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I've read an interesting article by Felipe Gaucho called "Good Java developers deserve better salaries ", where he states that employers have to increase salaries for Java developers. Unfortunately, in the market economies such demands won't work.
In enterprise IT no one just raises salary if there is a way to hire someone else for less money. It's just not in the corporate culture where people are treated as nameless resources. Have you ever wondered why policemen get lower salaries than Java developers even though people in the uniform risk their lives on daily basis? It's because there are many people who apply for jobs in the police. Preparing a mediocre policemen takes about the same time as preparing a mediocre Java programmer. The same holds true for good policemen and Java developers. Market rules. If no one will want to go to police, their salaries and perks will increase.
Today's trend is to move software development to India, where potentially 1.2 billion of people can become Java developers (they'll outsource all other trades to Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand). Not all of them will be good Java developers, but applying 20/80 rule, 240 million will, and they will lower the prevailing wage for sure.
Luckily, things are different in small companies and startups where GOOD Java developers are still treated nicely. So, if you need better pay and are ready to work harder, leave the corporate world and find a mom and pop software shop (make sure they have stable and positive cash flow).
And it sucks.. Not so many people will be able to find "mom and pop shop"
and will be undervalued, even though their skills and potential is great.
Oh, this cruel and tough world
wonder how you got 20/80 of 1.2 billion as 240,000.
Sadly this is how things work in an open economy. The phone, computer and
even toilet tissues that you buy in the US are cheap because they are made
in China. You win some and you lose some.
Leslie, you're right, it's even worse: 20% of 1.2B is 240M. Will fix the
post, thanks.
You're kidding right? 20% of an entire population of people are eligible
to be good java programmers? Let me guess, you're in the Java population
of 'not good programmers'. And if you think that Mom & Pop Java shops will
pay more than corporations, you're delusional. Small shops do not pay
more, plus their benefits are often worse. I worked at several large
corporations and the 401k matching, bonuses, vacation, health care and
other perks added up to a lot. Sure my equivalent annual salary might have
been a little bit lower than average, but you can't go on salary alone.
