Because sometimes the real horror is not knowing what you're worth.

You've been in your role for a while. You're good at what you do, you've taken on more responsibility, and your last performance review went pretty well.

But then you see a job advertisement for a similar role, offering $20,000 more than you're currently earning.

Suddenly, you've got questions.

'Am I being underpaid? Is that what everyone else is earning? Should I be asking for more?'

And perhaps the scariest question of all: 'What if I've been earning less than I should for years?'

Salary conversations can be uncomfortable, especially when you're not entirely sure where you stand. But understanding your market value shouldn't require guesswork, a resignation letter or an awkward conversation with your manager.

So, in the spirit of our October HR Scaries, we're tackling one of the questions we hear all the time: Am I actually being paid enough?

The salary uncertainty is real

If you've ever wondered whether your salary reflects your experience, you're certainly not alone.

In our 2026/27 HR Salary Survey, 36% of respondents said they felt they were being paid below market rates. And 42% reported taking on additional responsibilities without a corresponding salary increase.

That's a significant number of HR professionals questioning whether their remuneration reflects the work they're doing.

Of course, feeling underpaid and actually being paid below market are two different things. And that's where the conversation gets interesting.

Someone might feel underpaid because their responsibilities have grown, their last salary review was disappointing or they've seen higher-paying jobs advertised elsewhere.

Another person might discover that their salary is competitive for their particular role, industry and location, even if it doesn't match the highest figure they've seen online.

Neither experience is unusual.

The challenge is knowing the difference between what you think you should be earning and what the market is actually paying.

Why comparing salaries isn't as simple as comparing job titles

Let's say you're an HR Business Partner earning $130,000, and you come across another HRBP position advertised at $155,000.

Same title. Different salary.

Surely that means you're underpaid?

Not necessarily.

One role might support a relatively small corporate workforce, while the other involves partnering with leaders across multiple sites, managing complex employee relations matters and supporting a much larger employee population.

The responsibilities, complexity and expectations can be quite different, even when the job titles are identical.

There are several factors that can influence HR salaries in Australia, including:

• Location: Salary expectations can vary between states and cities.

• Industry: Some sectors require more specialised experience or operate in particularly complex environments.

• Organisation size: The scale of the workforce and breadth of responsibility can influence remuneration.

• Specialisation: Skills in areas such as Employee Relations, Industrial Relations and Remuneration can attract different salary expectations.

• Scope and seniority: Two people with the same title might have very different levels of accountability.

That's why comparing your salary with a single job advertisement, or even a colleague with a similar title, doesn't always give you the full picture.

You need to understand the context behind the numbers.

When your role grows but your salary doesn't

Here's a scenario that might sound familiar.

You started in a role with a clearly defined set of responsibilities. Over time, you've picked up additional projects, taken ownership of new areas, started managing people or become the go-to person for increasingly complex issues.

Your job has evolved.

Your salary? Not so much.

Sometimes this happens gradually. A colleague leaves and you absorb part of their workload. A restructure changes your reporting lines. Your team grows, but your title and remuneration stay the same.

Before you know it, the job you're doing looks quite different from the one you originally accepted.

That doesn't automatically mean you're entitled to a salary increase every time your responsibilities change. But it does mean there's value in regularly reviewing whether your remuneration still reflects the scope and complexity of your role.

Start by looking at what has changed.

Are you making decisions at a higher level? Managing greater risk? Leading a larger team? Delivering outcomes that weren't originally part of your position?

These are useful things to document, particularly if you're preparing for a remuneration conversation.

Because there's a big difference between saying, "I feel like I deserve more," and being able to demonstrate how your role has grown.

What does being paid 'at market' actually mean?

When people talk about market salaries, it's tempting to imagine there's one correct number for every role.

Unfortunately, it's not quite that straightforward.

Salary benchmarking is generally more useful when you look at a range rather than a single figure.

For example, our 2026/27 HR Salary Guide includes three reference points for HR roles:

25th percentile (lower range): A lower point in the salary distribution, which may be relevant when assessing roles with narrower scope or professionals developing their experience.

50th percentile (median): The midpoint of the salary distribution, with half of reported salaries below and half above.

75th percentile (upper range): A higher point in the distribution, which may provide context for more experienced professionals or roles with greater complexity and responsibility.

These aren't automatic salary recommendations. They're benchmarks to help you understand where a particular salary sits within the reported market.

Being below the median doesn't necessarily mean you're underpaid, just as earning above it doesn't automatically mean you're overpaid.

Your experience, role scope, performance and the organisation's circumstances all matter.

The real value of salary data is that it gives you a more informed starting point for the conversation.

So, how do you find out what you're worth?

First, get curious.

Look beyond your job title and consider the responsibilities you're actually carrying. Think about your experience, the complexity of your work and the skills you've developed.

Then compare that information with credible salary benchmarks that reflect your profession and location.

Our 2026/27 HR Salary Guide draws on salary and career data from more than 1,100 HR professionals across Australia, alongside market intelligence from the Samuels Donegan recruitment team.

And if you'd rather skip straight to the numbers, we've also created an interactive Salary Checker.

Enter your role, industry, state and current salary, and you'll be able to see where your remuneration sits against the survey data.

No awkward conversations required. At least, not yet.

The important thing is to treat the results as a guide, not a final verdict. A salary benchmark can tell you where your pay sits in the market, but it can't capture every detail of your individual role.

What if you discover you're being paid below market?

First things first, don't panic.

Finding out your salary sits below a benchmark doesn't necessarily mean you need to update your CV tonight.

It does, however, give you a reason to look more closely at your situation.

Consider your total remuneration package, including superannuation, bonuses, flexibility and other benefits. Think about how your responsibilities compare with the roles represented in the benchmark.

If you believe there's a genuine gap, prepare for a conversation with your manager.

Bring evidence of your achievements, explain how your role has evolved and use salary data to provide market context.

You don't need to approach it as an ultimatum. In fact, a constructive conversation about your contribution, career progression and remuneration is often a much better place to start.

And if an immediate increase isn't possible, ask what would need to happen for your salary to be reviewed in the future.

A clear understanding of the next steps is much more useful than leaving the conversation with another vague promise to revisit it later.

And if you're an employer? This matters for you too.

Salary uncertainty isn't just an employee concern.

For employers, understanding where remuneration sits against the market is an important part of attracting, retaining and developing HR talent.

You might have employees whose responsibilities have grown beyond their original position, or salary bands that haven't been reviewed against current market conditions.

You might also be preparing to hire and wondering whether your budget reflects the capabilities you're looking for.

Regular salary benchmarking can help identify potential gaps, inform remuneration reviews and support more consistent decision-making.

It also creates an opportunity for more transparent conversations with employees about how pay decisions are made.

Because while salary isn't the only reason people stay or leave, uncertainty about whether they're being paid fairly can make other opportunities look increasingly attractive.

The scariest thing is not knowing

Here's the thing about salary benchmarking: the answer might surprise you.

You might discover you're being paid below market. You might realise you're sitting comfortably within the expected range. Or you might find that your salary is competitive, but your responsibilities have changed enough to warrant a broader career conversation.

Whatever the outcome, you're in a better position when you have the information.

You don't need to be actively job hunting or preparing to ask for a pay rise to understand your market value.

Sometimes, it's simply good career housekeeping.

And while we're all for a little Halloween scare, your salary probably shouldn't be one of them.

Ready for a salary reality check?

Explore Samuels Donegan's 2026/27 HR Salary Guide and use our interactive Salary Checker to see where your remuneration sits against the Australian HR market.

CHECK YOUR SALARY →

DOWNLOAD THE 2026/27 HR SALARY GUIDE →