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Negotiate Your Value

5 min read

Backend

Your value isn't lines of code. It's system design, reliability, and the bugs AI would miss. Frame compensation around outcomes, not output.

Eng Manager

People leadership doesn't get automated. Your case: you're building the team that uses AI effectively. That's a multiplier.

Data Eng

Data quality, governance, and 'why is this wrong?' — AI can't own that. You can. Tie your ask to the risk of losing that ownership.

Negotiate Your Value

TL;DR

  • "AI makes everyone productive" is used to justify lower raises. Your counter: productivity isn't the only variable. Judgment, ownership, and risk matter too.
  • Frame your value around outcomes and differentiation — what would break if you left? — not output volume.
  • The best time to negotiate is when you have leverage. Build it before you need it.

Marcus's company is talking about "AI efficiency." He's worried that means "we don't need to pay you more — AI does the work." Time to reframe.

The Productivity Trap

Companies will say: "With AI, everyone does more. So we don't need as many people — or as high salaries." Partially true. Partially a negotiating tactic.

Your response: productivity is one input. Quality, judgment, ownership, and reliability are others. AI increases raw output. It doesn't increase those. You do.

How to Frame Your Value

  • Outcomes, not output: "I shipped X, which reduced incident rate by Y" beats "I closed Z tickets."
  • Differentiation: "I'm the person who owns [system/domain/process]. If I leave, here's what breaks."
  • Risk: "The cost of a bad decision in my area is [concrete]. AI suggests; I decide. That's the value."

Bring data. Bring examples. Don't make it emotional. Make it factual.

Quick Check

Your company says 'with AI, everyone does more — we don't need to pay you more.' What's your counter?

'AI efficiency' means raises are smaller. You're worried. You don't know how to argue. You accept the narrative: more productivity = less need for you.

Click "Articulate" to see the difference →

When to Push

  • Annual review: Prep 2-3 concrete examples of impact. Tie them to business outcomes. Ask for what you're worth.
  • New offer: If you're looking, don't accept the first number. "AI makes talent cheaper" is employer-side spin. Good talent is still scarce.
  • Promotion: If you've leveled up (leading projects, owning systems), the comp conversation should follow. Don't assume it'll happen automatically.

Do This Next

  1. Write down 3 outcomes from the last year where your judgment or ownership made a difference. Turn them into bullet points for your next comp conversation.
  2. Know your market rate. Glassdoor, Levels.fyi, peer conversations. Walk in with data.