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Many of these traditional manufacturing OEMs have software outfits in the bay that clutter up my LinkedIn inbox. They're usually offering 130-170k with limited

Many of these traditional manufacturing OEMs have software outfits in the bay that clutter up my LinkedIn inbox. They're usually offering 130-170k with limited to no additional compensation in the same cities where FAANG is paying 100k+ over their rates in base alone. It's not just that they're doing silly regional surveys, they have fundamental misunderstandings of market rates.

cmrdporcupine 4y ago
Or they understand it perfectly and have made a conscious choice to target a lower tier of talent. In a way I'd love to be a fly on the wall in the boardroom when this is discussed. Because really, it's sad. I would have taken a significant salary drop to go work on something like this because the Ford office was local to me and the work sounded interesting and potentially more impactful than what I was doing at the time. Except it's so far below a reasonable rate... and you pretty much know the place would be a crappy workplace producing a substandard product...
Kon-Peki 4y ago
My brother-in-law is pretty high up at a traditional manufacturing OEM. To be clear, they don't manufacture anything that has electronics or software in it (but there is a pretty decent chance your car has something they made). They have a Bay Area software office that does general tech stuff - manufacturing software, business software, etc. Internal things plus some B2C stuff for people buying/installing replacement equipment. I asked how they liked the software and how the office was working out. The response: "Oh, we don't do it for the software. We can hire 100 people out of Ohio State or Michigan and pay them midwest wages and get the same quality. The SV office is for the connections and investors we get." It's entirely possible that they know exactly what they are doing ;)
- AlotOfReading 4y ago
  I know they're not stupid, but it's still very frustrating when you have to go and use anything such offices produce. So many unnecessarily cut corners and penny wise, pound foolish decisions.
  - hef19898 4y ago
    That's quite the statement considering how many corners, to pick one examole, Tesla is cutting constantly.
    - deleted 4y ago
      [deleted]
- cbozeman 4y ago
  > Oh, we don't do it for the software. We can hire 100 people out of Ohio State or Michigan and pay them midwest wages and get the same quality. No they can't... or they would. Deeds. Not words.
  - sjfidsfkds 4y ago
    I’ve encountered a bunch of people with that sort of background working that kind of job, it’s a real thing.
    - nopenopenopeno 4y ago
      I don’t know why this is hard to believe. Not everyone wants to “grind leetcode” 24/7.
    - dayvid 4y ago
      Yeah, I know someone who works at GE (in more traditional engineering). They have masters degrees and when I compare my salary or even someone starting out at a FAANG or Web 2.0/3.0 SWE with theirs, I'm genuinely surprised. They also tend to not be aware of the salary ranges out there and I think these traditional companies are exploiting them because most of the engineers really respect the companies and what they stand (or at least stood) for.
  - freyr 4y ago
    They can, and they do.

cmrdporcupine 4y ago

Or they understand it perfectly and have made a conscious choice to target a lower tier of talent. In a way I'd love to be a fly on the wall in the boardroom when this is discussed. Because really, it's sad. I would have taken a significant salary drop to go work on something like this because the Ford office was local to me and the work sounded interesting and potentially more impactful than what I was doing at the time. Except it's so far below a reasonable rate... and you pretty much know the place would be a crappy workplace producing a substandard product...

Kon-Peki 4y ago

My brother-in-law is pretty high up at a traditional manufacturing OEM. To be clear, they don't manufacture anything that has electronics or software in it (but there is a pretty decent chance your car has something they made). They have a Bay Area software office that does general tech stuff - manufacturing software, business software, etc. Internal things plus some B2C stuff for people buying/installing replacement equipment. I asked how they liked the software and how the office was working out. The response: "Oh, we don't do it for the software. We can hire 100 people out of Ohio State or Michigan and pay them midwest wages and get the same quality. The SV office is for the connections and investors we get." It's entirely possible that they know exactly what they are doing ;)

AlotOfReading 4y ago
I know they're not stupid, but it's still very frustrating when you have to go and use anything such offices produce. So many unnecessarily cut corners and penny wise, pound foolish decisions.
- hef19898 4y ago
  That's quite the statement considering how many corners, to pick one examole, Tesla is cutting constantly.
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
cbozeman 4y ago
> Oh, we don't do it for the software. We can hire 100 people out of Ohio State or Michigan and pay them midwest wages and get the same quality. No they can't... or they would. Deeds. Not words.
- sjfidsfkds 4y ago
  I’ve encountered a bunch of people with that sort of background working that kind of job, it’s a real thing.
  - nopenopenopeno 4y ago
    I don’t know why this is hard to believe. Not everyone wants to “grind leetcode” 24/7.
  - dayvid 4y ago
    Yeah, I know someone who works at GE (in more traditional engineering). They have masters degrees and when I compare my salary or even someone starting out at a FAANG or Web 2.0/3.0 SWE with theirs, I'm genuinely surprised. They also tend to not be aware of the salary ranges out there and I think these traditional companies are exploiting them because most of the engineers really respect the companies and what they stand (or at least stood) for.
- freyr 4y ago
  They can, and they do.