[bluesnowmonkey]

That's a passive-aggressive mindset. We're all beautiful snowflakes but salary isn't based on how special you are, it's based on what you're worth, which is very closely related to what others would pay for you. Don't be all offended because your boss doesn't want to pay what you feel like you're worth, you know, in your heart.

"Boss, I'd like to make $x."

"No."

"Boss, I'd like to make $x and Y will pay it."

"You got it."

It's very simple. You can't negotiate without options. Nothing personal. You won't hurt someone's feelings by standing up for yourself (unless he is very insecure).

[tptacek]

Without digging into whether you're right or wrong about this, there is a common pathology that happens where someone decides to leave, secures a strong offer, informs their manager, receives a counteroffer, and accepts the counteroffer instead of leaving. Many such counteroffers aren't really good-faith counteroffers (even if the company thinks they are); they are effectively "options" for the company to have you leave on their terms instead of yours.

[rphlx]

So many managers are too stupid/lazy to value devs based on their output, and instead do so based on what other managers are willing to pay? Excellent.

[rorrr]

> but salary isn't based on how special you are, it's based on what you're worth

Sorry, but that's just bullshit. Salary and skills are correlated very loosely. The salary spread among (roughly) equally skilled developers is enormous. It's up to you which side of spectrum to be on.

[bluesnowmonkey]

Did I say anything about skills?