Dear Ted: I love my job, but my pay is too low, I may have to leave

Finding a job that you love is quite a special thing, so it might be worth fighting for, especially since your employer won’t want to lose you.

Firstly, use a search engine to find salaries for your job title, adverts with pay, Linkedin jobs and salary survey sites (search for “salary checker”).  Look at pay ranges in local universities and local government.  Keep a spreadsheet with all the data and use it to provide an average and a range.  Separately put together a table showing your take home pay (after deductions), and what is spent on the big items like commuting and rent.

Also have a think about the structure of the organisation and your skills and see if you can identify an opportunity that would give your boss the excuse to move or promote you and give you a pay rise

Take the data to your line manager and explain that you you love what you do, but you can’t afford to stay, here’s the evidence and that you’re thinking about leaving.  If nothing happens then you won’t feel bad about resigning at a later date, or about asking for time off for interviews!