Article was originally called

What's the Most Accurate Salary Survey in your Country or Industry?

I renamed it because, as we will see, this is not the real question you should ask yourself.

Why "do your own research is terrible advice"

I have heard this answer too much and it makes my bool blood boil

Friend with an important question: I've been contacted by $company, what do you think I should ask?
Quick and unhelpful answer: Just do your own research. Just look on Glassdoor.

I'm sure some people have found Glassdoor useful. It probably works well for "Web Developer in San Francisco" because that's like 42% of the city population. Does that mean it universally applies, that the data isn't shit or useless elsewhere? Not in my experience.

Do you remember that after hearing the tip "just do your own research" for the first time, you knew exactly what to do? Well good for you, but many developers I know are not like that.

Your friend is asking an important question, she is at risk of being underpaid for many years in her life. And that sucks.

We can do better than that right?

Update: we can do better than salary surveys

Terrific response from Sandor Dargo in the comments, don't miss it.

Sandor Dargo • Oct 4 '22

Sorry, but that survey is BS. Most of my friend are leaving for much higher salaries than that. I work in France and they don't go for less than 80k/Y for senior dev positions.

All these methodical analysis are to keep you in the dark and to find a way to promote the positions with low salaries they offer...

Read this.

What advice to give? Subscribe to that newsletter I shared just now, at least for a month, check the resources it offers to find a good paying job and go for it. It will pay off soon.

And to be clear and don't take surveys from talent.io, hired.com, ... at face value. Always ask a friend whether the values sound actually fair.