Ask HN: How to negotiate large salaries?

Hey, looking for a bit of advice on moving jobs. My current job pays me really well, about $150k including benefits. I've been approached to go to another company for a job I'd be really interested in doing but I know for a fact theyre low balling me with an offer of $125k, I have several friends who work there and I know this is the starting salary for a role about 1-2 levels below wha they're asking me to do. I think they should be offering more in the range of $190-200k including benefits (which I know they can easily afford). What's the best way to go about trying to push for this kind of number? It's obviously a lot but the role I think justifies it and in gross terms it's a big difference in expectations between offer and my expectations. I'm a bit put out by the low balling as they must know that I know that's it's low for the role.

I think you should approach it as their starting offer and negotiate from there, especially if you know people there and the payscale.

If 200k is what you want tell the recruiter "If you can get me to 200k its a done deal and I'll sign the offer." This makes it clear what you want, takes pressure off them because they know they have you for sure if they meet the number and can sell the hiring committee and if anything they will come back with a number somewhere in the middle.

Oh and make sure you negotiate your benefits first, as it'll be harder for them to give your more once they've stretched themselves.

At face value it is easy to ask, take your experience (if it is 10+ years in the game) and you have successfully completed many projects send them a response asking for $200,000 and it will be a done deal if they can actually pay that. If that is out of their range, they will normally tell you and you may have to keep looking. I have seen some employees that were literally generating millions for a company but only being paid $80,000/year, poor benefits, .5% raise and no additional compensation (bonuses, stocks, 401k, etc.) or should I say a larger share of their contributions. Good companies will try to give bonuses or above inflation raises at the least.

If you do not have around 10 years and only about 5 then 125k to 150k is a pretty good range if you are really good and have the actual work experience. If you are in a really high cost area you will need to take into consideration the cost of living there. If you do not ask for enough it may limit your living options and after work options. It is normally easier to give a number higher than you want and bring it down to something you really want.

Though, you can really only ask for this rate if you are in the top pool of capabilities, performance and results and the interview is amazing. You also have to consider the amount of risks you are accepting by wanting more money. There will be things that you will be expected to know and do that would not be asked of people they are paying less. These can be things like building entire complex systems from scratch by yourself under little to no supervision under tight deadlines, be called upon to travel to other sites around the world because you would be the one trusted to just get it done and your known to get it done right.

If you are applying for jobs in a popular metro location the chances of making the higher ranges is normally higher.

You're welcome!

Not OP, but what do you mean by benefits? Like options / bonuses?