[lowiqengineer]

Levels.fyi is good, but it's still polluted with TC's from multiple regions in the US (California + NYC have higher base and higher TC by 15% due to taxes). In addition, promos always happen at the low-band and aren't negotiated. There's very likely some intersection between high-band L4 and low-band L5, and I'd be there when/if I promo. The only way to get out of the band is to get a high raise during evaluation season, but this maxes out at 10% or so for "top tier" performance evaluated only once a year.

*The net effect is "pay for performance" isn't really a thing.

The only way for me to do a significant compensation bump is to do what's called a "dive and save", but this is very rarely done for L5's and is significantly more common for L6's. I got an offer for about $200k a year ago at a hedge fund, but that wasn't eligible for dive and save because of my level and I'm (clearly) too mentally defective to pass a Facebook or Google loop.

[sharken]

Dive and save is one option you have, as admittedly being a long time at a company does not usually end up in a great salary. Related: https://randsinrepose.com/archives/the-diving-save/

The other more popular approach is to "play the game" as I think of it, I.e. every 18-24 months you switch to a new job with a substantial increase in pay as result.

I wish this wasn't the case, but I guess it is what it is.

[offbyone]

Huh. At this point I'm quite curious if I know you.

[lowiqengineer]

Haha, you don’t but I do know you from the Pythonista list.