Right out of school in 2006 my first programming job started me at $20,000 a year. And I was so glad to have it! I’d been applying and interviewing for jobs for six months and this tiny shop was the only place willing to give me a chance.
I think people forget, but at the time it was a foregone conclusion that all programming jobs were going to go to India and you would be a fool to go into it. I was told as much by teachers before I left high school. I didn’t know anyone else getting into programming, I literally had college comp-sci classes where I was the only student.
After my 3 months probation they realized “he’s pretty good” and unexpectedly doubled that.
Worked my way up to lead developer by around 2009 at that job which basically doubled that again.
Pay growth since then has not been nearly as meteoric.
I think people forget, but at the time it was a foregone conclusion that all programming jobs were going to go to India and you would be a fool to go into it. I was told as much by teachers before I left high school. I didn’t know anyone else getting into programming, I literally had college comp-sci classes where I was the only student.
After my 3 months probation they realized “he’s pretty good” and unexpectedly doubled that.
Worked my way up to lead developer by around 2009 at that job which basically doubled that again.
Pay growth since then has not been nearly as meteoric.