Developers Shouldn’t Ask for Raises — Here’s Why and What To Do Instead

Many US companies value loyalty above all else, so even asking for a raise can be seen as mark against you. Job hopping will land you a much higher salary on average, and so it better supports the goal of every full-time US worker: avoiding homelessness, dodging medical bankruptcy, and funding your retirement.

Especially if you have little ones at home, unemployment can be devastating. But asking for a raise can get you fired in the US. (Photo: Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash)

Sometimes there’s a mismatch between your current salary and the combination of your skills, your impact, and your experience.

As full-time software engineers, we have to stay aware of industry trends for our own survival, so sometimes it becomes clear: you’re underpaid.

The next logical step seems to be marching into Human Resources (HR) and demanding a pay bump, right? If they won’t hear you, go to your boss!

I’m so sorry, but I have bad news. You’ll always get more of a raise if you leave your current company. Worse, they could fire you for asking! That doesn’t happen a lot, but layoffs are contagious, and how else is a hiring manager going to decide who to fire other than “complains too much”?