#273595 - 06/01/2006 14:42
Typical Raise for IT?
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 14/01/2002
Posts: 2858
Loc: Atlanta, GA
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I just got my raise at my new job- I've only been here 4 months but they give out raises at the beginning of the year. So mine was prorated, which I completely understand. However, if I figure what it would have been for the year, I am less than impressed. Perhaps my expectations have been mistaken because of other places I've worked. So what is a reasonable expectation for a sr. software developer with a strong performance review?
_________________________
-Jeff
Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings; they did it by killing all those who opposed them.
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#273596 - 06/01/2006 16:14
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: JeffS]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 19/01/2002
Posts: 3584
Loc: Columbus, OH
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I've been getting about 6% per annum, but I have no idea if that is reasonable or not. I should note that my salary is way below industry average to start with, but is slowly getting closer. I should also note that I am one of 2 developers in a very small company.
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~ John
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#273597 - 06/01/2006 19:50
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: JeffS]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/06/1999
Posts: 7868
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Raises? What are those?
I'm not expecting anything this year, and got maybe a 1% raise last year. It's one big reason my motivation this past year at work disappeared, and why I am looking elsewhere.
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#273598 - 06/01/2006 20:11
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: JeffS]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14493
Loc: Canada
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It's not a raise (nor a lower) that matters, but rather the actual salary value.
If it's already high, then expect 0%; if it's low, expect a big increase.
In between a more modest increase.
Cheers
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#273599 - 06/01/2006 20:13
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: mlord]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528
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Is not getting a raise at all common? Not even one that keeps in line with inflation?
Edited by tman (06/01/2006 20:14)
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#273600 - 06/01/2006 20:32
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: tman]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 17/01/2002
Posts: 3996
Loc: Manchester UK
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I've only worked for 3 employers, but an annual inflation related rise has always happened. Other than that I've had a 500 quid 'bonus' one year at the beeb, nothing at Siemens (although they do seem to be seriously in the shit financially at the moment), let's hope my new employer breaks the mould.
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Cheers,
Andy M
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#273601 - 06/01/2006 20:42
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: JeffS]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 31/08/1999
Posts: 1649
Loc: San Carlos, CA
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Quote:
So what is a reasonable expectation for a sr. software developer with a strong performance review?
In the last six years I've been at one small dotcom and gone from being a sysadmin type who did a bit of programming to the lead engineer for our small development team. Over those 6 years I've averaged a bit over 10% raise per year. But it hasn't been consistent, a couple years had no raise and one of the dotcom crash years resulted in a 10% salary reduction. Obviously, the other three years saw pretty healthy salary increases.
-Mike
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#273602 - 06/01/2006 20:47
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: mcomb]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14493
Loc: Canada
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Again, the %%% increase numbers mean nothing. The actual salary amount is the only meaningful number here.
Think: get paid $150K/year with 0% increase, or go for the 20% annual increase on a $80K/year salary ??? I know which one I would have always favoured!
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#273603 - 06/01/2006 20:52
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: mlord]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 17/01/2002
Posts: 3996
Loc: Manchester UK
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Quote:
Think: get paid $150K/year with 0% increase, or go for the 20% annual increase on a $80K/year salary ??? I know which one I would have always favoured!
Hmm, he makes a good point!
_________________________
Cheers,
Andy M
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#273604 - 06/01/2006 21:08
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: andym]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 31/08/1999
Posts: 1649
Loc: San Carlos, CA
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Quote:
Hmm, he makes a good point!
That he does, but I for one wasn't particularly interested in posting exactly how much I earn. If you assume I make an average salary for someone in my position as does Jeff (and that our positions are similar enough to be worth comparing) then the percentages do have some meaning.
-Mike
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#273605 - 06/01/2006 21:14
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: mcomb]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 17/01/2002
Posts: 3996
Loc: Manchester UK
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That's part of the problem, people seem to get paid vastly different sums for doing very similar jobs. It is difficult gauge wether a 5% pay rise is any good if you don't know whether the person in question is earning 30k or 60k.
_________________________
Cheers,
Andy M
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#273606 - 06/01/2006 21:33
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: JeffS]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12338
Loc: Sterling, VA
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I think I got a $600 raise this year. Ah, non-profit. Well, at least that takes care of a car insurance payment.
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Matt
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#273607 - 07/01/2006 06:33
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: JeffS]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 20/01/2002
Posts: 2085
Loc: New Orleans, LA
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For the past 10 years, I've recieved at least 4% a year. However, I do work for the government, so keep in mind my salary is NOT what it would be in the private sector. I have, however, gotten a 10% performance raise in those 10 years, so I am making about double what I started at.
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#273608 - 07/01/2006 08:42
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: lectric]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 09/08/2000
Posts: 2091
Loc: Edinburgh, Scotland
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I have worked for the same professional services firm for the last four and a half years, and our promotions/raises etc happen in October. My raises have been 21%, 1%, 13% and 5% - plus the technical staff had an extra 5% last year as we were fighting RBS for new hires and had to do something to attract new grads etc. We still have headcount requirements in the UK for technical/infosec folks, in case anyone is interested - PM me and I can discuss the roles  If all goes well I am hoping for a promotion in October with a payrise of about £20k, if not, then I might get an extra couple of grand.
_________________________
Rory
MkIIa, blue lit buttons, memory upgrade, 1Tb in Subaru Forester STi
MkII, 240Gb in Mark Lord dock
MkII, 80Gb SSD in dock
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#273609 - 07/01/2006 10:53
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: mlord]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 14/01/2002
Posts: 2858
Loc: Atlanta, GA
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Quote:
Think: get paid $150K/year with 0% increase, or go for the 20% annual increase on a $80K/year salary ???
Point taken- I'm not making 150K/year if that helps 
For me it really isn't so much about the money (of course, money is why I ultimately go to work), but about feeling valued. Part of all of this is that I'm new to the company, but I'd rather have had no raise at all than what they gave me (1%), just because it feels like a slap in the face ("here, have an extra $20 per paycheck on us"). But I have to remember that I've only been here a few months and they don't really know what value I bring to the company. This all comes on the heals of a performance review in which I mostly "exceeded expectations", but apparently that doesn't mean much since I'm so new and thus expectations were low (I had no real objectives to meet). My main concern is that apparently a typical raise at this company is around 3%-4%, and that's a lot lower than what I've experienced in the past. Sounds like it isn't really out of line for the industry, though. Just not what I've experienced.
_________________________
-Jeff
Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings; they did it by killing all those who opposed them.
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#273610 - 07/01/2006 11:10
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: JeffS]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 17/01/2002
Posts: 3996
Loc: Manchester UK
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The 500 pound bonus felt like a kick in the trousers especially after I spent a year busting my balls. After that I thought fuck it, I might as well just do the minimum as it makes no difference. Bit of an Office Space moment.... The proof of the pudding will be this summer, considering the time I've spent making sure the transition to our new building is as smooth as possible I'm going to be really pissed off if I don't see a significant increase.
_________________________
Cheers,
Andy M
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#273611 - 07/01/2006 13:31
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: JeffS]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 13/07/2000
Posts: 4180
Loc: Cambridge, England
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Quote:
So what is a reasonable expectation for a sr. software developer with a strong performance review?
If your manager understands how to build and maintain strong, committed teams of developers, and if the overall compensation scheme (which of course your manager is probably as much a victim of as you are) allows for it, then lots -- especially if you've just started a new job and surprised them by how good you are at it.
Elsewhere, i.e. in the real world, however, the company will pay you the smallest amount they think won't cause an on-the-spot resignation: no other strategy is cost-optimal for them in the short term. Don't blame your own manager for this: his or her hands are likely to be tied unless your company is so small that your own manager was the one who came up with the compensation scheme in the first place.
Peter
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#273612 - 07/01/2006 16:55
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: peter]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 20/01/2002
Posts: 2085
Loc: New Orleans, LA
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Could be worse. I once had a job where your salaray was based partly upon how much you "needed" the money. In other words, married people made more, and people with kids made even more. Just to prove the point, after one of the developers had a kid, he got a signifigant raise. Niiiice.
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#273613 - 07/01/2006 17:11
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: lectric]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528
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Quote:
Could be worse. I once had a job where your salaray was based partly upon how much you "needed" the money. In other words, married people made more, and people with kids made even more. Just to prove the point, after one of the developers had a kid, he got a signifigant raise. Niiiice.
By any chance did the person that came up with that scheme have loads of kids?
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#273614 - 07/01/2006 19:16
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: lectric]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 14/01/2002
Posts: 2858
Loc: Atlanta, GA
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Quote:
I once had a job where your salaray was based partly upon how much you "needed" the money.
Ever read "Atlas Shrugged"? Ayn Rand would be proud . . .
_________________________
-Jeff
Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings; they did it by killing all those who opposed them.
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#273615 - 07/01/2006 19:28
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: lectric]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 17/01/2002
Posts: 3996
Loc: Manchester UK
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Quote:
Could be worse. I once had a job where your salaray was based partly upon how much you "needed" the money.
Is that not discrimination against people who are single by choice, or terminally repulsive? Also what if you got divorced or had your family die in an accident? So as well as the pain of losing your nearest and dearest you'd also get a pay cut. I can't believe a company could base it salary and remuneration scheme around that.
_________________________
Cheers,
Andy M
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#273616 - 07/01/2006 19:35
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: andym]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528
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How about every year just before you get a pay rise you go and borrow a friend's family for a month or so? 
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#273617 - 07/01/2006 19:40
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: tman]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 17/01/2002
Posts: 3996
Loc: Manchester UK
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Or take your girlfriend to the xmas do every year with a pillow up her top.
_________________________
Cheers,
Andy M
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#273618 - 07/01/2006 19:53
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: lectric]
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Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 08/02/2002
Posts: 3411
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Quote:
Could be worse. I once had a job where your salaray was based partly upon how much you "needed" the money. In other words, married people made more, and people with kids made even more. Just to prove the point, after one of the developers had a kid, he got a signifigant raise. Niiiice.
Just to play Devil's advocate... What do you consider to be so wrong about this?
_________________________
Mk2a 60GB Blue. Serial 030102962
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#273619 - 07/01/2006 19:54
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: tman]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 20/01/2002
Posts: 2085
Loc: New Orleans, LA
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Tell me... He has two kids, and it was a very small company. The trick was, I think he figured he would pay you the least amount he could to make you comfortable. Just enough to keep you from leaving.
Another story, same company:
When I was hired on, I accepted a low salary based on the fact that I was to get a 10% raise fter my 6 mos. probation was over. At that time I was also to be eligible for the profit sharing program. At the end of six months, They cut me a check for profit sharing. Two days later the boss came to me and said "We didn't mean to include you in the profit sharing, but we'll give you a choice. Take the check now, and defer the raise for another 6 mos., or take the raise and give back the check"
Well, I needed the immediate money, and I did the math and the numbers were almost identical, so I took the check. After 6 more months, we were in a staff meeting and he said "Well, the company is doing well, so everybody gets a 5% raise." Now, to me, I should be getting a 16% raise. 10% and then 5% on top of that. Nope, I only got the promised 10%. When I asked him about it later, the response was "Come on Mason, you're already making out like a bandit" At that point, I started looking for another job.
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#273620 - 07/01/2006 19:56
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: genixia]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 20/01/2002
Posts: 2085
Loc: New Orleans, LA
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Obviously, you SHOULD be paid what you're worth, not what you need. He blithely ignored what people were worth and also ignored who was making more money for the company. Lovely.
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#273621 - 07/01/2006 19:59
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: genixia]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528
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Quote:
Just to play Devil's advocate... What do you consider to be so wrong about this?
Because it isn't related to how well you do your job at all? You could be crap and just do enough to get by and earn way more than somebody at the same level who works like crazy but doesn't have a family. Okay, real life isn't fair. You'll get plenty of things like this anyway but thats my opinion of this isolated situation.
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#273622 - 07/01/2006 21:54
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: JeffS]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 19/09/2002
Posts: 2494
Loc: East Coast, USA
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Interesting thread. Clearly I'm not the only one who's received only an inflation-covering raise for the last four years. But I seem in the minority since I didn't leave their job because of it.
Perhaps as my salary stagnated compared to my friends, so has my feeling of self worth and my motivation to improve. Yet, I've got no lack of guilt for my (unintentional and medical?) poor performance.
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- FireFox31 110gig MKIIa (30+80), Eutronix lights, 32 meg stacked RAM, Filener orange gel lens, Greenlights Lit Buttons green set
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#273623 - 07/01/2006 22:12
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: genixia]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 14/01/2002
Posts: 2858
Loc: Atlanta, GA
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Quote:
Just to play Devil's advocate... What do you consider to be so wrong about this?
I don't think it's ethically wrong, but it isn't a wise financial decision in a free market economy. If you don't base your compensation on performance, then your employees will go where they can get the money their work is worth. Paying based on needs results in people competeing to demonstrate the greatest need, rather than doing the best work. Doing so says you value meeting human needs more than the contributions of your employees. While this might be moral and decent, it doesn't jive with how our economic system operates- corporate businesses aren't for meeting human needs, they are for creating products and services relying on the output of their employees. Therefore, the smart company needs to maximize and reward this output.
There can be elements of meeting needs though. My employer gave everyone in the Atlanta office an extra $50 a month for the last three months because of the high gas prices here. I don't think that disenfranchised anyone (including those in other offices) but definitely showed that the company values its employees and considers their needs.
_________________________
-Jeff
Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings; they did it by killing all those who opposed them.
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#273624 - 08/01/2006 00:36
Re: Typical Raise for IT?
[Re: JeffS]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 20/01/2002
Posts: 2085
Loc: New Orleans, LA
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Heh, to make it worse, he used to be an economics professor. Hehe.
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