Software Engineer 0-3 YOE pay?
 

Just curious, if you are a grad/junior SWE, how much do you get paid, and how do you tell if you are being lowballed to the extend that you want to leave? I feel like I'm getting peanut pay at 1 YOE (70k TC at a big tech. I feel that I am capable but I want to find a job after grad asap to not miss out on money. Now I feel regret cuz I feel like I could have made more).

Doesn't matter right? Just practice coding interview and apply whatever next company for next big jump.

Grad from NUS CS 2 years ago. Honestly, after asking around, the starting pay is definitely higher than other majors, but if you're looking for those out of the world pay package that you always hear about, you can only find them in those FAANGS coys + Shopee + Indeed + Zendesk + and those funny PRC coys/startups. Anything outside those are general average paying (5k ish...) BUT... Still higher than other industries.. So just appreciate with what we have considering the economy isn't doing very well...

100k after 1 year as ML engineer

5k u sure?

It certainly does matter. You need to know the market rate or you get low-ball for life.

Yeah but it doesn't matter for TC's specific situation. As a new grad, the only negotiating factor you have is if you have multiple offers. Naturally, having multiple offers and herding them to the other company to bump pay will let you know your worth to not get lowballed. If you only have 1 offer and you get lowballed, its not like you can do anything about it, just work for 1 year, ask co workers how much they get and try not to get lowballed next year with your new set of offers.

Also, it looks like TC is using bigtech too loosely in this case. E.g. 70k tc for Visa is not lowball. while 70k tc for Google is lowball. Hard to give advise tbh. Feelings of year 1 low TC isn't the end of the world. Since he is in bigtech now, its easy to get interviews in bigtech that pay a lot better E.g Facebook. Just need to grind tech interviews. Ability in tech interviews != work capability.

Thats true but not in TS situation I believe. For a fresh grad, not getting lowballed is simple, get multiple offers and herd them to other companies. If you don't have a competing offer, can't do much. Just work 1 year, ask coworkers about pay and continue mugging for interviews for good TS's. If he does this, it's impossible to constantly get lowballed and year 1 tc doesn't matter in comparison. TS being in bigtech already means getting interviews are super easy. Also to add, interview ability != work capability.

TS's example of bigtech lowballing him is too loose for us to really help tbh. 70k tc at Visa is not lowball. 70k tc at Google is lowball. Feeling that he got lowballed being compared to peers at other companies doesn't make sense.

for interviews for good tc's ** correction

1. What is TS definition of big tech?

Are talking about the likes of only the top 5 E.G amazon, apple, facebook, google, microsoft
or just broadly large MNC tech companies.

TC will definitely differ greatly across the top 5 v.s large MNC tech.

Also don't get fooled that all big tech pay surely will pay ridiculous amount of money.


2. What does your current job role and responsibility?

Different areas of work command different salary.

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Given the context of just 1 YOE 70k TC, definitely is not high, probably between lower than average-average. But consider that fresh grads are able to secure 5k+ salary, and total of 14mth compensation 70k+.

Then again it's covid right now, could that also have affected the bonus received and increment after 1 year of service?


If TS feels that you are capable or/and being underpaid, then just go apply for jobs, ask for 20% increment of your annual salary, or even more if you are that confident.

Also note the risk involved, even say you got a new job, great increment, are you able to perform well enough that you will pass the probations to keep the job?

I was generalizing tech MNC that pays 'relatively' well, 6-8k base for fresh grad. Most grad can secure 5k job but it mostly stays in 5k range too.

Unfortunately (or fortunately, idk anymore) I was able to secure my position half a year before I graduate, it was one of the only few 5k offers I received when I was a student, so I took it without thinking much, all I was thinking is I can make 6 months of advance cash. Most other big tech did not want to give me a non-intern position as an undergrad.

6 months later when I graduated, I felt obligated to stay even when I think I deserve better, because idk how the next company will see me for leaving a full time role just 6 months into the job. I am not even sure now because I am only 1 year into the job, but I feel that if I stay longer I will lose more potential income.

What's stopping you from just applying for and interviewing with other companies while staying in your current job for the time being?

Never feel obligated to stay at a company. If they were doing badly, they wouldn't think twice about firing you. If they were actual good people, they would understand you leaving to take a 50% pay bump and support you. Start interviewing, it takes a couple of months anyway.

Same sediments as the previous reply, never feel obligated to stay at a company. Remember at the end of the day, you are just an employee.

Not sure why you are so concern on how the next company will see you. But you better be prepared to answer the common question of why you are looking for a new job (looking for better paying job should never be an answer). This is regardless of staying for a long or short period of time.

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Truthfully, I'm not sure where you got the numbers that MNCs pay 6-8k for a fresh grad. No doubt there are companies that pay that but there are maybe only a handful of them.

Ever thought why some people who say get 5k stay in the 5k range? If they are really capable, they will climb fast or look for a new job that is will pay them.

If you are applying to the top companies, go for it, I'm sure 6-8k is obtainable if you managed to get in

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People will always think they are underpaid and expect more salary.

My question will be what is your value you can provide that deserves a better pay?


Can you do more than just complete the task given to you?

Do you see yourself doing more than your peers in the company? e.g if you are 1 YOE, maybe look at those with +2 YOE above you, 1-3 YOE people.

Can do something that way outside of your job scope/grade? e.g if you are a frontend dev, you can guide your team on technical practices, do some devops, help with architectural design etc.

Can you outperform people who have more YOE and are asking for less? (context of this is since you have only 0.5 YOE)
Else why why not hire them instead. At 6-8k you can easily get people with some YOE easily.


If it's all yes, then you are confident in your skills and value.
If not, I'm not sure how will you convince the next company of your worth.

Still if you are unsure, then just go apply for jobs and you will find out if you are really worth the pay you are looking for. Cost you nothing at all going for interviews.

Won't comment on the rest but the last sentence is definitely wrong. It costs you something to go for interviews.

OP, it costs you time to interview. Time is a precious commodity and as a salaried employee is precisely what you're paid to give up. You can use that to do a better job in your current workplace, interview prep, contribute to open source, have some more personal time etc. etc.

You should consider prepping and lining up multiple interviews in a short space to see what you're worth by lining up multiple competing offers.

My path, not include bonus

2018 - Engineer - $3500 - 28 year old
2019 - Analyst - $4400 (change job)
2020 - Analyst - $4440 (year end increment)
2021 Jun - Analyst - $4900 31 year old (pay adjustment on June)

YOE is used as a gauge when we want to normalize every candidates' experiences and ignore their skills proficiency and work efficiency. The other factors are harder to measure-i get it.

This is when there are lots of problems. For example, software engineers with more YOE may be weaker than fresh grads who may have worked on many tough projects during their internship. Just compare the skillset of a fresh grad who could enter google with any person working in NCS and you will see the stark difference in skills levels.

This is why companies worth their salt came up with coding tests before interviews, but even then it could be faked. What they really need is to come up with a specific technical problem and ask all candidates to attempt to solve it during the interview. No need for the actual solution-we just want to hear the thought process and methodology. And of course the interviewer has to be a skilled software engineer as well.

If all goes well, we could possibly see software engineers being paid according to their skills levels, instead of their YOE.

thats very little

Junior software engineers commanded a median monthly base pay of S$4,750 last year, according to NodeFlair's data. The figures for mid-level and senior software engineers stood at S$6,500 and S$7,500 respectively.

s://nodeflair.com/salaries/report-2022

can someone help create Software Engineer 5+ YOE pay? TIA

5k not bad ma, got aws, bonus, stocks etc?

Join FAANG / Bytedance / Shopee / big tech companies like Stripe/indeed -> 6-10k+
dso/dsta -> 5k+
SMEs -> 5-4k

Blah blah blah

Join stripe, get stocks that will never IPO and get fired in 2nd year due to reorg.

Join any large tech company and get 4-5k because you have no competing offers.

Join Bytedance, Shopee, Tiktok and get 6-7k working like a dog, 12 hours a day.

Join FAANG? Rofl FAANG people don't' come on this trash forum and share info with losers. Dreammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm on.

If you ever stood a chance in FAANG, this trash forum is the last place you seek help. Try Blind or CS reddit.

Wait so to be clear... you see yourself as a loser?self awareness king.

Are FAANG people some kind of elite ppl?

Try soft eng at trading companies/crypto trading companies
Up to 300k++ Yearly!

got to be honest, your pay is pathetic af for someone in acn consulting

even fresh grad getting the same pay as you do in your own industry

nah, this stupid forum is where sinkies pwn other sinkies

where’s the kick in life if you can kick others down in life