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WHAT’S YOUR TIME WORTH? FIND YOUR MARKET VALUE IN AUSTRALIA (2025)

Understanding what you’re worth in today’s job market

Have you ever walked out of a job interview thinking, “Was that salary fair?”

Knowing your market value matters. It’s what stops you from accepting lowball offers, helps you negotiate with confidence, and means you can actually tell when it’s time to find something better.

1. Start with What You Know (And What You Actually Do)

Before you research salary sites, start with yourself:

  • What’s your exact job title?
  • What kind of work do you actually do?
  • What qualifications, experience, or licenses do you bring?
  • Are you full-time, part-time, casual, contract?

Sometimes the work we do doesn’t match the job title on our contract. Be honest about what you do day-to-day. That’s your real value.

2. Use Salary Tools But Take Them with a Grain of Salt

Here’s the truth: most salary websites are based on either employer-reported data, employee-reported data or recruiter surveys. They can be useful, but don’t treat them like gospel. They are parts of the puzzle.

Some sample sites and guides to check:

Cross-check these sources for your role, and adjust based on your location and experience level.

3. Decode Job Ads Like a Pro

A lot of job ads say “competitive salary” or list vague salary bands. That’s not helpful.

But you can still learn a lot if you know what to look for:

  • Are they asking for 3+ years of experience? Then match it to mid-level salaries.
  • Is it a government role? Use public sector pay bands for a ballpark.
  • Is it remote or based in Sydney? Location shifts pay rates significantly.
  • Do they list benefits instead of pay? That could be a red flag (or just a tactic).

Use job ads as clues, not conclusions. If multiple ads for your type of job sit around $80K, that’s a good signal, even if the exact numbers aren’t shared.

4. Ask the Questions HR or Recruiter Avoids Answering

Recruiters can be helpful, but they’re not always transparent. When talking to them or attending interviews, don’t be afraid to ask:

  • “What’s the budgeted salary range for this role?”
  • “How is pay progression structured?”
  • “Where does this salary sit compared to others on the team?”

You deserve answers, and how they respond tells you a lot about whether the employer values fairness.

5. Factor in What Salary Tools Don’t Tell You

Your market value isn’t just about job title and years of experience.

These things also matter:

  • Career breaks (which don’t reduce your value, despite what some think)
  • Unpaid overtime (still common in some jobs)
  • Being part of a minority group (some face bias that affects pay offers)

Your lived experience, resilience, and soft skills are part of your value. Don’t let the system make you feel like they’re not.

6. Talk to Other Workers (Anonymously or Not)

Talking about pay can feel awkward, but more of us are doing it. You don’t have to shout it on social media, but here’s how you can start:

  • Ask colleagues in similar roles if they’re open to a private, respectful chat.
  • Join online communities, forums and social media groups to see what others in your role and industry are earning (but double-check sources).

This kind of peer-to-peer transparency is how we all get closer to fair pay.

7. Add It All Up: Your Market Value Equation

Once you’ve put together:

  • A few reliable salary benchmarks
  • Clues from job ads
  • Conversations or anonymous reports from peers
  • Your experience, skills, and circumstances

You’ll have a pretty good idea of what’s fair.

If the number feels lower than expected, you’re not imagining things. Pay inequality and discrimination still exist. But now you’ve got the data to back yourself up, whether that means negotiating a raise or preparing for a new role.

Final Thought: You Deserve to Know Your Worth

This system wasn’t designed with workers in mind. But tools, data, and transparency can help level the playing field. The more we share what we’re paid, the harder it becomes for employers to keep wages in the dark.

Echochime is built to empower workers and to make pay transparency the norm.
Let’s make sure no one’s left in the dark about their value anymore.

Ready to negotiate? Check out our salary negotiation guide for step-by-step tips.

Disclaimer:

This article provides general information only and does not constitute financial, legal, or career advice. Salary ranges and job market conditions may vary by industry, role, and location. For advice specific to your situation, please consult a qualified professional.