

Ask HN: How do you know you are getting "fair market rate"? - msoad

I am currently worried that maybe I'm getting paid less than what I worth. I am a end to end web developer in SV working for a "big company" as a permanent employee. I'm getting $140k salary. But from what I hear I think I might be able to make more. Specially because I am an immigrant (Green Card holder) and not a native English speaker. I don't know how to make sure what is my actual worth in market.<p>Interviewing can help but there are two problems with interviewing.<p>1. It can damage my professional repetition if I use other companies as a measurement tool.<p>2. No other company have exact equal condition. They might be a startup with high risk or a company with bad culture. Even they pay more, I wouldn't be as happy as I am.
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xemware_tim
What you are 'worth' is different to every employer as they all have a unique
combination of requirements + expectations.

All you can do is find out what the range of $$ people are getting paid for
comparable roles and see where you sitting on the line, then figure out if you
are happy with your $$ in relation.

Go and talk to recruitment agents. You don't need to tell them where you are
currently working, just what you do.

Part of their job is to know what people are worth.

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atomical
I've talked to a fair amount of recruiters and they were all over the place as
to what I was worth but a few consistently underpriced my skills claiming they
were being "honest" with me.

Also, don't believe the bullshit that a recruiter's job is to get you as much
money as possible. A recruiter has a choice of either closing the position for
a client and making some money or making nothing. A few grand either way isn't
going to make a bit of difference to them. They will work both sides of the
table at your expense.

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xemware_tim
A recruiter is not trying to get you as much money as possible, they work for
the employer.

There is no black and white answer, just ask high and negotiate down if you
have to! Make sure you sell yourself on why you are awesome so they are at
least interested in haggling.

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msoad
.

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pairing
How many years of experience do you have?

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msoad
I have 3 years of "US experience" and about 6 years of experience in total.

