According to PayScale, the average annual salary for software developers spanning all seniority levels in the Vancouver area is $73,000. General salary guidelines and information can be useful to help understand industry benchmarks in your area, but they are just a reference point to help establish your own compensation requirements and personal market value for your job search.
Technical skills and expertise may be at the top of the list of factors employers use to evaluate candidates for open software development jobs, but in order to successfully negotiate the desired salary, software developers also have to take on a role that feels alien to many technologists: The self-marketer.
Determine Your Market Value
Searching for job openings is usually the first step most professionals take when looking for a new position or contract project role. But taking full stock of your skills, education, previous experience and expertise at the beginning of the process can help determine your actual market value relative to the salary range for a specific position.
Determining your market value and salary requirements involves a delicate balance between asking for enough to account for your skills and experience, while taking care not to price yourself out of the position.
Other factors to consider in addition to experience and education:
- strength of the market and job openings in your area;
- type of role and title;
- cost of living;
- commuting time, distance to the office and related expenses;
- additional training and certification requirements;
- growth potential;
- current stage of your career;
- full-time or contract position;
- flexibility (your own, as well as your potential employer’s); and
- salary ranges and pay rates for software engineers in the Vancouver area.
Crack the Hiring Algorithms in a Competitive Market
Even with in-demand computer programming and software engineering skills, finding the right job listing and making it past other applicants with similar skills and profiles in a tight job market is often a job in itself, even for talented software developers. A recruitment firm can streamline your search and save you valuable time and energy by connecting you with the hiring managers and jobs that fit your experience and meet your salary requirements. Keep in mind that, in many cases, the job you are looking for may not be openly advertised.
Look Beyond What the Numbers Say
Salary information is not set in stone. There are salary guides that you can find online and you can also talk to industry experts. Use as much available data as possible as a guide to set your own rates and negotiate the best salary. Pro tip: If the prospect of figuring out a desired yearly salary is too daunting or if you typically work on a project basis, determine an estimated hourly or project rate, and work from there.
Find a Software Developer Job in Vancouver
In addition to helping you find software developer job openings in Vancouver, a tech recruiter will take care of the marketing aspect of the job search for you by helping you successfully package your skills, determine your actual market value, and negotiate the best salary. Visit our Candidate Resources to learn more, or call 877-294-1222 to get started today.
