All profit is based on exploitation. Surplus value is extracted in absolute and relative terms. Absolute surplus value is increasing the amount of time worked per worker. Relative surplus value is extracted by reducing wages or increasing productivity and intensity.

With that orientation explicitly stated, I work in tech and I find discussing salary extremely difficult. Recruiters and hiring managers ask: "What is your salary expectation?" I have no idea how to respond and because I am desperate for a job, respond with what my friends later tell me is "a low ball". It is a wild wild west, with ignorant HR people looking for buzzwords, unrealistic tech stacks, and a lot of bait and switch.

How to approach salary questions? Should I give them a number first? My neoliberal friends tell me "how much value you think you generate", and I respond "enough so I don't have to work anymore".

  • cracksmoke2020 [none/use name]
    ·
    4 years ago

    I have no idea what sort of tier of company you're looking at or location, but if none of that is changing and you've been at the same place for a while generally speaking ask for 30% more than you're making now.

    One thing to point out in the context of surplus value extraction in the tech industry is that, the professional workers are often still getting a boosted salary from the extraction of labor of the frontline and lower skilled workers. But this is capitalism so there's not much to do other than just look out for yourself.