4 ms·
Five years of experience as a programmer is like becoming a "made man" in a crime family. Before, you're nothing. After, you're trusted and respected. I was
by zach 16y ago
Five years of experience as a programmer is like becoming a "made man" in a crime family. Before, you're nothing. After, you're trusted and respected.
I was in the same job from years 2-5 and didn't see much of a raise. Then when I got a new job it was more than double the salary. And it does seem like you have to leave to go somewhere else, or else you're a prophet without honor.
It's also clear from the graph that after 5-10 years of experience, much of the increase in income growth will be expected to come from non-salary compensation. Which may be equity, bonuses or stock plans, but it's all about getting a piece of the action. Which, again, makes programming sound like it's the mob. Sorry about that.
- nathanh 16y agoWas there anything you did as far as negotiating the salary at the new job or did they offer you that much straight up?
- zach 16y agoThis was years ago but I mention it since the demand for developers was similar. I was going from a really low-paid games job to doing application programming for a large startup. Game programming tends to have even more depressed starting salaries than usual, although this was back when everyone was still salaried. My former boss actually predicted that I "could make twice as much somewhere else" when I left, and the new employer in fact offered that straight up.