--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A job pays you for what the…" description: "\"“A job pays you for what the role/designation does rather than for what you can do, which is why the compensation it pays doesn’t justify your capabili..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f8/peter-tompkins-83842_compensation_a-job-pays-you-for-what-the-role-designa_3156426.jpg" --- # A job pays you for what the role/designation does rather… ![“A job pays you for what the role/designation does rather than for what you can do, which is why the compensation it pays doesn’t justify your capabilities.” quote by Peter Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f8/peter-tompkins-83842_compensation_a-job-pays-you-for-what-the-role-designa_3156426.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f8/peter-tompkins-83842_compensation_a-job-pays-you-for-what-the-role-designa_3156426.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f8/peter-tompkins-83842_compensation_a-job-pays-you-for-what-the-role-designa_3156426.jpg) > ““A job pays you for what the role/designation does rather than for what you can do, which is why the compensation it pays doesn’t justify your capabilities.”” [Peter Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-tompkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It argues that compensation is tied to job duties, not an individual's full abilities, suggesting pay often undervalues true capability. **In simple terms:** Pay reflects role tasks, not all you can do. Key Takeaway Seek roles that value your full skill set. Themes career valuation fairness Mood practical analytical Type professional motivational When to use this quote - job interview - salary negotiation - career planning - skill assessment Key Concepts economics human resources Questions to Reflect On - How can you demonstrate your broader value? - What alternatives exist if pay is limited? A Different Perspective Companies may resist adjusting pay structures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compensation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compensation/) [Compensation Pays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compensation-pays-5689086/) [Does Compensation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/does-compensation-5689085/) [Job Pays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job-pays-253966/) [Pays Role](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pays-role-5689084/) ## Related quotes > [When your hobby becomes a full-time job that pays you and the people around you, it's not fun anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-needles/when-your-hobby-becomes-a-full-time-job-that-pays-you-and-the-people/) [Sharon Needles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-needles/) > [There are times where you can't always get paid to do the things you really want to do. What really epitomizes your dream job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-keoghan/there-are-times-where-you-can-t-always-get-paid-to-do-the-things-you/) [Phil Keoghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-keoghan/) > [Women are more likely to take a job that pays less to gain flexibility and work-life balance. I've done it myself many times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-katharine-ham/women-are-more-likely-to-take-a-job-that-pays-less-to-gain/) [Mary Katharine Ham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-katharine-ham/) > [Every Kentuckian, regardless of background, should have access to a job that pays a living wage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/every-kentuckian-regardless-of-background-should-have-access-to-a-job/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [If you are good enough to compete for a top-level corporate job, you should be smart enough to know what the job pays the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cuban/if-you-are-good-enough-to-compete-for-a-top-level-corporate-job-you/) [Mark Cuban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cuban/) > [My job ... I do nothing, it pays nothing, but - you guessed it - it's better than nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-hempel/my-job-i-do-nothing-it-pays-nothing-but-you-guessed-it-it-s-better/) [Amy Hempel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-hempel/) > [Don't argue that you can't find a job that pays enough to support yourself. You can. You just can't find a job that will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-murray/don-t-argue-that-you-can-t-find-a-job-that-pays-enough-to-support/) [Charles Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-murray/) > [For the sacrificed, in the hour of sacrifice, only one thing counts: faith-alone among enemies and skeptics. Faith, in spite of the humiliation which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/for-the-sacrificed-in-the-hour-of-sacrifice-only-one-thing-counts/) [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [Because what happens is, as the economy suffers, tax revenues go down. But unlike businesses, where at least your variable costs go down, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-whitman/because-what-happens-is-as-the-economy-suffers-tax-revenues-go-down/) [Meg Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-whitman/) > [Providence has given us hope and sleep as a compensation for the many cares of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/providence-has-given-us-hope-and-sleep-as-a-compensation-for-the-many/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Today there is no symbolic compensation for old age, no recognition of a specific value: wisdom, perceptiveness, experience, vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-barthes/today-there-is-no-symbolic-compensation-for-old-age-no-recognition-of/) [Roland Barthes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-barthes/) > [A contract is an ask game, and if it asks for an hour, and I submit to an hour, then it's an hour. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/a-contract-is-an-ask-game-and-if-it-asks-for-an-hour-and-i-submit-to/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) > [The compensations of calamity are made apparent to the understanding also, after long intervals of time. A fever, a mutilation, a cruel disappointment, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-compensations-of-calamity-are-made-apparent-to-the-understanding/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“Time wasted can never be compensated”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/time-wasted-can-never-be-compensated/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [The only place where compensation comes before service is in the dictionary or anywhere the government meddles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orrin-woodward/the-only-place-where-compensation-comes-before-service-is-in-the/) [Orrin Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orrin-woodward/) ## More by Peter Tompkins > [ “\[children\]can thus learn the art of loving and know truly that when they think a thought they release a tremendous power or force in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-tompkins/children-can-thus-learn-the-art-of-loving-and-know-truly-that-when/) [Peter Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-tompkins/) > [“The conclusion that the Egyptians of the Old Kingdom were acquainted with both the Fibonacci series and the Golden Section, says Stecchini, is so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-tompkins/the-conclusion-that-the-egyptians-of-the-old-kingdom-were-acquainted/) [Peter Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-tompkins/) [Explore all 3 Peter Tompkins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-tompkins/) ## More Compensation quotes > [The only place where compensation comes before service is in the dictionary or anywhere the government meddles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orrin-woodward/the-only-place-where-compensation-comes-before-service-is-in-the/) [Orrin Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orrin-woodward/) > [“Time wasted can never be compensated”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/time-wasted-can-never-be-compensated/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [The compensations of calamity are made apparent to the understanding also, after long intervals of time. A fever, a mutilation, a cruel disappointment, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-compensations-of-calamity-are-made-apparent-to-the-understanding/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [A contract is an ask game, and if it asks for an hour, and I submit to an hour, then it's an hour. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/a-contract-is-an-ask-game-and-if-it-asks-for-an-hour-and-i-submit-to/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) > [Today there is no symbolic compensation for old age, no recognition of a specific value: wisdom, perceptiveness, experience, vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-barthes/today-there-is-no-symbolic-compensation-for-old-age-no-recognition-of/) [Roland Barthes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-barthes/) > [Providence has given us hope and sleep as a compensation for the many cares of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/providence-has-given-us-hope-and-sleep-as-a-compensation-for-the-many/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Because what happens is, as the economy suffers, tax revenues go down. But unlike businesses, where at least your variable costs go down, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-whitman/because-what-happens-is-as-the-economy-suffers-tax-revenues-go-down/) [Meg Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-whitman/) > [For the sacrificed, in the hour of sacrifice, only one thing counts: faith-alone among enemies and skeptics. Faith, in spite of the humiliation which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dag-hammarskj-ld/for-the-sacrificed-in-the-hour-of-sacrifice-only-one-thing-counts/) [Dag Hammarskjold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dag-hammarskj-ld/) > [“In other words, what we seek is some kind of compensation for what we put up with”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/in-other-words-what-we-seek-is-some-kind-of-compensation-for-what-we/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [It is a law of nature we overlook, that intellectual versatility is the compensation for change, danger, and trouble. An animal perfectly in harmony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-a-law-of-nature-we-overlook-that-intellectual-versatility-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only compensation, gained through the influence of nongovernmental organizations, consisted in slightly broadening for private individuals the possibility of access and appeal to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-cassin/the-only-compensation-gained-through-the-influence-of-nongovernmental/) [Rene Cassin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-cassin/) > [Were God to show grace to all of Adam's descendants, men would at once conclude that He was righteously compelled to take them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/were-god-to-show-grace-to-all-of-adam-s-descendants-men-would-at-once/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [What we seek is some kind of compensation for what we put up with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/what-we-seek-is-some-kind-of-compensation-for-what-we-put-up-with/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [We also have no incentive compensation of any kind. And the reason we don’t is because it is detrimental to teamwork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/we-also-have-no-incentive-compensation-of-any-kind-and-the-reason-we/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [Different artists are talking about the laws that exist and how they need to be fixed so that compensation does happen to a far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-wonder/different-artists-are-talking-about-the-laws-that-exist-and-how-they/) [Stevie Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-wonder/) [Browse all 369 Compensation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compensation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A job pays you for what the role/designation does rather than for what you can do, which is why the compensation it pays doesn’t justify your capabilities.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter Tompkins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-tompkins/a-job-pays-you-for-what-the-role-designation-does-rather-than-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Compensation" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-tompkins/a-job-pays-you-for-what-the-role-designation-does-rather-than-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f8/peter-tompkins-83842_compensation_a-job-pays-you-for-what-the-role-designa_3156426.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f8/peter-tompkins-83842_compensation_a-job-pays-you-for-what-the-role-designa_3156426.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f8/peter-tompkins-83842_compensation_a-job-pays-you-for-what-the-role-designa_3156426.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A job pays you for what the role/designation does rather than for what you can do, which is why the…” — Peter Tompkins", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Peter Tompkins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-tompkins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“A job pays you for what...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-tompkins/a-job-pays-you-for-what-the-role-designation-does-rather-than-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-tompkins/a-job-pays-you-for-what-the-role-designation-does-rather-than-for/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```