What is the best career advice for a software developer to earn a higher salary

Writing the best code won’t earn you a higher salary. Here are three lessons I learnt in the software industry the hard way that will get you earning a higher salary in less than 10 years.

1. Network

In order for you to be able to earn a really huge pay you need to get hired with one of the more established companies like Google, Facebook, Amazon and the like.

These companies don’t hire applications who apply through the internet. They rely completely on referred candidates.

If you know someone who works at company X, chances of getting hired there are high if you leverage on that connection.

Connecting and making friends with these people will prepare the way for landing that great job that will pay you a huge salary.

Meet these guys at Tech forums, local Meetups and LinkedIn.

Relationships take time and effort to build but when done right, it can mean the job of your dreams.

2. Just get the job done

As a software developer you are probably thinking that writing the best code is what gives you the attention. You are not alone, that’s what I thought too.

Unfortunately nah!

The company management will like you more if you just focus on getting the current task done.

If you can accomplish tasks really quickly and get the client smiling back, then you have greater chances of commanding a higher salary.

For the company you are a great asset, you win the clients, and happy clients mean more money.

Trying to write the smartest code will mean you take up more time to fix say a bug. Clients don’t like to wait for so long and the management can’t like that too.

So fix the problem as fast as you can, make everybody happy then go back and try to make your solution more efficient, delete come code if you later need to. You’ll be in the top list for promotions.

3. Be a leader

Your boss is lazy.

And many others are.

The last thing he wants to hear from you though, is complaining about his laziness. Usually they can’t stomach that.

If you want to get ahead and command a higher salary at your company then fix the boss.

Take on leadership of your peers when the big man is away.

Always be willing to take on last minute and late hours tasks that he may slap on your face when an infuriated client comes barking.

Just helping to save the situation when he really needs your help will make you look more favorably in his eyes. This way you become an asset not just to the company but to the boss too.

He will by all means want to keep you.

The best way to keep you according to him will be to give you a higher pay. That’s his show of appreciation. It’s what you need excess of.

I hope these tips get you to climb the professional ladder pretty quickly.

Cheers!