Looking to land a job that truly pays what you deserve? This friendly, easy-to-read guide shows you how to find the right role, negotiate your worth, and make smart career moves. Practical tips, real-life examples, and a straightforward approach to help you get the pay you deserve.

How to Find a Job That Pays What You Deserve

    We all want a job where we feel valued—and that includes being paid what we deserve. But how do you go from “just getting by” to “earning what I’m worth”? In this blog post, I’ll walk you through a friendly, down-to-earth guide on finding a job with the right pay. We’ll cover practical tips you can start today, real examples you can relate to, and how you can confidently move toward a job that truly matches your value.

1. Know Your Value

a) Understand your skills and achievements

Before you go job-hunting or negotiating pay, you need to know what you bring to the table. Make a list:

• What skills do you have? (technical, soft skills, language, management)

• What results have you produced? (projects completed, revenue impacted, cost saved)

• What makes you different from others?

Example:
Sarah is a graphic designer. She realized that she not only designs logos, she also improved turnaround time by 20% at her current firm and helped bring in 5 new clients. She wrote that down. Now she knows she brings more than just “design”.

b) Research market pay

Next, figure out what people with your role, experience, and location are getting paid. Use salary-sites (like Glassdoor, PayScale, LinkedIn Salary) and job-ad listings to get a feel.

Example:
John is a data analyst in Yogyakarta with 3 years of experience. He checks job ads and finds similar roles paying between IDR 8 million–12 million monthly. He uses that as his benchmark.

c) Set a clear pay target

Once you know your value and market pay range, set a target range you aim for. Include minimum acceptable pay, ideal pay, and stretch pay.

Example:
Maria is a digital marketer with 5 years’ experience. She sets: minimum IDR 10 million monthly, ideal IDR 12 million, stretch IDR 14 million. That way she knows when to accept, negotiate, or walk away.

2. Identify Jobs That Match Your Value (Not Just Any Job)

A well-paying job isn’t just about the number—it’s about the match between what you offer and what the job asks for.

a) Read job descriptions carefully

Look for jobs where the responsibilities match what you’re good at. If you’re meant to bring new clients but your experience is internal only, there’s a mismatch.

b) Prioritize roles that highlight your strengths

If you excel at something specific, target jobs that mention it. This lets you show your strength and justify higher pay.

Example:
Lia is excellent with user-experience research (UX) and conversion rate optimization (CRO). She spots a job ad for “UX/CRO Specialist” instead of just “UX Designer”. That role matches her specific strength and commands higher pay because it’s more specialized.

c) Filter out roles that undervalue your experience

Some jobs ask for “entry-level” but expect “5 years experience”. These are tricky. If they pay at entry-level rates, skip them—unless you’re going for other compensations (learning, network).

Example:
Tom sees a “Marketing Manager” job requiring “10 years experience” but offers entry-level pay. He decides to wait for something reasonably matched rather than accept poor value.

3. Tailor Your Application to Show Your Worth

One of the most neglected parts of job search is customizing your application so that employers immediately see why they should pay you more.

a) Craft a strong résumé / CV

Focus on results, not just duties.

• Use bullet points: “Improved customer retention by 15% in 12 months.”

• Highlight measurable achievements.

• Use keywords from the job description (this helps with Applicant Tracking Systems – ATS).

b) Write a matching cover letter or email

Explain how you solved problems in past roles and how you’ll do it for this employer.

Example:
If the job ad says “We need someone who can increase social media engagement and drive leads,” your letter might say:

“In my last role I increased social engagement by 45% and generated 120 qualified leads in 6 months. I look forward to bringing this momentum to your team.”

c) Prepare your portfolio or work samples (if relevant)

If you’re in design, writing, marketing, data analysis, etc., have samples ready. Make sure they reflect your best work and show impact.

4. Network Smartly (Because Who You Know Does Help)

Having the right connections can open doors to better-paying roles you won’t always find on job boards.

a) Use LinkedIn (or local equivalent) for networking

• Update your profile to reflect your skills, achievements, and pay target (in terms of roles you’re aiming for, not salary).

• Post or share relevant content to show you’re active in your field.

• Connect with people in roles you aspire to, or in companies you’d like to join.

b) Attend professional events or meetups

Even informal events help you learn about opportunities. Meet-ups, webinars, local industry gatherings.

Example:
Raj attends a startup-tech meet-up in Yogyakarta and meets two founders. One later reaches out when they needed a product-manager-type role and offers him an interview at a good pay level (because they liked his attitude and experience).

c) Ask for informational interviews

Reach out to someone doing the job you want and ask for a short chat to learn. Not to ask for a job—but to learn. They might mention open roles or tips.

5. Prepare to Negotiate Your Pay (Don’t Just Accept the First Offer)

When you get an offer, the negotiating phase is where you translate your value into actual pay. Many people forget this and accept whatever is given.

a) Know your minimum and target again

Remember the range you set (see section 1). Don’t accept anything less than your minimum unless you have other strong benefits to make up for it.

b) List your reasons for higher pay

• Your skills/experience (specifics)

• Achievements and results

• Market rate data for similar roles

• The value you’ll bring (future-oriented)

Example:
During an interview, Emma says:

“Given that I brought in 60% more leads than our previous quarter, and I understand your goals for Q4 are very aggressive, my market research shows roles like this in this area pay around IDR 13–15 million. I’m comfortable at IDR 14 million.”

c) Consider other compensation elements

If the employer can’t move on base pay, explore:

• Signing bonus

• Performance bonus or commission

• Extra vacation days

• Flexible working hours / remote work

• Learning and development budget

• Stock options (for startups)

d) Practice and role-play

Negotiation is less scary when you’ve practiced what you’ll say. Have an informal talk with a friend or rehearse in front of a mirror.

6. Improve Your Skills Continuously (Make Yourself Worth More)

To deserve higher pay, you must keep growing.

a) Identify high-value skills in your field

Look at job ads for senior roles and note what they want. Then start learning those skills.

Example:
Amanda is a software tester. She notices many roles ask for automation skills (Selenium, Cypress). She takes an online course, builds a sample project, and now she’s ready for better-paying QA automation roles.

b) Get certifications or tangible proof

Having a certificate or portfolio project can give credence to your skills.

c) Take initiative at your current job

Even before switching jobs, you can boost your value:

• Offer to lead a new initiative

• Volunteer for cross-department projects

• Mentor junior colleagues

• Quantify your impact

This makes your résumé stronger and gives you more leverage for pay.

7. Be Mindful of Company Fit (Culture, Growth Potential & Stability)

Even if the pay is good, a bad fit or unstable company can hurt you in the long run.

a) Research company culture

Check reviews on websites like Glassdoor, ask current or former employees, read press articles.

b) Look at growth and stability

• Is the company growing or shrinking?

• What are their financials or recent news?

• Do they invest in employees?

c) Ensure alignment with your career goals

You might get paid well now but if you’re stuck in a role with no growth, you might be limiting future value.

Example:
David got an offer for IDR 20 million monthly at a startup. But he discovered the startup had no clear roadmap, frequent layoffs, and little training. He decided to hold off and took a slightly lower-paying job at a more stable company with career progression. That decision paid off later.

8. Keep Tracking Your Progress and Re-Assess Regularly

Getting a job that pays what you deserve isn’t a one-time event—it’s a career journey.

a) Maintain a “career journal”

Every three to six months, write down:

• What you achieved (big or small)

• Skills you learned

• Feedback from your boss or clients

• Areas you want to improve

• Whether your pay still aligns with your value

b) Set deadlines to apply for new roles or negotiate

If you’re in a role with poor pay growth, set a date: “By December I will either negotiate a raise or look for a new job.” Deadlines help you act.

c) Don’t settle

If you accepted a job below your target because of timing or special reasons, set clear next steps. Don’t fall into “just okay” pay permanently.

Real-Life Examples to Keep You Motivated

• Anna was working as an administrative assistant for IDR 4 million per month. She realized she helped manage the company’s social media and booked events—skills beyond her title. She walked into her boss’s office with documented results (event cost savings, marketing leads) and asked for a promotion and raise. She got both and now earns IDR 6.5 million.

• Budi, a junior full-stack developer, targeted a mid-level role. He spent 3 months learning React, building a portfolio app, and contributing to an open-source project. When he applied for a role, he showed his app and open-source contributions. They offered him the mid-level salary, not junior. He jumped from IDR 8 million to 12 million.

• Clara, a project manager, found a job ad that paid well but she lacked one skill. Instead of applying anyway, she spent six weeks doing a workshop and then applied. Because she showed she “already have the skill plus 7 years of experience,” they hired her at the high end of the range.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Accepting the first offer without negotiating because you’re “just happy to have a job”. (You’re actually setting your future pay low.)

• Not researching market pay. Without that you won’t know if you’re being underpaid.

• Applying to any job just because it’s available. Fit and value match matter.

• Not tracking your achievements. Without proof you can’t claim your worth.

• Staying too long in a low-paying role without re-evaluating. Sometimes moving on is the best step.

Conclusion

    Finding a job that pays what you deserve is absolutely possible. It takes preparation, smart planning, confidence, and action—but it’s worth it. Start by knowing your value, research how much that value is worth in your market, target roles that match, tailor your application, network, negotiate, keep improving, and make sure the company fits you. Then revisit your progress regularly and keep pushing upward.

You deserve a job where your efforts are recognized—not just in words, but in your paycheck too. Use the tips here, take those small but consistent steps, and you’ll move closer and closer to that job. Good luck!