Underpaid and not sure what to do about it

[BayAreaPyGuy]

Review time is coming up at work, and I've found out I'm being paid at roughly the 30th percentile for someone with my experience (3 years, Python/Django backend) in the city I work in (SF). I've been with the company for about a year, and I would like to stay there, but certain external factors have caused money to become tighter than it was a few months ago.

I want to fix this situation, but I don't particularly want to change companies. I like going into work; enjoy my coworkers; and the company is in a good position to become cash-flow neutral very soon, so we're in a good place in spite of all the articles about the impending blood bath in the Valley. On the other hand, I've explicitly been told by my tech lead that the days of 10%+ raises are over, but I'm making around 16% less than the median.

Is this a hopeless situation?

[bobby_9x]

The median wage also depends on your experience and abilities. You may not be worth that much to the company.

If you think you deserve more, ask for a raise and if they say no, ask what needs to happen for you to get one.

Otherwise, find another job. This is how I got raises every few yeara, when I was an employee.

[BayAreaPyGuy]

I have asked.

This was the response:

>...the days of 10%+ raises are over....

[bobby_9x]

This is usually a bad sign. Your company will probably be out of business within 5 years. It might be time to look for another job.

[gonyea]

Then the days of employee loyalty are over. Shop around and find a higher bidder.

[chrisbennet]

It's hopeless. If they pay you poorly in the beginning they will almost never give you a raise to market when your skills advance. This is why it is important to negotiate aggressively when getting a new job.

The only time I got a 25% raise was when I negotiated it before I took the job. The deal was, raise me to market in 6 months or we decide it's not working out and we go our separate ways.

[stray]

Wait six months and get a new gig -- jumping ship after a year and a half is fine, and that's how to get paid more.

Smart monkey doesn't let go of one branch till another is firmly in hand.

[BayAreaPyGuy]

That's exactly (and unfortunately) what this monkey was thinking. :(