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Salary Negotiation

kalzumeus.com

391–400 of 419 posts

Re: Salary Negotiation

#391
post #116

So something I'd like to get advice on is: what do you do negotiation-wise if actually salary is not the thing you care most about? Suppose you (for health reasons or just because you don't need the extra money and like the reduced stress) want or need to work less than the usual five-day week -- at what point do you bring up the "hey, how about a four-day week" question, when the typical employer is looking for a fi…

I think you need to bring a request like that to the table, early in the hiring process. And whether or not they "throw your resume in the bin" will depend on how you frame the question. - "Are you guys open to the idea of a lower salary, in favor of an extra day off? I'd love to work on my wood working, and spend time with my kids... Time is more valuable than money right now". v.s. - "I'll take that salary, and I w…

Better to phrase it as: "Are you open to the idea of a 4-day work week for me? How would that affect my overall compensation?"

I think it's unwise to reveal your willingness to be paid less. Mostly because you should never reveal your willingness to be paid less. Never leave money on the table.

Re: Salary Negotiation

#392
post #356

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I honestly never understood the notion of not naming a number first (that is if you know what you're worth). Take the number you want to make, add 15%, and they'll likely negotiate down to the actual number you want. It's really not that hard. Take this as an example: Say you currently make $80k and you want a 10% bump. So you're looking for $88k. Take that number and add 15%. Your ask is now around $100k. They may s…

Your example numbers show how you lastly underestimate what tech jobs pay, and you are inviting an employer to low ball and you won't even know

The numbers I used are salary only. Total comp negotiation is an entirely other animal.

Re: Salary Negotiation

#393
post #139

I've heard this "don't name a number first" advice so many times, but personally, it never seems to work. My current comp is significantly higher compared to others with my level of experience. So when I refuse to give a number, the recruiter ends up guessing a number that is significantly lower, and making a lowball offer. I've also had many other experiences where after many hours of interviews, I find out that the…

In cases like yours, it's wise to start by asking "Just to be clear, may I understand what's your budget for this position/role?"

Most recruiters immediately get the hint and you can gracefully exit if they're expecting to pay far below your current comp.

Edited answer to be less preachy.

Re: Salary Negotiation

#394

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would not recommend the raise strategy unless you have a very impersonal relationship with your manager OR you're 100% willing and able to walk (e.g. offer is in front of you and can be signed that day). Managers are human beings too and don't like being put at gunpoint by their employees. It's very much the nuclear option IMO.

If I had good relationship with my manager, he would have offered a raise without me having to ask for it. What is your leverage if you don't have competing offer?

Your willingness to quit.

Re: Salary Negotiation

#395
post #299

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Women can get (possibly unintentionally, possibly not) punished for exhibiting negotiation and leadership traits that are valued in men. A friend recently had an offer, ready to sign, but the salary was lower than she wanted. She wrote back asking if there was room to move upward. She had the offer withdrawn .

This is pretty unfortunate. But we don't know if the company would have done the same for a male.

We don't know for sure about this instance, but evidence suggests that it's more likely to happen to a woman than a man - https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/cfawis/bowles.pdf

Re: Salary Negotiation

#396

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The rationale (which I don't agree with) is "what if their range is a lot higher than your guess? Then you're losing out!"

That's what things like Glassdoor are for

Glassdoor data is often not good indicator as you can filter by only recent reports. So some numbers can be older than 5 years.

Re: Salary Negotiation

#397

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do recruiters ever provide this information to candidates for a fee? If I was in the market for a job it would be great to pay an experienced recruiter to objectively judge my skills and say how much I should ask.

Buy recruiters at your current company a beer. If you keep in contact, especially once they've left, you can get all sorts of information.

It is good advice to treat recruiters with respect. All too often on HN I see an attitude of contempt shown towards recruiters (and HR in general).

Re: Salary Negotiation

#398

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Buy recruiters at your current company a beer. If you keep in contact, especially once they've left, you can get all sorts of information.

It is good advice to treat recruiters with respect. All too often on HN I see an attitude of contempt shown towards recruiters (and HR in general).

That contempt is earned from a history of doing things that make articles like this one necessary.

Re: Salary Negotiation

#399
post #398

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is good advice to treat recruiters with respect. All too often on HN I see an attitude of contempt shown towards recruiters (and HR in general).

That contempt is earned from a history of doing things that make articles like this one necessary.

I agree, but there is nothing to be gained personally from doing so. It is like being rude or contemptuous to your waiter.

Re: Salary Negotiation

#400
Just throw out the number you want, after giving them the clear picture that you think they're more or less making a mistake. Go high. All they can do is counter.

I've seen a salary number printed in the initial job ad. If that number doesn't work for me, I don't pursue the ad. If they ask me for a number, that's the number they get - with the observation that it was printed on the ad.

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