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 recruiters would want to know your current salary. This gives them an estimate of what financial compensation (among other factors) would motivate you to make a change. Some companies factor in your current compensation when making an offer, while others don’t. The practice varies across the industry with no set rules. Recently, some states in the US have outlawed  asking for current compensation from potential candidates.



What a candidate is worth, is unfortunately not easily quantifiable. It is subjective. We can weigh ourselves and say; I am 185 pounds, but we don’t have a yardstick that will tell us if I am worth 185K USD per annum. Performance in interviews, name and prestige of the current company, career stage (i.e., level or title) in the current role, and present compensation are all signals to the hiring company/manager of what a candidate may be worth to the company. However, the problem with this approach is that a really good candidate might be employed at a company whose stock has tanked since the time they joined, bringing their net compensation significantly below the market rate for their role. Or that a candidate has been at a company for a while, but reorgs or shelved projects have stalled their career and, in turn, their compensation. In such and other cases, it is not advisable to disclose your salary to a recruiter. Though there is one niche scenario, where if you are already earning at the very top of your market rate, you may share your current compensation. We will discuss this case in depth in the chapter “Defense with Current Compensation.”

Letting a recruiter know what you make gives the recruiter a bargaining chip come the time of making an offer. Your goal should be to get compensation at the very top end of the market rate for your role. However, some recruiters will not relent and will press you for compensation information. Below are some sample conversations derived from our real-life experiences that you can use as guidance in such situations:


> **Recruiter**: Hey, so how much do you make at your current position?<br/><br/>
**You**: I am sorry, but I think it's premature to discuss numbers at this time. Let's revisit this topic after the interview and if there's a mutual interest in moving forward.


Learn how to politely decline questions asked by recruiters that may impact your compensation negotiation with the company down the road.

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Dodge the Ball