4 ms·

Don't know about others, but I can tell you my reasons: a) Higher salary b) Better career opportunities c) An idealized view of the American society a) is e

Don't know about others, but I can tell you my reasons: a) Higher salary b) Better career opportunities c) An idealized view of the American society a) is easiest. I more than doubled my income by moving here. If I jumped companies (I can't due to visa) I could easily expect a 50%-100% bump. That's nothing to scoff at. Even accounting for increased cost of living, we are talking about life changing amounts of money. Also it's impossible to not feel bad when you know that the junior eng. you are coaching due to perf issues makes more money than you, just because he lives in the US and you don't. b) is more subtle. I always had the perception that people at the main offices got better opportunities and faster promos than people at satellite offices. Other's have echoed these feelings, but I've never seen data. Outside the company, it is undeniable the job market is bigger and hotter here. Even the largest EU tech hubs don't come close. c) is the lousiest one. I haven't had much chance to experience it yet so I don't have much of an opinion. I'd say though that having lived in 5 different countries, there are other places with a culture that resonates with me. So yes, USA might be better than my home country, but there are alternatives. Now due to Covid points a) and b) are becoming less important. Salaries in the EU have gone up, and with mostly remote workforces career opportunities are better distributed. c) was always subjective and a matter of taste. So far I haven't got a great image of the American society, but our landing here has been particularly rough. I think I'll give it a couple of years before I pass judgement.

BlargMcLarg 4y ago
>Salaries in the EU have gone up Source on this? Preferably with respect to inflation. >and with mostly remote workforces career opportunities are better distributed I think you're overestimating the effects of this. Companies are already making a fuss about remote work in the same time zone, let alone 4-6 time zones apart.
- angarg12 4y ago
  That's fair. Most of it is hear say and anecdotal evidence. I know my company has increased salaries but that's one data point. The only data I got from the top of my head is levels.fyi annual report. Numbers are all over the place but it shows a general upward trend. These numbers are from past years so they shouldn't account for the massive inflation of late. Regarding opportunities, again this is mostly personal and anecdotal evidence. Due to Covid I worked remotely across the ocean for 2 years. Last year I got a top perf rating and I got my case for promo, despite being the only person in the whole org working 8 hours apart. I feel in EU there were more project with collaborations between people from different countries compared to pre-covid. [1] https://www.levels.fyi/2019/ https://www.levels.fyi/2019/ [2] https://www.levels.fyi/2020/ https://www.levels.fyi/2020/ [3] https://www.levels.fyi/2021/ https://www.levels.fyi/2021/
908B64B197 4y ago
> Also it's impossible to not feel bad when you know that the junior eng. you are coaching due to perf issues makes more money than you, just because he lives in the US and you don't. That sounds like a failure to negotiate properly. > there are other places with a culture that resonates with me. So yes, USA might be better than my home country, but there are alternatives. American culture was built by trailblazers, innovators and adventurers who left wherever they came from to build here. It's up to you to build the culture you want to see. Welcome!

BlargMcLarg 4y ago

>Salaries in the EU have gone up Source on this? Preferably with respect to inflation. >and with mostly remote workforces career opportunities are better distributed I think you're overestimating the effects of this. Companies are already making a fuss about remote work in the same time zone, let alone 4-6 time zones apart.

angarg12 4y ago
That's fair. Most of it is hear say and anecdotal evidence. I know my company has increased salaries but that's one data point. The only data I got from the top of my head is levels.fyi annual report. Numbers are all over the place but it shows a general upward trend. These numbers are from past years so they shouldn't account for the massive inflation of late. Regarding opportunities, again this is mostly personal and anecdotal evidence. Due to Covid I worked remotely across the ocean for 2 years. Last year I got a top perf rating and I got my case for promo, despite being the only person in the whole org working 8 hours apart. I feel in EU there were more project with collaborations between people from different countries compared to pre-covid. [1] https://www.levels.fyi/2019/ https://www.levels.fyi/2019/ [2] https://www.levels.fyi/2020/ https://www.levels.fyi/2020/ [3] https://www.levels.fyi/2021/ https://www.levels.fyi/2021/

908B64B197 4y ago

> Also it's impossible to not feel bad when you know that the junior eng. you are coaching due to perf issues makes more money than you, just because he lives in the US and you don't. That sounds like a failure to negotiate properly. > there are other places with a culture that resonates with me. So yes, USA might be better than my home country, but there are alternatives. American culture was built by trailblazers, innovators and adventurers who left wherever they came from to build here. It's up to you to build the culture you want to see. Welcome!