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Ask HN: How to earn more as a developer without taking the management path?

19 points by yamrzou ↗ HN
I can think of some options:

- Create a start-up

- Join a Big Tech

- Specialize in a niche technical area?

What's the most reliable option? What are the trade-offs?

18 comments

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filetmignon
Joining a big tech company as an IC is by far the most reliable option: https://levels.fyi

The absolute highest paying companies pay more today than what you might even make in equity at a successful early stage startup: https://levels.fyi/2020/

giantg2
They pay more than I'll ever get paid.
AnimalMuppet
Becoming better at being a developer. Delivering more value to your employer. If your employer doesn't value that in terms of paying you more, find an employer that does.
FroshKiller
Form a labor union with your co-workers and demand more favorable compensation as a bloc.
jokethrowaway
Build passive revenue streams
muzani
This is about as useful an answer as saying "Invest in good stocks"
victor_e
Well investing in good stocks should be a lot easier.
chrisbennet
If you're got a lot of valuable experience, and have a network of former colleagues the can vouch for you, try consulting or contracting. Try to avoid the job shops since they will severely cap your earnings (they basically take half). I have nothing against them, but if you can contract direct, you can literally double your gross income.
muzani
Most consultants/contractors aren't willing to learn how to market themselves. It's not too hard, and if you figure it out, you can make substantially more money. This is the path a lot of people go after 15 years of experience.
alltakendamned
Any pointers on how to learn to do this would be much appreciated.
chrisbennet
I was just lucky. I never had to market myself. Jobs just fell in my lap.
muzani
There's maybe some passive marketing going on. For example, I wouldn't have gotten my first contract if I didn't do that mock API for the contractor working at my office. And I wouldn't have gotten the next 4 contracts if I didn't camp at the client's office for a week to finish a job.

Most of the other jobs that fell into my lap were from my Facebook rants on tech, my involvement in uni alumni activities, and impressing two people who were well connected in the industry.

runawaybottle
Pretty sure once you reach the salary range limits of normal companies, the only way up in comp is FAANG.
domano
Up until a certain point switiching companies is the way to go i think.

I have made offers from other companies transparent to my current employer and got a fair raise as a result, which will only work if you have a really good relationship and i would not typically recommend.

[dead] croo
The glass ceiling is real. So are golden handcuffs.

If job hopping won't help anymore and you want to get more money with strictly coding, your only path is becoming a consultant/contractor and use your network and previous works as leverage.

Big tech corps with impossible pay grade only exist in 'murica as far as I know. Niche area can work but it's still called consulting. Startup is not just "coding" - you will wear way more hats you're comfortable with and more hours you're comfortable with.

edimaudo
What comes to mind would be to good at a niche language that is necessary maybe COBOL or Fortran