Negotiating Tech Compensation

"You shouldn’t have to rise into management in order to increase your compensation. You’re equally or just as valuable not as a manager [but] as a domain expert. And that’s step one, understand that you’re really, really, really valuable as an IC."

"But in reality, the more important relationship is between level and salary, and years of experience is only a correlated variable to job level. ... Levels are difficult to standardize across different companies and industries. Even among the big tech companies, levels don’t necessarily map one-to-one."

"At Tesla, Microsoft, Nvidia, Apple, Meta, Google, and Netflix (the Magnificent 7), the starting base salary for a (non-APM) PM is $136,000, $156,000, $158,000, $158,000, $167,000, $199,000, and $343,000, respectively. Netflix and Tesla are low on equity, while Meta, Google, and Nvidia are quite high."

"The biggest salary jump happens going from L4 to L5 and M3 to M4. And then from VP to CPO."

"Every recruiter worth their salt will ask about your salary expectations when you first start interviewing. Do not — I repeat, do not — give them a number. What to do instead: Ask for the range they’re budgeted for the role."

"Ask the questions an investor would ask because, *news flash*, you are now an investor — but instead of cash, you’re staking your time and earning trajectory on the company’s success. You can meet with the investors too; it’s 100% OK to ask for that when the company is early-stage."

"Initial offer comes in low: The team may have felt that you have a lot of “room for growth.” In this case, my advice is to dig deeper and ask the interviewer to share feedback from folks who met you to fix any misconceptions before you ever negotiate."

"Negotiating via email = MAJOR CRINGE and definitely a worse outcome. I know there are folks selling fill-in-the-blank templates out there. My advice if you want a meaningful/large increase is to have the conversation over the phone."

"When evaluating a job offer, the most common priority for tech and other professionals is clear: salary. A significant 75% of respondents selected salary over equity as their top priority during negotiations (n=5,035)."

"While some may feel pressure to prioritize equity for potential long-term gains, salary can also serve as a key driver of financial growth. An engineering manager at a publicly traded company making $225K-$250K in the U.S. explained, 'Bonuses were structured as percentages of base salary,' highlighting how a strong salary can amplify overall compensation through bonuses and raises."

"With past experiences of equity failing to deliver returns, some have become skeptical of its potential. Salary offers the reliability needed, particularly in an uncertain economic environment, where equity may be less likely to materialize into tangible benefits."