Titles such as Junior, Senior, Expert, and more display the seniority level of an employee in a firm. The seniority of an employee includes many factors which make the seniority lower or higher. Let’s know the Meanings of Junior Senior and Expert.
Such titles divide the pool of employees in the same field based on experience, subject knowledge, achievements, etc. These titles help decide an employee’s pay rate, working levels, and other projects too.
How Does Seniority Get Decided?
Seniority levels are a pre-existing system in any firm in the world. They might sound like they’re not ideal, but they are essential for every firm to function. So without them, the firm wouldn’t be able to function as well.
But now you would wonder how someone can decide the seniority level of an employee. There are bases for deciding the seniority level of an employee in a firm. Such bases help decide if the employee is a junior, senior, or expert.
They would consequently decide the employee’s salary, task difficulty, and other such aspects. So here are some of the essential features that can help decide the seniority level of an employee:
Subject Knowledge
The knowledge an employee has of their work and subject plays a significant role in deciding their seniority level. Naturally, an employee with more knowledge of the work would make faster and visible progress.
They would be an asset to the company and soon become more efficient than their peers in their work. So much knowledge about work and topics can help employees achieve higher seniority levels in their firms.
Experience In Working
An employee may apply to a company as a new worker but they might have previous experience in work. You would have seen that some firms even require experience in the first place for employees.
Such experience shows that the employee has been through situations and tasks and will be able to deal with them. Additionally, they can also deal with more complex tasks assigned to them, hence achieving a higher seniority level.
Accomplishments
The accomplishments of an employee during the time they work for the firm also matter in their seniority levels. Have you ever asked why others get promoted faster than someone else does?
Even though two employees might join at the same time, one may prove themselves as a competent employee. They would stand out from others and hence get their well-earned senior status.
Competitive Performance
The competitive nature and performance of an employee may also help them move ahead of others in terms of seniority. A competitive and active employee might secure more tasks and finish them successfully than a regular worker.
It doesn’t mean that the regular worker is inefficient, it only means that the proactive worker is more so. So if you rise above other firms, employees, or any other in terms of your performance and understanding, then you are more likely to secure a higher title.
Passage Of Time
The amount of time you spend at your firm would also decide your seniority level. Usually, the employees who have been part of a firm for longer periods get promotions and additional benefits.
You could chalk it up to their experience in the field or the time they spent working for the company. Anyhow, with time, you can also expect that you will get a raise in your seniority level in your department.
What Are The Benefits Of Seniority?
We have covered how people get qualified to move up seniority levels or titles, but what about the benefits of such seniority? Along with the responsibilities and requirements that come with seniority, there also come many benefits.
These benefits are ideal for the people higher up on the seniority ladder. Since they put so much hard work and time into their work, they ought to get the benefits that come as a result of it.
So here are some of the best benefits that people can get from their firm. Not all of these may be present in all firms, but they are some general benefits given to employees who climb up the seniority ladder:
- Higher seniority level employees get higher salaries than the lower seniority level employees. Due to all their features, they are more valuable assets to the firm, hence their pay is also higher.
As for experts, they are highly paid, but their payment also depends on the amount of work they do. Some experts work as regular employees while some do so occasionally. So their pay point varies with the work they do or the position they have.
- Additional policies such as extra paid leave days, better compensation, bonuses, etc. are often present for senior employees in a firm. Again, it is a way to show appreciation and concern for the hard-working employees in the firm who have worked their way up from being a junior employee to a senior one.
Not just that, but senior employees are less likely to get fired in case of a layoff. The junior employees who are newer may be the likely candidates but seniors seldom fall on the list.
- Senior employees gain an amount of respect and recognition in their firm and by other people as well. Since they do work for longer and have more accomplishments than junior ones, tend to receive much attention.
And experts are at the top of the list for this point. Because experts have such immense knowledge and reach of a subject, they are considered extremely valuable to the company and team. Hence, being higher up on the seniority ladder may help you get your due recognition.
What Is A Junior Employee?
A junior employee is usually someone who hasn’t been at the firm for too long and still has lesser experience. Apart from their experience, the employee would also have slightly less knowledge and know-how of their work.
So, they get designated the title of a junior employee, signifying their experience in the industry. Consequently, they have a lower salary than that of a senior employee in the same field.
They might also not get the more challenging tasks and receive the simpler ones first. It is because they still have to prove themselves and gain further experience in the field. The same people would someday go on to become seniors.
What Is A Senior Employee?
A senior employee is superior to a junior employee in the firm due to various features. For starters, they have far more experience and have been in the firm for longer than a junior employee.
Additionally, a senior employee also has a higher salary and often gets the more authoritative or challenging tasks. They might also need to instruct some junior employees and may work with them as well.
They also have additional benefits apart from just the higher pay. Usually, senior employees work their way up the ladder throughout the years. Their hard work helps them become senior employees from junior employees.
What Is An Expert Employee?
An expert might be mentioned on the same list as a junior and senior employee, but they are different altogether. An expert is a person who has immense knowledge of the subject that they excel in.
They might not act like regular employees and might only participate in a task if the juniors and seniors are incapable of dealing with it. It may happen often with tasks that are far too challenging.
Here is where the expert will step up and guide the other employees through the topic. They also have a different pay range which mostly depends on their frequency of work. Nevertheless, they are some of the most well-respected people in the field.
Conclusion
Seniority levels may seem like a bother to someone who is not familiar with them. The need for dividing employers into juniors, seniors, and experts is a necessary step taken by firms. It helps them distinguish between the various employees in terms of experience, work, etc.
It is equally essential for employees to know and understand about these seniority levels to understand why they get a certain task or wage. Since their qualities vary, their treatment also varies in the firm, so knowledge about it becomes essential.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does it mean to be a junior employee in a firm?
Being a junior employee at the firm in your field means that you might have just entered the firm or been there for a few years. You would have a little less experience than the other senior employees and consequently other features.
- Is the senior post superior to the expert post?
No, the senior employee would not be superior to the expert. While there is no true comparison for the two posts, the experts do have more knowledge than a senior. Hence, the expert can sometimes guide the senior when needed.
- Do seniority levels matter in firms?
Yes, seniority level holds importance in the functioning of a firm. Your seniority level decides what tasks you will receive, what your salary would be, and so on. They will also give you a chance to grow as a worker so seniority levels are essential.
