Why software engineers are underpaid

I have mentored over a hundred engineers in the past few years. Some short term, some longer term, and I've seen all of them make the same mistakes over and over again. So, ever the engineer, I have decided to stop giving the same advice and, instead, I have written down the most common reasons that hold back software engineers from winning the salaries they deserve.

The hope that your employer will finally see you

They either care or they don't. They either have the money, or they don't. Every year without a raise is a year missed, and every year missed slows down every other year. It sounds harsh, but if you're not being recognised after a couple of years, then it's time to move on.

Doing unpaid work because "Someone has to do it".

Unless it contributes, explicitly, to a written progression plan that gets you more money, your conscientiousness is being exploited. Stop it. If you're doing it because it will make life easier for your colleagues, then your kindness is being exploited. Stop it.

There is only one reason to go above and beyond in your day job: because there is a clear understanding that it will get you more money. One example of this is a stocks and shares incentive. If you have shares in the company, and your hard work may improve the share price, you might decide to work harder. This is fine, because your interests and the interests of your employer are aligned.

If you're being asked to stay late with no overtime pay, and no contribution to an explicit progression plan, then you have no way of knowing that your work is going to be rewarded either directly or indirectly.

Avoiding the haggle

You have the most sought after skill set in the world. You wouldn't sell a Rolex for under market value, but you would sell your time? All to avoid the cringe? Hell no, haggle haggle haggle. Ask for 10% more than they offer, every time. The worst they'll say is no.

Haggling has another benefit. If you're the lowest paid person on the team, the management structure will know that. You will initially be treated differently, until you prove otherwise. You don't have time to constantly prove yourself. Haggling and commanding a higher salary brings with it a base level of respect that will speed up recognition of your work and make you more money in the long run.

Pretending you're all one big family

You're not, you're an employee in a business. They're making money from you. It's a transactional relationship. That doesn't mean it can't be fun, and it certainly doesn't mean you can't make friends, but don't use the "family" lie to fill the gap left by the company's decision to undervalue you.

Own the transactional component of your relationship to your employer and make it clear that while you'll always be professional, conscientious and hard working, you're not going to be emotionally blackmailed into doing more than you should. Set the boundaries early.

Taking negotiation too seriously

Make jokes, be friendly, have fun! Negotiations don't need to be intense. You don't need to recite Das Kapital over the intercom. If you master the art of calmly, optimistically and confidently asserting your value, it is going to pay off. The sooner you learn, the greater the compound interest will be.

The best negotiators in the world keep things light and fun, because they know that if you become adversarial, people won't work with you. In English, we use the word negotiate to also mean travel, or cover complex ground. Treat a negotiation like a trip that you and your employer are embarking on. You're working together to find common ground, not working against each other.

Trusting friendly nods and winks

There is only one thing that you can trust in a reputable organisation. A progression plan IN WRITING. Formally understood and acknowledged by everyone involved in putting money into your account. That means if your manager has made it up and not told anyone, it isn't worth the paper it's written on. Until you've got that, you haven't got shit. Even WHEN you've got that, you need to make sure they stick to it.??

Remember...

Software engineering is a craft, and pursuing it for the love of the craft is noble and brilliant, but companies rely on this attitude to underpay, undervalue and exploit the work of great engineers every day. Don't be one of them.?

You're in demand, but you won't be forever, and when you're not in demand, guess who won't care about those unpaid shifts and empty promises.