Dec 06, 2017

Question of the Day: What percent of Americans got a pay raise in the last 12 months?

Answer: 48%

From Bankrate survey, reported in USA Today

Thirty percent got a raise at their current job, 10% landed a better paying job and 8% scored both within the 12-month period. Thus, a total 48% of those surveyed saw their wages rise either at their current workplace or by switching jobs.

The survey also demonstrated the importance of education as those with college education got bigger boosts as did those with higher salaries:

Those with more skills are reaping bigger rewards. Only 26% of workers with a high school diploma or less saw their earnings rise at their current employers over the past year, vs. 36% of college graduates. And just 17% of workers earning less than $30,000 a year got raises, compared to 43% of those earning $75,000 or more.

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Questions:

  • For those who have had a job, have you ever gotten a pay raise?
    • How much was it, on a percentage basis?
    • What was it based upon (e.g., time at company)?
  • What do you think are the factors that determine whether an employee gets it raise? Describe factors under an employee's control as well as external factors. 
  • Why do you think that college graduates were more likely to get a raise than those with a high school diploma?
  • Why are pay raises so important? Imagine a job where you didn't get a pay raise for five years. Describe how this might impact your standard of living.  

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Here are ready-to-use slides for your classroom

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Check out NGPF's awesome set of resources for your Career Unit, including two activities, Create Your Own Linked In Profile and Do's And Don'ts In the Workplace

 

 

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