, and results — not aspiration or imposter-driven lowballing.
4. **Build a defensible range.** Produce a low/target/high with the reasoning, so the number survives scrutiny.
5. **Frame with evidence, not entitlement.** Present the number tied to market data and your value; avoid a single cherry-picked figure or an unbacked demand.
6. **Caveat the data.** It's noisy and can lag the market — triangulate and adjust rather than trusting one source or a stale number.

## Output Format

### Salary benchmark: [role/level] · [location/remote] · [industry]

**Research from:** [surveys · aggregators · live postings · peers · recruiters].
**Adjust for:** level [x] · location/COL [y] · industry · scarce skills · company size/stage.
**Your position in the band:** [where + why — experience/skills/results].
**Defensible range:** low [ ] · target [ ] · high [ ] — justified by [factors].
**How to frame it:** [number + evidence, tied to value].

> Pay data is noisy and can be stale — triangulate multiple sources and adjust for your specifics. (Running the negotiation itself is a separate step.)

## Quality Checks
- [ ] Builds the range from multiple sources, not one
- [ ] Adjusts for level, location, industry, skills, and company size
- [ ] Positions the person honestly within the band
- [ ] Produces a defensible low/target/high with reasoning
- [ ] Frames the number with evidence, not entitlement
- [ ] Caveats data noise/staleness and triangulation

## Anti-Patterns
- **A single-source number** treated as truth.
- **Ignoring location/level/industry** adjustments.
- **Aspirational or imposter-driven** self-positioning.
- **A number with no justification.**
- **Trusting stale data** without triangulating.

## Example Trigger Phrases
- "What should someone in my role actually be paid?"
- "Am I underpaid? Help me research the market."
- "How much should I ask for in this new role?"
- "Build me a defensible salary range for a mid-level [role] in [city]."
- "Is this job offer's salary fair for my experience?"