What Would You Expect From Your Employer?

You only have so many years of productive life, before age sets in, and you realize you're getting too old to continue doing your profession.  As you age, you may develop health problems, memory retention concerns, a failing eye sight that corrective lens can't fix, etc... So amassing as much wealth as you can while you're young is more important than recognition.  Had you looked through an edition of Forbes Magazine Annual Report of the most riches people? These people are wealthy because they had focused on accumulating wealth, not seeking praise and recognition from others. Of course, they took calculated risk as entrepreneurs, not working for someone and making others richer, while they remained as a salaried subordinate.  No matter what you decide to pursue, I recommend you target a profession that requires a bachelors degree for entry-level into the industry.  As population increases, the competition for high-skilled jobs (requiring at least a bachelors degree) will be more intense, while low-skilled job will become oversaturated with too many people in that field, which in turn will cause its compensation package to be lower. Its called supply and demand; less people in a particular skill/profession, the higher the compensation package.  More people in a skill/profession, the lower the compensation because the job market in that field is over-saturated with too many qualified applicants.

The expectation depends on a persons level of need. If the need is extrinsic then a good salary would be your expectation and if it is intrinsic than recognition would be your desire. But good employers generally provide a combination of both to keep there employees motivated.

My personal preference is salary.  All I care about with regards to recognition is that it provides me feedback so that I know I am doing the job adequately.

More important than either of these, at least in my opinion, is a boss who treats employees with respect, and not as some doormat.  I can tolerate a little less pay, or recognition, so long as my boss is respectful.