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IT Consultant Talks About 'Negotiating for Nerds' (Video)

Posted by Roblimo on from the paying-it-forward dept.

Matt Heusser did a Slashdot video interview back in 2013 titled How to Become an IT Expert Companies Seek Out and Pay Well. Despite noise from a few yammerheads about Matt getting 'free advertising' on Slashdot, which is unlikely since the vast majority of Slashdot users are more likely to compete with him than to hire him, most of the people who saw that video (or read the transcript) knew he was giving helpful advice to peers who might want to get out of the cubicle and work for themselves.

Today, Matt is with us again. This video is about 'Negotiating for Nerds.' Matt talks about negotiating a pay raise or consulting fee increase, starting with learning who has the actual power to negotiate with you. This is essential knowledge if you are employed (or self-employed) in IT and want to make sure you're getting all you are worth.

61 comments

  1. No no, Ellen fixed that for us. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    We don't need to negotiate any more. If a group doesn't do something well, it's better to just do away with that something.

    1. Re:No no, Ellen fixed that for us. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Outsourcing became the way to go for us. It's cheaper, and there are more headaches but in the end it gets done. It also helps to remedy the problem of people thinking that their skillsets are minted from platinum when in reality they are merely slightly above average. We were going to go the H1B route, but there's been a little too much controversy over that lately.

    2. Re:No no, Ellen fixed that for us. by 50000BTU_barbecue · · Score: 2

      As long as that mindset applies to CEOs as well, I'm all for it. I've never seen outsourcing go that way however. Odd, that.

      --
      Mostly random stuff.
    3. Re:No no, Ellen fixed that for us. by ruir · · Score: 2

      It is good you prefer to pay more and not have resident people tendering and taking care of your own business. Have you considered also outsourcing the local idiots and finding another line of work? Be careful about the poisons you choose, I have worked with indian expats, and to date I am not impressed. They say yes to everything and are geniuses on paper, in practice their concepts are weak and the work shoddy. The things my actually go well for a while, normally either it takes very incompetent people to fuck it all in the first few months, but without experienced people give it 1 or 2 years time, and you will notice the cheapest route is more expensive. Actually people understand this concept about maintaining a car, but not IT or their businesses. Sweet. Good luck, you will sure need it, douchebag.

  2. So, more free advertising by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    The yammerheads are the only reason to come to Slashdot. Certainly not for Roblimo, or this guy.

    1. Re:So, more free advertising by stephanruby · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Despite noise from a few yammerheads about Matt getting 'free advertising' on Slashdot, which is unlikely since the vast majority of Slashdot users are more likely to compete with him than to hire him

      As a Yammerhead myself (whatever that means, by the way thanks a lot Dice for calling me names)

      I'm more upset at you guys for turning Slashdot into a Slashvertisement for Dice.

      Before the purchase from Dice Holdings, Slashdot wasn't really a place for recruitment advice or recruitment news. I know that as owners of Slashdot, you can do whatever you want with the editorial content, but just know that you've been steadily losing most of your readers here.

    2. Re:So, more free advertising by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      You're no yammerhead. It's a Robert Heinlein word for people who do nothing but whine and get in the way and contribute nothing useful. From 'The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.' As that into (above) says, "a few yammerheads."

    3. Re:So, more free advertising by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Personally, I like the occasional career advice articles. I think it was sorely lacking from the site for years. I'd think that IT professionals might appreciate the advice, especially the many who come on here complaining that they can't get a job.

    4. Re:So, more free advertising by gsslay · · Score: 1

      Yeah. What do IT professionals need recruitment advice for? It's not like they work in a job market, or even need a job or a wage or anything.

    5. Re:So, more free advertising by drakaan · · Score: 1

      Great. Now, since I didn't immediately recognize where it was from, I'm going to have to spend the next month or two re-reading all of my Heinlein books.

      --
      "Murphy was an optimist" - O'Toole's commentary on Murphy's Law
  3. Want a pay raise? Changes jobs, frequently. by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I make 80% more as a tech contractor working numerous short-term assignments (one day to one year) for different companies than a tech worker collecting 2% raises at the same company for 5+ years.

    1. Re:Want a pay raise? Changes jobs, frequently. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Have you ever had to move due to a shortage of contracts where you live? That's my biggest concern when considering this.

    2. Re:Want a pay raise? Changes jobs, frequently. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You need to make considerably more as a contractor anyway considering that you need to entirely cover your own health insurances, have no 401K with employer match, etc...

    3. Re:Want a pay raise? Changes jobs, frequently. by 50000BTU_barbecue · · Score: 2

      That's because you are in North America where employers see employees like spoiled food at the back of the fridge. Yes, you need to be a team player with a pedigree a mile long, but it's never enough, and "team" only goes so far as "boss", then suddenly it's all about THEM.

      --
      Mostly random stuff.
    4. Re:Want a pay raise? Changes jobs, frequently. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Gee, I wonder what beloved parent company might profit off of that advice...

    5. Re:Want a pay raise? Changes jobs, frequently. by tnk1 · · Score: 2

      This is true. As a contractor, I paid absurd heath insurance rates. Now that I am older and married, forget it.

      Granted, now we have Obamacare, but that shit is pretty damn expensive too, unless you are getting a grant to offset it. It may be just as much, if not more, than the rates I paid to obtain health insurance on my own.

      Of course, I also know that I have to switch jobs every few years to make a decent raise, so in that respect, I'm living the contractor experience with less pay, but more overall safety. It's a trade I am happy to make as someone with a family, but as a young, single person, I'd might drool over the raw cash more because I'd have fewer things putting their claim on my paycheck, so I could invest the extra money more freely and make it work for me while still driving around an econo-box and living with roommates.

    6. Re:Want a pay raise? Changes jobs, frequently. by roc97007 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Right. I was a contractor for several years, but got a FTE position when I decided to buy a home and raise a family, for precisely this reason. Took a hit in salary when I made the switch, but that's the price one pays.

      The positive side, savings during the contracting days paid a hefty down payment on the house.

      --
      Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
    7. Re:Want a pay raise? Changes jobs, frequently. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      LOL, 20th century corporate-think much? Health insurance is dirt cheap now and IRAs can pay off a lot better than 401k.

    8. Re:Want a pay raise? Changes jobs, frequently. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      LOL, 20th century corporate-think much? Health insurance is dirt cheap now and IRAs can pay off a lot better than 401k.

      Not true. 401k's allow for MUCH larger contributions each year, multiples of what an IRA allows. This dwarfs the advantages of an IRA.

    9. Re:Want a pay raise? Changes jobs, frequently. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I assume you are also in North America, and like bashing yourself? Here in Europe, you're happy and shut up if you have a job that pays the bills.

    10. Re:Want a pay raise? Changes jobs, frequently. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Have you ever had to move due to a shortage of contracts where you live? That's my biggest concern when considering this.

      Yep, and many of us (even the young ones despite what yet another Millenials poll will tell you) have no desire to live out of a suitcase for months at a stretch and move to a new town every year or so. Contracting definitely can pay lot more but many of the tradeoffs tend to be glossed over by it's advocates.

    11. Re:Want a pay raise? Changes jobs, frequently. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You can contribute about three times as much per year to a 401K as you can to an IRA. Also where is this dirt-cheap health insurance? Maybe if you qualify for subsidies but the rest of us have been seeing our premiums going up thanks to Obamacare.

    12. Re:Want a pay raise? Changes jobs, frequently. by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 2

      I was out of work for two years (2009-2010), underemployed for six months (working 20 hours PER MONTH), and filed for Chapter Seven bankruptcy in 2011. After the first six months of unemployment, I was told that I was "unemployable" by recruiters and "overqualified" for minimum wage jobs by hiring managers. With 99 weeks of unemployment benefits and draining my savings to zero, I managed to weather that one out. Unless a company offered to pay for moving, I couldn't afford to move and didn't. Six years later, I'm still recovering from the Great Recession.

    13. Re:Want a pay raise? Changes jobs, frequently. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This right here. I spent a long time at my last job and was lucky to get a 3% raise. 30% bump when I switched. I learned from a guy who did this exact thing his whole career - never spent longer than 1-2 years at any one company.

    14. Re:Want a pay raise? Changes jobs, frequently. by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 1

      Health insurance, 401K with employer match, etc, what the hell is that? Life has been hard since the Great Recession. However, with everyone wanting to work in San Francisco, the perks are getting better for workers who are willing to give up hipster society and work in boring Silicon Valley.

    15. Re:Want a pay raise? Changes jobs, frequently. by 50000BTU_barbecue · · Score: 0

      Yes, imagine that, I can criticize what I see, is that OK with you?

      Yes, shutting up and being happy to pay the bills sounds like a dream to me. What's wrong with that? I'd like a life beyond constantly running around so other people can pay their bills. As a matter of fact my #1 priority these days is getting the hell out of North America.

      --
      Mostly random stuff.
    16. Re:Want a pay raise? Changes jobs, frequently. by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 1

      In Silicon Valley, all of them.

    17. Re:Want a pay raise? Changes jobs, frequently. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      As opposed to our premiums going up regularly before Obamacare. I hate this stupid talking point. It's like people can only remember the last 6 months.

    18. Re:Want a pay raise? Changes jobs, frequently. by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 1

      I would have to pay $650 per month at my old employer for healthcare. Similar coverage cost $350 per month under Obamacare. That's without any subsidies.

    19. Re:Want a pay raise? Changes jobs, frequently. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      IRAs can have a MUCH larger ROI than any 401k. It's not my fault you were stupid with your investments.

    20. Re:Want a pay raise? Changes jobs, frequently. by antdude · · Score: 1

      What about fringe benefits?

      --
      Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
    21. Re:Want a pay raise? Changes jobs, frequently. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Health insurance is cheap? Only if you have a corporation paying most of it as part of your benefits. Small business and individual plans haven't gotten any more affordable in the last 10-20 years.

    22. Re:Want a pay raise? Changes jobs, frequently. by sribe · · Score: 1

      IRAs can have a MUCH larger ROI than any 401k. It's not my fault you were stupid with your investments.

      If you have a decent 401(k), you should have a similar range of investment options, with similar costs.

    23. Re:Want a pay raise? Changes jobs, frequently. by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 1

      As a contractor, you shouldn't expect fringe benefits because you're never around long enough to collect. Although that's changing somewhat in Silicon Valley. All the young hipsters want to work in San Francisco, so the perks are getting better for those willing to work in plain old Silicon Valley.

    24. Re:Want a pay raise? Changes jobs, frequently. by antdude · · Score: 1

      Ah, thanks. I am not in SV. LA & OC though!

      --
      Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
    25. Re:Want a pay raise? Changes jobs, frequently. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I take you you've heard of Obamacare, but don't really know anything about it.

      I've looked into health care and it isn't that expensive. In fact, it's such a scam for businesses that I actually pay MORE, out of pocket, for our corporate health care per month (that is subsidized by the company) than I would for an Individual Health Plan (of the same benefits). The only reason I stick with my Corporate plan is that I come out about $200/year ahead because they put a little bit of money into my HSA plan to offset my cost. But, individual insurance is rather cheap these days.

  4. Disrespectful by Venerable+Vegetable · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "Despite noise from a few yammerheads about Matt getting 'free advertising' on Slashdot, which is unlikely since the vast majority of Slashdot users are more likely to compete with him than to hire him, most of the people who saw that video (or read the transcript) knew he was giving helpful advice"

    We've all read the comments of "what Slashdot has become". Although I do think it is on a slippery slope, I still enjoy most articles and comments and consider it a respectable site. But this article is a disgrace. Not because of the content. While I really don't care what mr Heusser has to say, I didn't really care about the 4K smartphone display either. So I just skip these articles.

    But the trollish and rude editing is not what I expect from this site. Be respectful to all your readers. Don't call your readers yammerheads, even though you don't agree with their points. While some are trolling (don't feed them), others are honestly concerned. The rest of the phrasing is just as rude. Are you putting "free advertising" between quotes because it wasn't free? The other people who saw the video, who apparently didn't "know" mr Heusser was giving free advise, not your target demographic anymore?

    Really....

    1. Re:Disrespectful by pete6677 · · Score: 0

      All they're doing is speaking the language of their user base. Slashbots are pedantic, rude and trollish. There's nothing wrong with an editor that tailors the content accordingly.

    2. Re:Disrespectful by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I know, right? We give them tons of crap about posting stupid bullshit and advertising crap and Dice links - how dare they say something snippy about it!

      Unfortunately you didn't berate the trolls who take time out of their day just to criticize an irrelevant portion of TFS because that would have been hilarious.

    3. Re:Disrespectful by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "But the trollish and rude editing is not what I expect from this site"

      You must be new here and not around during the Jon Katz era on Slashdot.

    4. Re:Disrespectful by Glarimore · · Score: 1

      I would think that there would be a higher bar set for an editor of a website than for some random dipshits who post on said website.

    5. Re:Disrespectful by OzPeter · · Score: 1

      All they're doing is speaking the language of their user base. Slashbots are pedantic, rude and trollish. There's nothing wrong with an editor that tailors the content accordingly.

      You can't control what other people say or do. But you can control how you react to it.

      And labeling people who disagree with you as "hammerheads" is not a good reaction.

      --
      I am Slashdot. Are you Slashdot as well?
    6. Re:Disrespectful by pete6677 · · Score: 1

      Nope. This is the New Slashdot.

  5. Really? by nospam007 · · Score: 1

    "most of the people who saw that video (or read the transcript) knew he was giving helpful advice to peers who might want to get out of the cubicle and work for themselves. "

    The elusive ones, who actually read TFA or watch TFV?

    Both of them?

    1. Re:Really? by tehlinux · · Score: 2

      I watched a solid 7 minutes to see if it was actually going anywhere. Those are 7 minutes I wish I had back...

      --
      Most linux users don't know this, but the man pages were named after Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris fsck'ing hates noobs!
  6. Those "Yammerheads" by OzPeter · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Those "Yammerheads" are your revenue source.

    --
    I am Slashdot. Are you Slashdot as well?
    1. Re:Those "Yammerheads" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      Come on over to soylent news and join other slashdot ex-pats at a site that respects its community.

    2. Re:Those "Yammerheads" by asdfj · · Score: 0

      A slashdot clone run by slashdotters is almost certainly destined to be worse than slashdot itself. (inb4grouchomarx)

  7. Nope by roc97007 · · Score: 1

    Nope, can't negotiate salary anymore. For gender equality, you know. Not for the benefit of the hiring company. Really.

    --
    Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
    1. Re: Nope by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That company is of relevance HOW ?

      Just leave the garbage they have put into you behind. If they dont pay reasonable at your location, consider moving to Hong Kong. I hear they have some real entrpreneuers there, as opposed to leftist BITCHES. Of course you need to ignore the offical bullshit both here and in "red China". These days there is more honest free enterprise with those supposed commies than in most places of the west.

      So, be a smart guy and get rid of the complexes. Getting rid of the TV is a good start towards this end.

    2. Re: Nope by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Other interesting locations are Bangkok, Singapore, Moscow, St Petersburg, Zurich, StGallen, Minsk, Bejing, Dubai, Macau.

      As I said, you need to rid yourself of the political BS before. They have told bunnies like you that some of these places are "immoral". So that bunny would continue to work for them, while they do a lazy job as some official or financier. The truth is that ALL places are immoral in different ways. Just ignore the BS.

    3. Re: Nope by roc97007 · · Score: 1

      > That company is of relevance HOW ?

      Good point. I guess the only relevance is that they are having their moment in the news for some politically correct drivel.

      Mind you, I'm on your side on this. Just pointing out that some companies are trying to sell us on the idea that salary negotiation is *mean* and unfair to genders who are less able to negotiate. (And why this isn't in and of itself considered sexist is beyond me.)

      --
      Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
  8. You don't have to negotiate for nerds by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 1

    You can get a huge, willing supply of them for almost nothing, and they're so easy to dispose of at the end of the project.

  9. RE:Be Like Matt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "should people be saying... I want to be like Matt!!"

    Uh yes, I'll raise my hand there, some day I want to be like Matt!! We need more people in this world like Matt Heusser!!

  10. Except for Ellen Pao by Smerta · · Score: 1

    Reddit employees - no need to watch this video, salary negotiating skills are no longer relevant to you: http://www.reddit.com/r/news/c...

  11. NEGOTIATING IS SEXIST by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Negotiating is sexist, you misogynist fucking rapist pissbabies!