The beginning of the year is prime season for salary surveys, their results providing individuals a means of comparison; but knowing where one stands, while important, is of limited use. That’s because the rightful focus should be on the future, regardless of one’s satisfaction (or lack thereof) with the present. That’s not to ignore that timing is everything; nonetheless, even in a recession, with its concomitant salary freezes and concerns about job security, salary goals should be pursued. Managing one’s salary throughout a career is best done by a strategic approach. That’s true for all professionals; however, those in packaging are enviably positioned, due to the nature of packaging.
A packaged product is an integrated whole (product plus package). Not only is the package a part of each unit sold, packaging makes possible the mass manufacturing, mass marketing, and mass distribution that are the hallmarks of modern-day industry. It doesn’t stop with indispensability, though; the innovative utilization of the functions of packaging (containment, protection, communication, and convenience/utility) can lead to a competitive advantage. It all makes for a strong value-added argument for packaging professionals seeking to be paid their worth, not just within companies that produce consumer packaged goods, but also within those that produce institutional goods—even industrial goods, as well.
