Salary Negotiation for People That Hate To Negotiate
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This talk is for developers of all skill and experience levels.
In this talk, it will cover:
- Reasons why we don't negotiate (and why we should)
- Finding your market value
- Ways to negotiate salary & benefits
- How to make a decision
- and some next steps!
Here is a download link to the talk slides (PDF)
Ten Rules for Negotiating a Job Offer
The ten rules of negotiating
- Get everything in writing
- Always keep the door open
- Information is power
- Always be positive
- Don’t be the decision maker
- Have alternatives
- Proclaim reasons for everything
- Be motivated by more than just money
- Understand what they value
- Be winnable
Yeah, [COMPANY_NAME] sounds great! I really thought this was a good fit, and I’m glad that you guys agree. Right now I’m talking with a few other companies so I can’t speak to the specific details of the offer until I’m done with the process and get closer to making a decision. But I’m sure we’ll be able to find a package that we’re both happy with, because I really would love to be a part of the team.“
Don't be the decision-maker
You can wrap up the conversation now by saying:
I’ll look over some of these details and discuss it with my [FAMILY/CLOSE_FRIENDS/SIGNIFICANT_OTHER]. I’ll reach out to you if I have any questions. Thanks so much for sharing the good news with me, and I’ll be in touch!
Getting other offers
Hello [PERSON], I just wanted to update you on my own process. I’ve just received an offer from [COMPANY] which is quite strong. That said, I’m really excited about [YOUR AMAZING COMPANY] and really want to see if we can make it work. Since my timeline is now compressed, is there anything you can do to expedite the process?
How to approach exploding offers
Exploding offers are offers that expire within 24-72 hours.
Example conversation:
I have one big concern. You mentioned that this offer explodes in 48 hours. I’m afraid this doesn’t work at all for me. There’s no way that I can make a decision on this offer within a 48 hour window. I’m currently wrapping up my interview process at a few other companies, which is likely to take me another week or so. So I’m going to need more time to make an informed decision.
If they push back and say this is the best they can do, then politely reply:
That’s really unfortunate. I like [YOUR COMPANY] and was really excited about the team, but like I said, there’s no way I can consider this offer. 48 hours just too unreasonable of a window. The next company I join will be a big life decision for me, and I take my commitments very seriously. I also need to consult with my [EXTERNAL_DECISION_MAKER]. There’s no way that I can make a decision I’m comfortable with in this short an amount of time.
