8 ms·

I've always had trouble with my worth as a developer. There are multiple reasons I won't get into, but the recruiter I used to get hired at my current employer

I've always had trouble with my worth as a developer. There are multiple reasons I won't get into, but the recruiter I used to get hired at my current employer helped me drive my salary request way North of what I was comfortable negotiating for on my own. I grappled with whether or not I deserved it, and still do at times, but I was obviously very appreciative - regardless of their reasoning. Now that I've been promoted to a manager position, we get recruiters presenting us candidates at the same, or higher, salaries than what I started at 4 years ago, and in many cases I don't feel the candidate's experience and skillset warrant the salary ask. I'm not sure what the take away is, except maybe I'm still undervalued, or recruiters are just padding salaries to earn that sweet, sweet commission. I'm thankful for recruiters in my own personal journey, but as a hiring manager, I'm skeptical.

DoofusOfDeath 6y ago
Seems to me you might be in a good position to start calculating an appropriate salary. You know what your staff are paid, how productive they are, and (potentially) how their salaries figure into your organization profit-and-loss numbers.
Viliam1234 6y ago
My guess is that salary is mostly unrelated to one's skills. It mostly depends on what company you work for, and your negotiation skills. Actual knowledge and skills are maybe on the third place. There is also timing: if you join when the company desperately needs another developer, you may get better deal than the developers who are already there. Also, whom you know, who recommends you. I know a guy who is 10x smarter than me, but is paid 1/2 of what I am. It's because he works at a different company. (I used to work there, too, and then my salary was 1/2 of what it is now. I didn't get twice as smart when I changed jobs.) I know a gal who is 10x smarter than me, but is paid about as much as I am. It's because she works at the same company. In my opinion, software companies are unable to tell the difference between developers. The bad ones are overpaid, the good ones are underpaid. Smart developers learn to code; smarter developers learn to network. From this perspective, it makes sense to contact a job agency and tell them you want 2× what you have now. Chances are, there is a company where people with your skills (or worse) are paid that much. It just takes lot of luck to find that company. Call ten different job agencies, tell them that you only accept that much... and let them search the market. You may be surprised.
- WesleyJohnson 6y ago
  I really appreciate this perspective. I'm not looking to leave my current employer anytime soon, but I definitely want to start networking now. Not only for a potential move, but hopefully to build my own thing one day.
cmckn 6y ago
Whether or not anyone "deserves" the money is probably not really your problem (in an org chart sense), and I think you should be happy with whatever "excess" you or the candidates are receiving. Don't internalize the capitalism too much, I guess is what I'm saying. If you think someone will do what you need them to do in a role, and the company is willing to pay them N dollars for it, all is well.

DoofusOfDeath 6y ago

Seems to me you might be in a good position to start calculating an appropriate salary. You know what your staff are paid, how productive they are, and (potentially) how their salaries figure into your organization profit-and-loss numbers.

Viliam1234 6y ago

My guess is that salary is mostly unrelated to one's skills. It mostly depends on what company you work for, and your negotiation skills. Actual knowledge and skills are maybe on the third place. There is also timing: if you join when the company desperately needs another developer, you may get better deal than the developers who are already there. Also, whom you know, who recommends you. I know a guy who is 10x smarter than me, but is paid 1/2 of what I am. It's because he works at a different company. (I used to work there, too, and then my salary was 1/2 of what it is now. I didn't get twice as smart when I changed jobs.) I know a gal who is 10x smarter than me, but is paid about as much as I am. It's because she works at the same company. In my opinion, software companies are unable to tell the difference between developers. The bad ones are overpaid, the good ones are underpaid. Smart developers learn to code; smarter developers learn to network. From this perspective, it makes sense to contact a job agency and tell them you want 2× what you have now. Chances are, there is a company where people with your skills (or worse) are paid that much. It just takes lot of luck to find that company. Call ten different job agencies, tell them that you only accept that much... and let them search the market. You may be surprised.

WesleyJohnson 6y ago
I really appreciate this perspective. I'm not looking to leave my current employer anytime soon, but I definitely want to start networking now. Not only for a potential move, but hopefully to build my own thing one day.

cmckn 6y ago

Whether or not anyone "deserves" the money is probably not really your problem (in an org chart sense), and I think you should be happy with whatever "excess" you or the candidates are receiving. Don't internalize the capitalism too much, I guess is what I'm saying. If you think someone will do what you need them to do in a role, and the company is willing to pay them N dollars for it, all is well.