I work in a large software company, and while the advice is valid and valuable (you should strive for professionalism and clear communication wherever you are), IMHO it's far from reliable in terms of career advancement.

If your goal is maximizing compensation, luck, and being in the right place at the right time has a huge factor also. If you're working on mind-numbing, cost-center corporate systems, it really doesn't matter how on top of the ball you are and how well you organize/communicate, your salary isn't going to grow by leaps and bounds.

After watching the industry and people in it for a couple of years now (and experiencing BigCo software for myself), I'm convinced that the only reliable route to big raises is moving jobs. I've seen many people leave this place for a big raise, and then come back 2-3 years later with an even bigger raise, outpacing even the most dedicated, professional people who decided to stay the course.

So, secret to getting paid in BigCo software land: switch jobs as much as you can, stopping short of being seen as a flake (2-3 years each is good).

I concur! My current role you get max 4-5% pay rises, if you are lucky, and that is with a promotion. I'm planning on moving cities soon to find better opportunities. Cannot wait to hand my resignation in. The only way I will work at a large company ever again is on contract work.

If you move to another job, you'll probably get at least a 10% salary bump, if not more. Salary jumps from 20-40% are not uncommon, and it's a big reason why people 'job hop' (man, I hate that label).

Why not leave your job and join a start-up?

It was an interesting look into the habitat of some alien creature, with a healthy dose of 'I love my job' swirled in.