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Supply and demand, baby! If a company really likes you, they can always scale up your pay even if you are in a low cost of living place. As a remote engineer i

Supply and demand, baby! If a company really likes you, they can always scale up your pay even if you are in a low cost of living place. As a remote engineer in the Midwest, I still make over double what local rates are, despite the remote adjustment. So it stinks but it still works for me since moving to NY or SF would be much worse (financially at least, they are lovely places)

laserlight 3y ago
> Supply and demand, baby! If a company really likes you, they can always scale up your pay even if you are in a low cost of living place. I don't think it's that easy. When Person A who is living in a high-cost area asks for a raise, they will be perceived right. When Person B who is living in a low-cost area does the same, they will be perceived greedy. If the company thinks that cost-of-living has value, it will.
- serial_dev 3y ago
  You need competing offers, then it doesn't matter if they think you are greedy (whatever the f that means in work context), because if they come back with that bs reasoning as to why they won't give you a raise, you can resign on the spot. In my experience getting competing offers remotely is not easy, but gets easier once you landed a well paying job.
  - laserlight 3y ago
    > You need competing offers, then it doesn't matter if they think you are greedy For sure. I gave the example of asking for a raise, because of the way parent comment was phrased: “If a company really likes you”. When you have competing offers, it's not a matter of liking. Having a competing offer doesn't make your pay independent of where you live though. If enough companies make your pay a function of cost of living, you will have a tough time reaching Bay Area salaries. > whatever the f that means in work context Can't agree more. Having seen spectacular failures from those who are supposed to be business-minded, I've come to appreciate that humans have their biases.
- roland35 3y ago
  Honestly the best thing you can do is get alternative offers - that is what talks. In my mind it's easier getting a raise in a lower cost location. If the budget for a role is $200k for SF and $150k for Corntown Iowa, I already have $50k of wiggle room before I even hit the existing budget. But I personally just ask for the SF rate :)

laserlight 3y ago

> Supply and demand, baby! If a company really likes you, they can always scale up your pay even if you are in a low cost of living place. I don't think it's that easy. When Person A who is living in a high-cost area asks for a raise, they will be perceived right. When Person B who is living in a low-cost area does the same, they will be perceived greedy. If the company thinks that cost-of-living has value, it will.

serial_dev 3y ago
You need competing offers, then it doesn't matter if they think you are greedy (whatever the f that means in work context), because if they come back with that bs reasoning as to why they won't give you a raise, you can resign on the spot. In my experience getting competing offers remotely is not easy, but gets easier once you landed a well paying job.
- laserlight 3y ago
  > You need competing offers, then it doesn't matter if they think you are greedy For sure. I gave the example of asking for a raise, because of the way parent comment was phrased: “If a company really likes you”. When you have competing offers, it's not a matter of liking. Having a competing offer doesn't make your pay independent of where you live though. If enough companies make your pay a function of cost of living, you will have a tough time reaching Bay Area salaries. > whatever the f that means in work context Can't agree more. Having seen spectacular failures from those who are supposed to be business-minded, I've come to appreciate that humans have their biases.
roland35 3y ago
Honestly the best thing you can do is get alternative offers - that is what talks. In my mind it's easier getting a raise in a lower cost location. If the budget for a role is $200k for SF and $150k for Corntown Iowa, I already have $50k of wiggle room before I even hit the existing budget. But I personally just ask for the SF rate :)