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The article lost me on paragraph 1: "...There is a much higher need for developers than can be satisfied by new developers coming into the field. This is a prob

The article lost me on paragraph 1: "...There is a much higher need for developers than can be satisfied by new developers coming into the field. This is a problem that has existed for years, and it is getting worse as time goes on... We have a serious shortage of talent to meet the demand..." Basic economics dictates that there is only a shortage if prices are increasing, and they are not, certainly not relative to overall price increases. Secondly, there are plenty of developers -- but like me they go into other job roles. The reality is that a developer salary does not support a family in developer-job-rich areas. You might find junior developers because they are willing to share apartments or live in shacks, but once you start speaking about senior developers you are often also talking about someone married, possibly with children. The problem is certainly not a lack of developers but a lack of hiring managers paying a living wage for that stage of someone's life. Cant find senior developers? Quick trick -- raise the salary and see them pour in for interviews!

larzang 11y ago
It's unclear if they mean to imply that 1) there are more vacancies of any type than people entering the field or 2) there are plenty of people entering the field but not enough experienced senior developers to cover the vacant senior developer positions. 1) is a sentiment I've seen frequently expressed, but is not really panned out by the number or type of job postings in secondary hubs outside the Bay (e.g. Chicago). 2) makes more sense, but the article doesn't really address how to solve the root issue when hiring managers aren't willing to hire from the previous two buckets.
andrewstuart2 11y ago
You can certainly say "raise the salary" but try convincing upper management that it's worth it. That, in my experience, is the main cause of the lower salaries.
- TuringNYC 11y ago
  Sure, totally agreed. But then dont call it "shortage", call it a "shortage at sub-market rates." Think of this analogy, suppose you are looking to fill your car up with gasoline at $1/gallon. You cant find any. Is it a shortage?
- TuringNYC 11y ago
  Also note that "worth" is not really at issue here. Salaries are set by supply and demand for a specific skill-set. If the salary is not "worth" it, then the project cost-benefit-analysis was wrong.

larzang 11y ago

It's unclear if they mean to imply that 1) there are more vacancies of any type than people entering the field or 2) there are plenty of people entering the field but not enough experienced senior developers to cover the vacant senior developer positions. 1) is a sentiment I've seen frequently expressed, but is not really panned out by the number or type of job postings in secondary hubs outside the Bay (e.g. Chicago). 2) makes more sense, but the article doesn't really address how to solve the root issue when hiring managers aren't willing to hire from the previous two buckets.

andrewstuart2 11y ago

You can certainly say "raise the salary" but try convincing upper management that it's worth it. That, in my experience, is the main cause of the lower salaries.

TuringNYC 11y ago
Sure, totally agreed. But then dont call it "shortage", call it a "shortage at sub-market rates." Think of this analogy, suppose you are looking to fill your car up with gasoline at $1/gallon. You cant find any. Is it a shortage?
TuringNYC 11y ago
Also note that "worth" is not really at issue here. Salaries are set by supply and demand for a specific skill-set. If the salary is not "worth" it, then the project cost-benefit-analysis was wrong.