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Ask HN: Salary Increases Over Time

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Re: Ask HN: Salary Increases Over Time

#61

Post by bradfa »

codegeek wrote: post #52
michaelochurch wrote: post #49

You asked for numbers. I probably shouldn't do this under my real name but... who gives a fuck. US, 29 years old, 6.5 years in the industry. Salary growth has been about 12-14% per year, and I've made a lot of career mistakes, hence fairly average results. I'd probably have done 18-20% if I had (a) not made those mistakes, while (b) switching employers strategically. Most of the growth, as others have noted, occurs w…

Don't mean to undermine your point but where in US is 12-14% raise average ? From what I know, most full time employers go for the usual inflation crap of 3-4%. Unless you change jobs or are in contracting, 12-14% seems high to me in the US.

If you're just out of school, I think that kind of average is possible in certain parts of the country.

For note, I graduated in 2005, and have averaged about 8% increase per year since then. First 6 years with a Fortune 500 then changed employers, but the average applies even before my employer change.

At the Fortune 500, yearly inflation raises were averaging 2 to 3% but when you're fresh from school you get promoted on a 1 or 2 year cadence for the first few years and each promotion comes with a 5% raise. Promotions don't have to mean your job changes, just your paid grade goes up.

Re: Ask HN: Salary Increases Over Time

#62

Post by michaelochurch »

codegeek wrote: post #52
michaelochurch wrote: post #49

You asked for numbers. I probably shouldn't do this under my real name but... who gives a fuck. US, 29 years old, 6.5 years in the industry. Salary growth has been about 12-14% per year, and I've made a lot of career mistakes, hence fairly average results. I'd probably have done 18-20% if I had (a) not made those mistakes, while (b) switching employers strategically. Most of the growth, as others have noted, occurs w…

Don't mean to undermine your point but where in US is 12-14% raise average ? From what I know, most full time employers go for the usual inflation crap of 3-4%. Unless you change jobs or are in contracting, 12-14% seems high to me in the US.

12-14% is better than average. I was using it as a euphemism for "mediocre", which it is for a person who lives in a high-COL city (one of the main reasons rents are so high is that career progress is faster out here) and in lucrative industries. When people not 1/10 as talented or capable as I am are, at the same age, making MD in investment banks, being acquired for millions, or making 500+ in private equity, I think it's fair to say that a 12-14% trajectory is pretty damn uninspiring. Money isn't an issue, but I'd be calling way more shots at my age if I hadn't taken so many bad risks (read: shitty startups).

I'm 0 for 2 in picking startups. The first just didn't have legs (our CEO had no idea what people actually wanted and would pay for) but my mistake was to spend almost 3 years trying to make it work. The second had unethical management who (a) tried to use my engineering credibility to justify dodgy personnel moves, attempting to force me to sign affidavits claiming my colleagues were incompetent (they weren't, but they had "too much" equity) and (b) after I resigned, did all sorts of disgusting stuff to try to fuck with my career.

You're right that if you don't change employer or get a promotion, you're unlikely to get a substantial raise. I assume that anyone who isn't promoted after 2 years is, unless they have essentially full autonomy to direct their work, going to start looking elsewhere. You'd be insane not to. Your future is your real boss, because the future is what actually pays us.

Re: Ask HN: Salary Increases Over Time

#63

Post by PeterisP »

codegeek wrote: post #52
michaelochurch wrote: post #49

You asked for numbers. I probably shouldn't do this under my real name but... who gives a fuck. US, 29 years old, 6.5 years in the industry. Salary growth has been about 12-14% per year, and I've made a lot of career mistakes, hence fairly average results. I'd probably have done 18-20% if I had (a) not made those mistakes, while (b) switching employers strategically. Most of the growth, as others have noted, occurs w…

Don't mean to undermine your point but where in US is 12-14% raise average ? From what I know, most full time employers go for the usual inflation crap of 3-4%. Unless you change jobs or are in contracting, 12-14% seems high to me in the US.

12-14% sustainable raises for the same position aren't likely - but after x years of experience you should be holding a different, more complicated, and much higher paid position.

Re: Ask HN: Salary Increases Over Time

#64

Post by PeterisP »

gavingmiller wrote: post #50
brudgers wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In so doing you saved the company the cost of finding, hiring and bringing your replacement up to speed. It's a bullshit argument because the speaker doesn't care if you believe them.

So my employees should get a raise for not leaving me? Not sure that logic will fly. I'm certain there's a bad date analogy somewhere in there too! :D

If you're hired a fresh developer, after 3 years of experience he is worth much more than a fresh developer - that's the market price. He'd be able to get that price elsewhere, and you'd have to pay that raised price to get a qualified replacement instead of another newbie.

Re: Ask HN: Salary Increases Over Time

#65

Post by tatsuke95 »

[deleted] wrote: post #59
codegeek wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't mean to undermine your point but where in US is 12-14% raise average ? From what I know, most full time employers go for the usual inflation crap of 3-4%. Unless you change jobs or are in contracting, 12-14% seems high to me in the US.

[deleted]

>"Sure, that's average, but why stay at an average company?"

How many years are you talking about being employed? Because doubling your salary every 3-5 years is completely unsustainable. If this occupation is so leveraged that 10% annual salary gains are "average", and 20% are "expected", there is going to be some heartache at some point. That isn't happening anywhere else on the planet.

Re: Ask HN: Salary Increases Over Time

#66

Post by pc86 »

heymishy wrote: post #21
beaumartinez wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are doing the same job as last year, except with a whole nother year's worth of experience .

very off topic, but i've always wondered whether 'nother' was an acceptable word to use.

It most certainly is not. It's up there with "irregardless," "supposably," and "pacifically/the Specific Ocean."

If you're a native English speaker there is absolutely no excuse for that kind of ignorance.

Re: Ask HN: Salary Increases Over Time

#67

Post by sethg »

edent wrote: post #39

One of the best things you can do is ask your colleagues and your peers about their salary. That's the best way you can find out whether your pay is in line with "the industry". Some companies have specific rules against disclosing your salary - try not to work for those people :-) It may also be worth asking for an equal pay audit[0] - are you being discriminated against because of your sex, race, etc? Finally, don'…

In the US, your employer can forbid you from revealing your pay to outsiders, but the National Labor Relations Act guarantees that employees have the right to discuss their pay with one another. (I believe this falls under the heading “you have the right to discuss with your co-workers whether or not your job sucks so much that you should try to organize a union.”)

Re: Ask HN: Salary Increases Over Time

#68

Post by codegeek »

mbesto wrote: post #22

The best advice I can give is - try to estimate how much you are worth to a company. It can be fairly complicated, but understanding what you bring to the table can not only give you peace of mind but can also increase your salary. It's your career. Own it. Let your employer know you own it. Any good employer will support you.

"It's your career. Own it"

This. I am amazed to see how many people don't understand the importance or relevance of this statement.

Re: Ask HN: Salary Increases Over Time

#69

Post by brixon »

powatom wrote: post #11

My policy is that every year I aim for a substantial pay rise. There is no set percentage that I aim for, I basically just come up with a number that I want, and start negotiating. The day that the company claims there is no more room in the budget, and I can't see any realistic chance of progression, is the day I start looking for a new job. Generally speaking, the easiest way to secure a decent pay-rise is to chang…

"Working for a lower salary than the industry standard is not only bad for you, it's bad for the industry as a whole."

There is a reason not everyone gets paid the same. Two software engineers with 7 years experience in the same technologies but one has taken on leadership roles in big projects and the other has only done small solo projects. The first person should be above the industry standard, but the second person should be below the industry standard.

Re: Ask HN: Salary Increases Over Time

#70

Post by kenjagi »

First post - yeah!

Federal contractor in Washington DC.

Average increase in salary changing company: 17% (Low 2.5% increase, High 42% increase)

Average increase in salary through raise: 3.2% (Low 2% increase, High 4% increase)

I've generally found that salary reporting sites are inaccurate as the salaries listed are double what the reality is.

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