Gain insights into strategies to maximize tech industry compensation. Discover negotiation techniques for better base salary, equity grants, and bonuses, ensuring you never leave money on the table.

In this course, you will learn the strategies to maximize your total compensation (base salary, equity grants, bonuses) while working in the tech industry. Whether you plan to change jobs or boost your earnings while staying in your current job, this course will guide you through the process.

Compensation is typically not a function of one’s ability, but how well you negotiate your deal. That’s why the material in this course will teach you how to prepare and position yourself for the best possible outcomes from your comp negotiations, so you never leave money on the table.

Grokking Comp Negotiation in Tech

Most companies do not want candidates to shop around once an offer has been extended. They will force a candidate to make a decision either way, often by putting an expiration date on the offer. Most companies are merely posturing and will let you accept the offer even after the deadline passes while very few may indeed pass you over and proceed with other candidates in the pipeline. 

It all depends on the headcount available and the quality of your candidacy. So what do you do if you cannot make up your mind?



The dilemma is that if you express haziness about the opportunity or your intent to explore other options, the recruiter may not receive it well. A recruiter has to meet his quotas, and if he knows you will sign given the right numbers, he will advocate your case aggressively with the compensation committee.

As a principle, we strongly advise against making false statements or excuses just to buy yourself time and see if your other interviews pan out. Rather, you should let the recruiter know upfront that you want to take your time and then commit rather than making a hasty decision. You are not obligated to reveal what other companies you are waiting on or if you intend to shop around. Keep your cards close to your chest. As always, send an email if you find having this conversation difficult over the phone.

>Hey Alex - I am super excited about the offer and a chance to work at company X. It is indeed one of the top places I want to work at. However, this is a significant professional change for me, and I would appreciate some time to think it through and make sure the opportunity is the right fit for me in the long term, as I expect my next gig to last several years. In the meanwhile, I may ping you with any questions I might have. Once again, thank you for breaking the good news, and I look forward to speaking with you soon.

In case you have family and kids and a long commute to the new workplace, you can write a response as follows:
  
>Hey Alex - Thank you for the great news! I am absolutely stoked about the opportunity. However, this would be a big change for me both professionally and personally. I might have to relocate and given that my wife also works, I want to make sure that we can successfully handle the challenges of a job switch and that my family is on board. I’ll be in touch with you if I have any questions and will keep you posted as I make a call. Once again, thank you so much.

If you find yourself pressured by the recruiter to make a decision but are unsure or waiting on the outcomes of your interviews at other companies, you are, in essence, not sold on the opportunity being presented. You should convince yourself one way or another by seeking more data points. Specifically, you can ask the recruiter for the following:


We discuss the various options you can exercise when dealing with an offer that expires on a given deadline.

__default

Buying Time