Fact: Good developers are hard to come by. Anyone that’s had to do any hiring knows that unless you get really lucky, you’ll see many resumes before ever finding a good developer to add to the team. Finding the right person with the right skill set that fits into the team well and can deliver on their objectives is like finding a needle in a haystack.

Now think about how you are being paid for a minute. Once you got your job what did you do for the company? Did you kick back and wait for them to set up your machine or did you get involved with learning the business? Now that you are established how do you apply yourself in your downtime? Do you study up on technology or the industry? Maybe accomplish some much needed refactoring? Or do you take 27 smoke breaks every day out of boredom? Maybe you prefer to hang out at the coffee machine all day. How you answer these questions greatly impact what you are really worth.

Types of developers

What type of developer are you? If I were to categorize developers, I would define two major categories. We have those that program because it pays well and they need a job. They could care less about the latest in technology outside of what they may need to keep their job and continue to be marketable. The second major category would identify the people that have a passion (light or heavy) for using software as a tool in innovation and problem solving. Their interests in software are deeply tied to their need to create and innovate.

So which category do you fall in? It would be untrue if I said I didn’t fall somewhere in the middle and I think the majority of us could say the same. We generally need money to survive and that’s ok. But I think that the more passionate and interested the person in software - generally speaking - the more that person is going to be worth to the company as a developer. Knowledge is certainly power but dedication and passion (though admittedly blinding at times) are essential ingredients in attaining real success. And frankly, the second type of developer is what most companys really need in an employee. Not just someone that wants a job.

Types of people

If we break this down a little more, I think that we find another interesting categorization of people, in general. You have the people that are self-motivated and goal oriented on one hand. You can find these people setting up and taking charge or you may find the less visible ones diligently finding better ways to solve discreet problems. On the other hand you have people that would like to get by without doing anything more than what they were hired to do. Often noticed by the ones proclaiming “That’s not my job!”

Some leave at 5:30 pm but get in the office at 7 am and are fully productive and constantly contributing to the good of the company. Of course you are welcome to be the one that leaves at 7 but gets in at 10:30 and takes a 2 hour lunch. That’s fine, but don’t be surprised when you find out your true worth.

Compensation

As employees you all know what compensation means to you, but consider the idea from your employers perspective. Your employer has a service or product that he/she provides. That service or product costs money to produce. Now let me ask you how much you would be willing to pay to get a product or service delivered. The answer is… as little as possible! The question the employer wants to know is: what is the smallest amount that I can pay in overhead (you) while maintaining a low risk of loss of intellectual capital (your knowledge)? You will find that the answer to that averages out to be the median salaries for your respective region (not including the extreme cases, of course).

So what are you worth? That depends on who you are and who you ask? Those who are doing as little as possible to get by are getting the good side of the bargain (whatever they are paid!). Those who are constantly striving for success are probably getting the short end of the stick in terms of compensation. But let me just say that they are building themselves up for something better by their pursuits. If this is you, the biggest winner is likely yourself and your future. You are making yourself more valuable all the time. So what you are worth is not where you are, but where you are going? Some analysts have said Google is priced not for where it is currently but for where it is going?

What you are worth is directly proportional to the value you add. If you aren’t adding any value, count your blessings that you even have a job. If you are adding value and constantly contributing, pat yourself on the back for your hard work and dedication. Continue as hard as you can because eventually your true value and worth will be realized and payday will come.

Tags: compensation, jobs