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I've run into this. I work at a place that claims they pay top market rate. I've poked around other options and it seems like they're right about that! Back in

I've run into this. I work at a place that claims they pay top market rate. I've poked around other options and it seems like they're right about that! Back in 2014 when this article was posted, it was probably more true. Lots of money frothing around and salaries were growing and growing faster than employers were willing to keep up with for existing employees (although even then, I had a job that gave me a substantial raise just to keep up with the market.)

op00to 2y ago
I am in the same position where the company I work for tends to pay near the top of the market. I account for this by trying to save as much as possible and not having a lifestyle that requires this top of the market salary. I’m under no illusion that the gravy train can run out at any time and my next role may be a step down or step up in salary.
- wsintra2022 2y ago
  What’s top of market these days for <job_role> ?
  - shinryuu 2y ago
    Depends if you're in US and if you're working at fang I guess. Could probably get higher if I made an effort getting a fang role but not really interested in fang.
  - schrodinger 2y ago
    levels.fyi
    - whateveracct 2y ago
      I'll also just be explicit with recruiters who email me. Say I'd be looking for X amount. And they pretty much always say "oh no that's too much" and we go our separate ways. So that channel feels dried up.
ryandrake 2y ago
I've run into this too, hopping from one FAANG to another. In fact, the second company's comp offer was so close to my current comp (about 0.1% over), it's hard to imagine there wasn't some covert information sharing going on. The "job hop for a salary bump" conversations always seem to assume you are early in your career, where this works. My first job hop was for about +50%. My second one was for around +20%. 20 years into my career, job hopping does not seem to increase my comp at all. The plateau is real. After a certain point, you have to change roles and/or move into management.
- whateveracct 2y ago
  > always seem to assume you are early in your career, where this works hah to be fair..2014 was early in my career. So maybe it was due to me rather than a sign of the times.
- ptmcc 2y ago
  Yep, similar experience at about 15 years into my career. Not to say it'd be impossible to increase, but the opportunities are few and far between especially in a cooled off market. And the actual job might be a lot worse/more stressful. Always be reevaluating, though, the situation could change in a couple years. But until then I sleep well at night knowing I'm paid near top of market at a decent company. Not worth chasing those last couple percentiles, personally.
- tsunamifury 2y ago
  You don't think they also did mass layoffs together to not suppress wages?
- jvanderbot 2y ago
  Concur - I had 5 offers two years ago, 4 last year, and 2 this year before settling in where I currently work - all about the same (one outlier was +20% the rest, and one outlier was ~70% the rest). I've come to accept the median of those offers as my "set point" for a while. Changing jobs sucks anyway.

op00to 2y ago

I am in the same position where the company I work for tends to pay near the top of the market. I account for this by trying to save as much as possible and not having a lifestyle that requires this top of the market salary. I’m under no illusion that the gravy train can run out at any time and my next role may be a step down or step up in salary.

wsintra2022 2y ago
What’s top of market these days for <job_role> ?
- shinryuu 2y ago
  Depends if you're in US and if you're working at fang I guess. Could probably get higher if I made an effort getting a fang role but not really interested in fang.
- schrodinger 2y ago
  levels.fyi
  - whateveracct 2y ago
    I'll also just be explicit with recruiters who email me. Say I'd be looking for X amount. And they pretty much always say "oh no that's too much" and we go our separate ways. So that channel feels dried up.

ryandrake 2y ago

I've run into this too, hopping from one FAANG to another. In fact, the second company's comp offer was so close to my current comp (about 0.1% over), it's hard to imagine there wasn't some covert information sharing going on. The "job hop for a salary bump" conversations always seem to assume you are early in your career, where this works. My first job hop was for about +50%. My second one was for around +20%. 20 years into my career, job hopping does not seem to increase my comp at all. The plateau is real. After a certain point, you have to change roles and/or move into management.

whateveracct 2y ago
> always seem to assume you are early in your career, where this works hah to be fair..2014 was early in my career. So maybe it was due to me rather than a sign of the times.
ptmcc 2y ago
Yep, similar experience at about 15 years into my career. Not to say it'd be impossible to increase, but the opportunities are few and far between especially in a cooled off market. And the actual job might be a lot worse/more stressful. Always be reevaluating, though, the situation could change in a couple years. But until then I sleep well at night knowing I'm paid near top of market at a decent company. Not worth chasing those last couple percentiles, personally.
tsunamifury 2y ago
You don't think they also did mass layoffs together to not suppress wages?
jvanderbot 2y ago
Concur - I had 5 offers two years ago, 4 last year, and 2 this year before settling in where I currently work - all about the same (one outlier was +20% the rest, and one outlier was ~70% the rest). I've come to accept the median of those offers as my "set point" for a while. Changing jobs sucks anyway.