How to Negotiate Your Tech Salary Simulation ft. Levels.fyi

[@tryexponent]

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[@abhishekthaker1417]

Tip 1: Put the camera below chest level to assert a towering dominance.

[@featuresky5084]

haha

[@ytaccount9859]

🤣

[@GiacomoVaccari]

The most realistic part: the recruiter not letting go of wanting a figure 😂

[@DruDilly]

I’m in the process of doing this now…got another call from a different recruiter asking about that number today…lol

[@austinkim8213]

"Google offered me $500k. But if you can settle for $160k I'll take it."

[@johnlloyd5070]

@@austinkim8213

[@hmswrth]

Man this is godly. I managed +70% revision. You're God sent.

[@valyriansteel6277]

hey hemanth, I would love to hear more details if you dont mind connecting offline

[@gamerjaebea5361]

I feel the biggest help with negotiations is the ability to walk away. If you have mentally accepted the consequences of walking away from the offer, then this all becomes a lot easier

[@Kevin_the_Caveman]

I have a suspicion they make recruitment as tedious as it can be so that when you finally get an offer you're more likely to accept out of exhaustion, not wanting to go through it all over again with another company

[@spagon]

Exactly. I got a job offer when I was already working, so there was nothing at stake. I walked away, they upped. That happened 3 times total for a 25% increase. This showed me how much they were investing in me. It ended up being a really great job.

[@snp6493]

Very informative. The best part about this channel is practical simulations as opposed to theory.

[@tryexponent]

Thanks Shefaali! We like to think we can be funny too :): kzbin.info/www/bejne/bmrOZIN6ZaaAq80

[@snp6493]

Exponent absolutely! You have my likes for being funny as well .. :)

[@katara4955]

This is a great video!! Love that you did a mock play-by-play of the negotiation rather than just give advice. And it was SO uncomfortable to watch so you can only imagine how uncomfortable it is to be in that spot doing it.

[@StarOnCheek]

"I don't think it's actually allowed to ask about my current salary nowadays" Expectations: oh, sorry I just want to establish the range to get a general idea Reality: aaaaaand you're not hired, next please

[@1anre]

@@StarOnCheek how does this translate, can you breakdown why not telling them your current compensation will lead to them moving unto another candidate?

[@StarOnCheek]

@@1anre because they have many more candidates and unless you do everything perfectly you are not worth their time

[@1anre]

@@StarOnCheek Not true. For you to have gotten to that stage of the offer they’ve had sifted out most of the candidates & arrived at just a few, & if you were one of the few strong ones that they really liked, there’s nothing they wouldn’t try and adjust for you. So I disagree with you saying they’d drop the person & move along. Else how did you get the 150% incremental amount on your offer if these steps in this video don’t work or give results ?

[@StarOnCheek]

@@1anre ok, first of all, did you read all my comments under this video? Second, i was mostly joking at first and wrote that before i got hired. And last, i decided to go with it since that's probably how it is for no skill jobs like a cashier at McDonald's. The advice in this video is actually great, just do exactly as they say and it works

[@1anre]

Each time Zaheer says “Uhumm”, that’s him calling bullshit on the crafty attempt by the ‘Recruiter’ to fleece him. Subtle but spot on.

[@Fivousix]

This was actually very accurate to some very pushy recruiters conversations I had in the past. Most of the information presented here I came across in bits throughout my career, so for however is watching this (and reading this comment), this is pure gold!!

[@cx123456]

An actual conversation I had with an external recruiter who approached me on LinkedIn and convince me to have a conversation about new career opportunity: (10 minutes in after giving a vague company introduction without going into specifics and not giving an actual name and a brief position description which was matching my current position) - Can you provide me with your salary expectation? - I really don't know. I haven't thought about it since I'm not actively looking for a new job right now. - Alright, so can you tell me what is your current compensation? - I'm afraid I can't. I have a clause in my contract that explicitly forbids me to do so. - But maybe... - How about you give me the salary range for your position so I could tell you if that would be suitable for me. - I'm afraid I can't disclose such information. - Really? - If you could tell me your current compensation... - Neither can I... - Alright, I understand. Thanks for your time. Bye. - Bye.

[@mrinalinimusic]

Ouch 😅

[@Ammar23217]

you dodge the bullet

[@nataliarybakova5128]

Had this one many times!

[@markcali626]

Seems like they were looking for a pushover

[@garrettgeorge877]

I've experienced every aspect of these mock interviews in real life. The recruiter impersonation is spot-on in my experience down to each phrase he used. In previous interviews, I knew I wasn't comfortable with being asked about my "salary expectations" up front, but I didn't know how to say no effectively. Watching Zaheer handle this was illuminating, and this was just the beginning. Much wisdom is share here. I learned so much from this video. Thank you!

[@moons_mind]

This is the single most realistic video I've seen on negotiating. Just had a negotiation go exactly like this. Best advice as well about not surrendering info and negotiating over email

[@map-creator]

Best Mock interview on salary negotiation so far. Good tips and tricks. How Zaheer remains calm on pushy Stephen is the key.

[@MrKrizzer]

This is hands down the best negotiating simulation I have seen on youtube! Keep up the good content.

[@stanluo1025]

I love how the interviewer's smile freezes when he realised this guy is tough as

[@harshbharvada4099]

The most important tip which guys gave at the start is that - having as much leverage as you can have is important to acing the negotiations and keep your cards close to your chest Awesome content 🔥

[@EDEdDNEdDYFaN]

Absolutely the best video I’ve seen thus far on negotiation of offers. Reading books like Never Split the Difference or blog posts like patio11’s writeup on salary negotiations are helpful but actually having a real dialogue and post dialogue analysis is so incredibly helpful. Thank you for posting this for free!!

[@comatosetorpor3602]

man zaheer is some next level negotiator who perfected the art of salary negotiations.

[@paekut]

I think this one topic needs more videos.. Advanced negotiation techniques, when it drags more than you want it to - how to deal with it and maintain your upper hand + how long is enough. Also, busting many pre-conceived notions (separate video) like % hikes etc. Changing the dimension of discussions, get recruiters on backfoot etc. could be more. What to do when you are jobless but still want to show up as strong. What to do when you don't have any offer. Whether to reveal that you're jobless when you are, and how long could you not reveal that + pros and cons of doing that. Would look forward.

[@tryexponent]

Thanks for the feedback Prateek! Are there any other questions you'd like us to focus on for the next video?

[@bhavyasingh6393]

This is magnificent. A sneak peek into what negotiations actually look like was really helpful. Thank you for doing this. Love your channel :D

[@tryexponent]

Glad you like it :)

[@kgr_alex]

after watching this video and writing down some main ideas/key phrases, I was able to negotiate an offer fairly well not just live over the phone... live on zoom, with my camera on. kinda crazy. wasn't nervous at all. felt like a super power.

[@geekspeak1066]

Ok the HR screening. Deflection is definitely a approach but I think being direct is much more productive and I always end up with more then my research indicated. I usually shoot for 10-15% of the range based on that research. My lowest number is always the base salary that I’m comfortable for. I agree using the phrase “total compensation” is the measuring stick. However, while bonuses and stock are great, that base money can be a multiplier for 401k contributions. Use the anchor principle in ur favor.

[@BuffNerdInCa]

I like the realistic back and forth.

[@tacowilco7515]

I recently tried that negotiation talk with Apple. The recruiter was very well prepared for that and I wasn't able to rise my base salary. I got a bit more stocks though.

[@ZenityStudios]

Can you give some more information. How did they rebuttle?

[@francosql]

Well... thats something!

[@tacowilco7515]

@@francosql It is, but I think that it was planned in advance by them to sweeten the pill.

[@Satenc0]

Please try to tell more about how it was??

[@krishnababy6973]

Loved the way every scenario being handled great negotiation skills

[@supermodeljaz6829]

This is GOLD! Loved the negotiation! Thank you for posting!

[@pinkowbs]

I watched this before my salary expectations call and guess what? The recruiter caved first. The number was way lower than what I expected so I have a follow up call tomorrow Thank you so much for this. Super helpful.

[@vgop2503]

Salary negotiations are always stressful. Just watching this video was a bit nerve wracking. Very helpful in facing your discomfort, thank you!

[@Asgardinho]

I'm already stressed even before clicking play

[@allthehui]

This might be my fav video from this channel yet! I'll be pointing anyone who asks me about negotiations to this video. Awesome job.

[@Kujakuseki01]

Fantastic video. Great to act out these scenarios. As a principal SE, I've negotiated several offers like this and it really often is this ridiculous game like this. Best to learn how to play it, and this is super helpful for a lot of folks.

[@prithwishdasgupta4508]

Here in India its a norm that recruiter asks previous salary and the candidate has to reveal it else they may close the conversation.....that's the most sad part

[@adarshagrawal4557]

Just a word of caution - If you ask for written form then a recruiter can also think that you would be doing offer shopping which means using that document to get a better offer from the competitor. I would suggest to avoid pushing for a written offer unless you are sure

[@gennaro]

Thats the only reason I'd want a written offer, they know this, I know this, we all know this. Its the unspoken truth

[@bshervheim]

Fantastic video. Lots of great pro tips- even for a 10 year veteran. Worth waiting through the whole video to find the nuggets 😊

[@tryexponent]

Glad it could help!

[@peterwachira4191]

Me after watching this: Again I'm super excited about the role, super excited about the company...

[@vikasmikado]

Video highlights: 1) Super Excited Zaheer and 2) Pushy Stephen 🤣😉

[@blackopsking93]

Very helpful. I wish I had negotiated my salary when I started my current job. For the same role at a different I got a 6.4% bump, so I was happy with it. However, Zaheer is right that there’s always negotiation room.. so I should’ve still asked for more.

[@pujarivineetkumar]

Enjoyed this one and I also enjoy watching your PM interviews. I have been working for the same company for the last 10 years and have no plans to change jobs. Watching and learning from your videos makes me want to go out and crack a few interviews :)

[@tryexponent]

:)

[@swamivivekananda-cyclonicm8781]

Fantastic. Take a pause and listen carefully and you get to learn at least 3 new thoughts.

[@ShannonHwu]

Thanks so much for this video, it's the most helpful resource I've seen by far!! One followup question - In scenario 3, Zaheer mentions a competing offer to help negotiate. How might one negotiate without a competing offer?

[@furkan2640]

I am interviewing/expecting offers/pretty deep in the interview with/from other companies

[@radix500]

There’s no way for them to know you don’t have a competing offer

[@shadowpocalypse]

Your existing job is also a potential counter offer (you dont have to leave. So make sure not to trash your current employer)

[@PratikDaga23]

Meanwhile in India: Candidate: “would like you to discuss the offer in detail, may I know my options” HR: “yeah, it’s yes or no”

[@larrychiem8345]

20:30 He is offered a $100,000 base salary and $70,000 RSU (4 year vesting, so $17,500/year), but he miscalculates I believe and says average annual total compensation is $135,000-140,000? Total annual compensation is actually $117,500

[@daniela.8866]

agreed. the math makes no sense to me in this scenario...

[@melinasparks3268]

The max 401k match is 50% of $20,500 which is $10,250. That makes it closer to $127,750

[@arunima29]

I guess total compensation would also include a cash bonus or bridge cash, which is extremely common with US tech companies.

[@SatyaUpendra]

Best answer to compensation question, loved total conversation

[@tangho]

one of the best salary negotiation videos I've seen. thanks for doing this guys

[@TheNinjaBiker]

Thank you so much for this. It’s very helpful. Currently I am in the process of negotiation and trying to extend the offer acceptance timeline with a firm so that I can get the results of my other interviews as well and then take the judgement accordingly.

[@tryexponent]

I'm glad this was helpful, Yash! Be sure to subscribe and share the video to others you know who could benefit!

[@TheNinjaBiker]

Sure :)

[@ThePCForever]

Awesome video and tips! Although personally I wouldn't say I haven't given salary much thought, since that implies I haven't done my research/am not prepared for the interview. Besides that though, all these tips are solid and really helpful!

[@gennaro]

I was thinking this as well. I'd almost see this as a pretty clean copout if I was in the interviewers position.

[@christiannunez9447]

Great video, learned alot

[@JohnTube2K]

I’m upfront about my salary and what I am looking for. I know I am in the high percentile salary range wise and don’t want to waste my time past the initial meeting if salary ranges don’t line up.

[@DarshanShah1994]

Thanks for doing this! Much helpful. Love the exponent way of helping folks out. I have a few questions: 1. In India specifically, past role/position are often used as a benchmark for the next roles to be offered. Also, payslip or previous organisation's offer/promotion letter is used to determine the legitimacy of the candidate. I don't that is a fair thing to do. Any other way a candidate can offer to verify some credentials? 2. What if a candidate doesn't have a competing offer to leverage in negotiations? 3. Is 5-10% good enough baseline for wiggle room? Any tips to determine if there is more scope there? 4. If the offer on the table is ridiculously low, for ex: I think in this mock 120 was low compared to Zaheer's expectation of 160, is it not preposterous in an actual situation to raise the expectation by that much? 5. Apart from compensation/money what else a candidate should consider negotiating? I had vacation days/notice period in mind. Usually, I see organisations have these as a standard for all employees.

[@jdcoollegend]

Great mock-up. Really helped understanding that its ok to have that tensed question war lol Please if you can answer here are some questions: 1. I always feel fear of jeopardizing the offer , is that possible?. . . 2. At what stage should we have this kind of questions , after the offer or when you feel you aced the interview and expecting a offer.? 3. Usually last interview is with higher Executives so , should you have this kind of process with them or not ?

[@Ogaros]

Hey guys! I'm super duper excited to tell you how excited I am after watching this video! Even thinking that some people might read my comment makes me super excited! Again, just want to clarify that I'm very excited about leaving this comment. Cheers!💰💼💻

[@darksun280]

Wish I could like this twice. Very informative. Thanks!

[@aajkaarjun3875]

Ok, wow!! This video just opened my eyes. Now that I think of my previous experience, I realise how much i Suck at negotiation.

[@akashwadhwa57]

HR:where do you see yourself in future me:your position *still waiting for call*

[@harshanair]

Excellent! Can't thank enough for simulating all possible scenarios. Clarity of thought, good audio, very helpful content👌👌

[@harshanair]

Question 1 : If the recruiter pushes for competitor companies name, should we feel any obligation to reveal ? Question 2 : the main fear of negotiating is losing out on the offer. Could you please give some insights into how hiring teams /recruiters perceive candidates who negotiate a lot ?

[@levels-fyi4502]

@@harshanair 1. No obligation to reveal but revealing competitor names can sometimes actually help you as it shows you have interest from multiple parties. 2. It is extremely rare for an offer to be rescinded. It is almost unheard of. For larger companies especially it is very very uncommon.

[@StarOnCheek]

Got the job and managed to get 150% of the initial offer, thanks, the shit actually worked 😂

[@scottneaves3487]

Congrats

[@madhusaivemulamada3556]

In other comments this person stated that it is a joke. So, please don't take it seriously and expect that you can negotiate to get 150% more than your initial offer (although there are chances and other factors but just wanted to keep the right expectations)

[@StarOnCheek]

@@madhusaivemulamada3556 the joke is your existence. My comment is serious

[@madhusaivemulamada3556]

@@StarOnCheek grow up 😂. The way you responded shows your maturity level

[@StarOnCheek]

@@madhusaivemulamada3556 I'm not trying to be mature. I really like it when people say I act like a kid and most of the time no one seems to mind it at all. I am the way I am and I love it and so do people around me

[@catcallierose]

SOOO thankful for this and will be trying out these tips next week and report back on what happens

[@nikhilagrawal8888]

Really helpful. My negotiation is coming up in a week time.

[@3sierrav]

Very useful - used some of the tips here to negotiate up on an already great offer (meaning, I normally would not have negotiated). Thanks for your help, both!

[@gawaspushkar85]

Best one I have seen so far .. very realistic

[@denniscsulb8398]

I've had this happen to me and push themselves on me several times and eventually I give. Great tips! Thanks

[@Youtuber-ly6tx]

Wow. This is absolutely blowing me away. Am I just being naive expecting people to just level and be honest with me?

[@gameplayer1980]

Love conversations that go in circles.

[@saidabedi2836]

Really informative! Just came across your channel and I love it.

[@tryexponent]

Welcome aboard! Glad you like it!

[@gsu12797]

Wow.. Best thing i have watched in a while on youtube! Thank you!

[@tryexponent]

You're very welcome!

[@shirleyconnor1595]

THIS video was EXCELLENT!!! thanks sooo much for this no fluff content rich information! pleeeze keep up the good work!

[@nj1204]

Best salary negotiation video I have watched so far! Thanks you!!!

[@Analysta654]

Excellent simulation! Felt Spot-on, in terms of what a recruiter would say, and how to handle it.

[@VikalapGupta]

Very helpful, wish I had gone through your videos in past. So glad to find this video for future interviews. Thank you

[@tryexponent]

You’re welcome!

[@suchidey3715]

Thanks for doing this! It's very helpful. My question is- Will negotiating a good offer without any leverage actually work (for e.g. without another competing offer)?

[@levels-fyi4502]

Yes! You always leverage if you're willing to walk away from the offer. If you're willing to stay in your current role then you can often use that as leverage. Some folks bluff this as well but we don't recommend it generally. Often times you can say something like, "Thank you for the offer! Although I'm really excited about joining _company_, I'm also quite happy and have expect my compensation to grow quickly in my current role. If we can move the offer to $_Y_ then I can sign right away!"

[@seeker2439]

@@levels-fyi4502 how do you negotiate any un-vested comp in current company close to 80-100k that you risk forfeiting when leaving the company mid year? Will the new company buy out that huge amount as one time expense? What's reasonable counter here?

[@anujgupta3296]

Really great scenarios and realistic simulation of pushy HRs.

[@embo_5787]

Lol the little back and forth at the start of the video was giving me flashbacks, and yes deflection is a great strategy

[@SystemDesign-pro]

Do you normally reveal the competing offer company name if they ask?

[@anonygirly]

Best video on negotiation!! Should I not reveal competing offers? I got that it can be helpful to have the details in writing to send to other companies but also got that I shouldn't offer the details when asked. Clarification would be great!

[@yasminnimsay4158]

OMG so awkward, I loved the negotiation.

[@ShubhamAggarwal1]

You can also read about the tactics used in this video in Chris Voss' book 'Never split the difference'.

[@makiet]

Thanks for your great video. I learned a lot.

[@sumeetvandakudri9784]

One of the rules when telling your number, never tell a round number like 160K, give a non round number like 162,353 and have a break down ready for that, this makes the other person to think that you have really thought through the number and not giving some random number. Nice to see a extreme anchor thrown :)

[@anotheruser7848]

What can I say the extra $353 is for?

[@mohammeds3114]

@@anotheruser7848corporate 🍩 allowance?

[@annaberzitskaya9865]

Such a helpful conversation!

[@AnkitJain-ln7gx]

When we say ctc per year at level.fyi it say total rsu as per yr which is not the case. Rsu provided are 1/4 or 1/3 per yr so total compensation per year is diff.. generally on levels.fyi it is mentioned as base sal+rsu/yr where those are not rsu per year, those are for total number of years i.e 3 or 4 yrs. It gives a perception that if someone offered 200k of rsu at offer time it will 200k every year and i doubt that is the case.

[@Paradigm0]

This is brilliant, great job to both of you!

[@pathway27]

This helped me a lot to get a great bump in total compensation. Thanks!!

[@travelingbySEA]

Very very thorough. Thank you for this! Love the video and hoping to use these tactics when needed

[@tryexponent]

Glad it was helpful!

[@zachgoestoeuro]

Everyone is super excited

[@alfalogic]

Outstanding training and has very wide applicability beyond tech.

[@mrgalactic895]

Very helpful video. Questions - 1. During my first recruiter call I gave them the range for just the base salary. I'm ok even if they offer me the lower end of that range. Can I still negotiate on the base? 2. When you ask for RSUs, are you asking for the number of RSUs or the dollar amount?

[@atandadavid5554]

You can always send a counter offer if you get an offer.

[@shubhamanand8345]

Its so different in India, they ask for your current offer before roling out any offer. One of my experience was the recruiter got angry at me as she wanted me to accept the offer in 2 days.

[@MK-jq5mc]

Thanks for making this video

[@tryexponent]

You're welcome!

[@MeezyPeezy]

Really Excited How many times were each of these words said? 😂😂😂. Great job everyone!!

[@aiproductdesigner]

That was very helpful..thank you!

[@safol123]

Thanks so much for this. it was much needed!

[@tryexponent]

Glad it was helpful!

[@hileshcool]

Real negotiation starts at 22:28

[@valoriefalorie4223]

Great info!!!! I didn’t know people use such language!!! Lessons to learn!!! Wish I saw this video earlier 😭😭😭😭😭

[@harishkumarrayasam]

I think the candidate should also evaluate other benefits - 401k company contributions, mega backdoor, paternal leaves, open PTO, free breakfast lunch, and dinner, life insurance, medical insurance, ESPP, bonus components, RSU refreshers, joining bonus, and any location-based aspects which could impact the take-home salary and put them into conversations when negotiating and comparing with other offers

[@oinkpiggin]

Nice try. But in the actual interview, you can try to dodge as much as you like. The recruiter will ask the a specific range. Or they won't let you go. So, expect to come up with a range.

[@rockersamurai]

could you do one for staff engineer and/or engineer managers? these convos seem a lot different from my experience.

[@rohitagl]

Awesome simulation. Exactly what I was looking for in negotiation. I am book marking this and will visit again :)

[@vijaydas7590]

Thanks. Great resource.

[@tryexponent]

Glad you liked it!

[@yungetong634]

Going to negotiate one right away!!! Thanks, really helpful

[@hasanozdemir1067]

Great Job and I really liked to watch it.

[@veradanchenko9743]

What would be negotiation strategy if somehow you got cracked and shared your current salary and expectation number on the first call with recruiter? Is it a complete fail or you still can negotiate and get more?

[@aionair77]

I always go head on with my salary expectation, since if it doesn't fit I wouldn't go into the process. Interviews are hard work for candidates and recruiters, so it doesn't make sense to waste people's time.