How does one work how much their skills are "worth"?

[PaulStat]

So I'm potentially getting a little ahead of myself, but I'm due a final stage interview as a "Staff Software Engineer". The company has in house recruitment, and the guy did ask me what my salary expectations were back at the start, to which I replied I'd like to do a little more research before I answered that which he seemed fine with.

So a little background

- Location Bristol
- Working about 16 years
- Currently work as a consultant in Identity and Access Management, with a heavy lean towards doing apps integration with cloud identity. So I completed a big project 6 months or so ago with Okta, Java microservices, kubernetes, react js apps. All using SAML 1.1/2.0 and OIDC\OAuth 2.0
- Also have experience with some IAM products such as Sailpoint

Job would be helping to develop one of the market leader products in IAM. Looking around gives me mixed results ranging from anywhere between 50-70k. I don't want to undervalue myself, but also don't want to scare them off by asking for too much. My gut is saying low 60's but I'm not sure if I'm being unrealistic.

 

[PaulStat]

Thanks all some good points, will be a bit more bold then. That is if he ever comes back to tell me when it is. Perhaps I'm too impatient!

 

[PaulStat]

Yeah that's obviously their tactic and I suspect it works well as it's quite common.

Can feel myself going into stalker mode, resisting though thankfully. This last interview is meant to be a review of how I tackled their technical task, was told on Tuesday

That's great, thank you!

I'll begin scheduling the final video interview ASAP. Could you please let me know your availability for this week?

Come on! It can't have been so bad to just go quiet on me! (I did respond to the above) And breath!

 

[PaulStat]

IAM is a good place to be in right now. I actually work for Okta and previously at a partner delivering Okta among other solutions.

At a partner or consultancy style business in the IAM space, the market values are around:

• Entry/Junior Role - £30k-40k
• 1-2 Years Experience - £50-60k.
• 3-5 Years Experience (Senior Role) - £70k-£90k.
• 5 Years + Experience (Architect or Principal Role) - £100k-£300k.

Working at one of the more premium vendors like Okta, add a 30% premium on to that.

Feel free to reach out if you want a chat, I know some good partners and vendors that I can loop you in too if interested.

Who are you applying too out of curiosity?

Might just do that thanks!

 

[PaulStat]

Did you take a look at glassdoor that can be helpful for company specific salaries even if it's not the exact job you are going for it can afford least give an idea where they stand in the industry for pay

Also when dealing with pay ranges never throw out a pay range with a lower range you wont accept. If you say I'm looking for 50-70k and they come back with 55 and you say no its annoying for the manager make the bottom range the minimum you would accept. I would phase it as 60-70k base depending on overall benefits package. That still gives a bit of wiggle room

Another thing I'm unsure of, if I state a range say 60-70k surely they'll just go with 60

 

[PaulStat]

I take it this follows on from the programming test question you posted about in the html, graphics & programming forum. Was there no salary range posted for the job ?

The "be bold" advice is best. Getting a decent increment generally only happens when moving jobs, once you're in - most do the bare minimum to keep you.

That'll be the one yup, thanks for your input on that. And no no range advertised

The be bold advice is good I think, given the sector and what I've found seem to correlate. We'll see

 

[PaulStat]

So I didn't get the Dev role as my interpretation of their task obviously didn't match what was in their minds. Bit annoying but heyho, however they have suggested I look at their consultancy role......