How to break into the 400k+ compensation bracket in tech

[Anonymous]

Start your own company.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m an individual contributor and have plateaued around 300k total compensation, I want to make it to 500k one day but don’t see a clear path forward. I know I’ll probably need to go into management but my social skills aren’t great, and I value WLB. Any advice? I’m approaching the 8 year mark in my career.

LOL. Is this post a joke??

Probably.

If they haven’t been tapped yet for such a job and they want work life balance, then they’re at peak comp right now.
Hopefully their do won’t go bankrupt or have a down round or another RIF.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you an engineer? Most of the big tech companies have robust promotion paths for engineers (e.g. staff, senior staff) that don't require direct people management if you are technically valuable. But you will need to effectively take on projects with larger scope and broader organizational impact, which also requires insight and EQ/people skills.

If you're not an engineer, then yes you will likely need to move into people management.

If you pick the right company and the markets are good, you can also get there at your current level through equity.

+1. I am in tech and make just over $300K with an upward trajectory. I’m on a non revenue generating team and an IC but a SME. If you are not in product or sales then people management or being a SME is your best bet. And equity is going to get you there.

[Anonymous]

The path to what OP wants is a unique one geared to the individual and his/her circumstances. What worked for one person at a particular company will likely NOT work for OP. A lot of the success OP is seeking is based on a very desirable skill set, plus significant luck (right place, right time).

OP's path towards $400k+ requires that OP do his/her own analysis. Asking for advice here tells me that OP hasn't done that yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What do you do OP? I'm a systems engineer with devops experience, can code in assembly, C++, Python, and R. AWS cloud certified and I only make $150 as a middle aged engineer. What is your role/skillset? I will happily take your jobs when you leap to $500k!

I don’t understand why you guys make so little. It seems like a really underpaid profession.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do you do OP? I'm a systems engineer with devops experience, can code in assembly, C++, Python, and R. AWS cloud certified and I only make $150 as a middle aged engineer. What is your role/skillset? I will happily take your jobs when you leap to $500k!

I don’t understand why you guys make so little. It seems like a really underpaid profession.

It will get worse as AI software coding and translation becomes more prevalent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do you do OP? I'm a systems engineer with devops experience, can code in assembly, C++, Python, and R. AWS cloud certified and I only make $150 as a middle aged engineer. What is your role/skillset? I will happily take your jobs when you leap to $500k!

I don’t understand why you guys make so little. It seems like a really underpaid profession.

And generally almost all my coworkers are sparked people who came from poor backgrounds, so they were good at math and science, but didn’t really know how to capitalize that in the workplace.

Especially the pipeline used to go into investment banking, there are a few really smart people who do like machine learning, and such they make lots of money, but the brunt of tech Bros are just former Wall Street Bros of a different era

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do you do OP? I'm a systems engineer with devops experience, can code in assembly, C++, Python, and R. AWS cloud certified and I only make $150 as a middle aged engineer. What is your role/skillset? I will happily take your jobs when you leap to $500k!

I don’t understand why you guys make so little. It seems like a really underpaid profession.

Any tips from OP on what you currently do?

[Anonymous]

Wife makes over $500k in big tech, likely closer to $600k this year with stock vesting. IC. Not an engineer. A lot of people make a lot of money in these companies. You probably need to get a new job with a fresh initial stock grant.

[Anonymous]

If you have to ask...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m an individual contributor and have plateaued around 300k total compensation, I want to make it to 500k one day but don’t see a clear path forward. I know I’ll probably need to go into management but my social skills aren’t great, and I value WLB. Any advice? I’m approaching the 8 year mark in my career.

LOL. Is this post a joke??

Not OP but I know plenty of people in tech that make a lot more than that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very difficult without being in management. The ones I know have really stellar scientific skills (like good enough to be a chief scientist at OpenAI, for example). Generic SWE is commoditized.

Chief Scientist will be valued @ higher net worth.
In seriousness, back office quant for HF can make 400k, no need to be management.

That's not tech. Engineers get the quant dev role. Unless you are hired by Jane Street or the likes, you'll not see 400k.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wife makes over $500k in big tech, likely closer to $600k this year with stock vesting. IC. Not an engineer. A lot of people make a lot of money in these companies. You probably need to get a new job with a fresh initial stock grant.

What is IC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wife makes over $500k in big tech, likely closer to $600k this year with stock vesting. IC. Not an engineer. A lot of people make a lot of money in these companies. You probably need to get a new job with a fresh initial stock grant.

Not an engineer, so what does she do? Is at FAANG?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you an engineer? Most of the big tech companies have robust promotion paths for engineers (e.g. staff, senior staff) that don't require direct people management if you are technically valuable. But you will need to effectively take on projects with larger scope and broader organizational impact, which also requires insight and EQ/people skills.

If you're not an engineer, then yes you will likely need to move into people management.

If you pick the right company and the markets are good, you can also get there at your current level through equity.

My company has this but it requires you to, yes, to lead big projects but also to mentor juniors which requires more eq than management imo (I’ve done both). So whatever you do, we is where you need to focus, op.