Want to Earn More? Don't Be a Commodity!

com·mod·i·ty: a raw material or primary agricultural product that can be bought and sold, such as copper or coffee.

Human beings are not raw materials, they are not cogs. What does it mean to be a commodity as a software developer? It means that you have no other distinguishing features from any another software developer except for this mythical set of objective skills. It means that you can be swapped out by another developer with the same skills without any meaningful affect on business. You are just an interchangeable part in a much larger system. You're "software developer 2" next to a 100 other "software developer 2s". You're only hope of earning more money is to graduate to "software developer 3".

Is that really how you want to define your life? Don't you find this dehumanizing? I can't tell you what you should prioritize for your life, but if you're working for an organization that treats people this way, I would stay just long enough to get what I need from it and then get out.

Why do some organizations particularly the larger they get, try to commodify their workforce? I think the obvious answer is that it's much more efficient and scalable. The larger their workforce, the more it needs to be managed like an army where soldiers too are treated as commodities. I don't think there's any way around this.

I'm going to say something controversial. This commodification is the reason why we're seeing a push for equal pay for equal work. You can't have one without the other. If everyone is "equal" insofar as their objective skills are concerned, then logically, everyone should be paid the same. So, if you are an activist wanting equal pay for equal work then the only way to get it is to push for more commodification. But it should highlight just how inhumane this ideology is. It ignores the individual and unique value we bring to an organization. Outside of the mythical objective set of skills, no two developers are alike. Some work harder. Some are more creative in their problem solving. Some like to cut corners...err...are more productive. The differences are infinite. Shouldn't you be able to negotiate for higher wage if you bring something uniquely valuable to an organization? Not being able to negotiate on your own behalf is frankly, tyrannical. With equal pay for equal work this is the result.

All this said, what options do you have? One, you can try to fight against those who push for equal pay regulations. I think this would be futile. This is a culture war that you have no control over. You have way more control over what you do personally. You can't change others but you can change yourself. I would suggest that if you're just starting out, use this time to work really hard at getting better and build confidence. With even just a little confidence, you can go out and start freelancing. Doesn't have to be freelancing, could be working on a side-project that you intend to make money with. Start an online course teaching what you know. The goal here is to not get rich but to put yourself out there and diversify. You don't want to depend on a single employer. It would be like you ran a business and you only had a single customer. How terrifying would that be to depend on a single customer for your livelihood?? Your employer is your only customer and you live in fear as a result. Treat your career as a business and always seek out other opportunities just like a business owner. What's the difference between a "boss" and a customer? Trick question, there is no difference. A boss is a customer but one that has made you believe you sold them all of your time in return for a stable monthly income and health insurance. Of course you didn't sell them all of your time, you sold them a block of it. You have about another 8 hours of wake time a day to build your business. That's an extra 56 hours a week to work on something else that could potentially provide additional income. What are you waiting for?