[namelessoracle]

Whats weird is that I've heard the opposite too. That being an old employee is a suckers game for taking the 2 to 4 percent each year.

For instance the staff level who was with the company from junior and climbed the ranks is probably making alot less than the staff who came in as a staff, because climbing the ranks means you get percentage based increases or reset to the floor for the rank, and the staff who came in could negotiate higher than that. (You cant really negotiate comp for a promotion, its take it or leave it). Even though the junior to staff probably has more institutional knowledge, domain knowledge and political connections to get stuff done in the company.

[therealdrag0]

Otoh: I’ve seen new-staff bring more maturity and diverse experience and broader knowledge of patterns and practices than the junior-to-staff, so the value prop may not be as clear cut as it seems.

But of course the principle is true that if you hanging around make sure you get real market adjustment raises. Some companies/managers are better about this than others.

[namelessoracle]

Sure, there's also the point that while the junior to staff has connections, they might have also earned enemies too which will seek to impede stuff they want done. Where as the new staff has a fresh slate with everyone.

Generally speaking though, people i've seen promoted to Staff are more effective at the role than people who come in at the role, because Staff seems heavily weighted towards being able to influence at most companies. And being a known quantity counts for a lot. (also to become a staff someone higher in the food chain had to have already vouched for you and be willing to grant you some degree of patronage)

Also the value prop for what you are saying of "new pattern or practice" only applies if the staff gets to do green field dev, its rare a brand new staff without political capital can force a pivot on an already in development product that has patterns already set. In short its rare it gets to manifest, and when it does get to manifest it can take a year or 2 to manifest, and people who are willing to jump into staff roles probably have their next spot picked up for their next salary hike already picked out ;)

[scarface74]

“Salary Compression and Inversion”