The Double Bottom Line: Getting Paid to be Part of Something Bigger

The “double bottom line” is a term the Linux Foundation coined after asking developers and IT staff what they find compelling about working on Linux. The double bottom line is a job where one receives both the financial reward and the opportunity to be part of something bigger than any one company or one person.

I must admit the notion of getting paid for doing what you love is somewhat mythical. Something that can only be attained using secret tools that promise a life of limitless joy for only $10.17 plus shipping and handling. So, I was a bit skeptical of this so called “double bottom line” when I read about it. Can you really get paid for doing what you love AND feel like you’re part of something bigger at the same time?

According to Marie Louise van Deutekom, global human resources director for SUSE, the double bottom line is exactly why SUSE has such a friendly atmosphere, “open source is such a collaborative environment, which makes SUSE a very transparent workplace. We encourage employees to share the things they know and can do well, which leads to a greater sense of accountability and accomplishment,” said van Deutekom.

For SUSE, being active contributors in upstream communities is essential—not just because it’s our heritage, but also because we believe it’s the only way open source technologies will continue to thrive. Linux thrives because we all collaborate upstream, no matter the color of the company we work for. SUSE developers participate in upstream communities across a wide range of open source projects.

Join SUSE and work alongside recognized experts who are not only fun to hang out with, but also happy to share their knowledge with you. Today there are more than 20 opportunities at SUSE to get paid for doing what you do best while also contributing to the open source community. Visit our new career page and read Five Really Good Reasons to Work at SUSE as well as testimonials from current employees about what it’s like to be part of something big.