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Overview
Salary Negotiation
Essential strategies and insights to excel in salary negotiation, curated by former FAANG recruiters and hiring managers.
Congratulations! You've passed all of your interviews and are now moving into the offer stage. Salary negotiation is where the opportunity becomes real. Similar to technical and behavioral interviews, there are proven methodologies that will allow you to safely and effectively maximize your offer potential.
Negotiating can feel daunting and it's tough to know where to begin. Rest assured that the team at Hello Interview has your back. We have been on all sides of compensation negotiation and have successfully helped candidates like yourself maximize offer packages. Through this section, you'll get an insider's perspective on how offer negotiations work. You'll learn the roles and motivations of each person involved in determining your offer; you'll become more familiar with how compensation is structured and how best to negotiate each component; you'll practice word tracks and tactics to safely move the needle on your offer with little to no risk; and of course, you'll finalize the deal.
If you're looking for tailored assistance and 1-on-1 consultation, we're here to provide that every step of the way.
Does negotiating send the wrong signal? Will I risk losing my offer?
Negotiating is not a red flag; it is a standard, data-driven step that employers anticipate and respect. In practice, thoughtful negotiation signals that you are informed, confident, and professionally self-aware. Here are some keys to remember:
The first offer is meant to be countered
Recruiters in big tech RARELY open with their best number. As a matter of fact, in many scenarios recruiters will ALREADY have a higher number approved by finance (they don't want to have to go back-and-forth)! The initial verbal offer assumes you'll negotiate. There is also positive psychology associated with improving an offer, and your recruiter will lean on this reality. If you accept immediately, you have almost certainly not reached the "best and final" offer.
Silence can signal disinterest
You might think accepting quickly shows enthusiasm and loyalty. In reality, not engaging in negotiation can be misinterpreted as disinterest. Recruiters and hiring managers may wonder, "are they not negotiating, because they're investing their energy elsewhere? Are there other positions and processes they care more about?" In competitive roles, this could potentially tip the scales in favor of someone else who shows up with clarity and conviction. Remember, a team can potentially hedge their bets with multiple candidates in team-match. A signed offer will secure your spot.
Not negotiating undermines your future leverage
What you accept now echoes throughout your career. In big tech, comp bands are sticky, and your starting point shapes future raises, refreshes, and promotion velocity. If you come in low, you're not just earning less today. You're setting a precedent that's hard to escape. Negotiation is about more than this offer. It's about anchoring your value for the long run. Meta in particular has a strict stance on boomerang candidates (former employees seeking to return). Your historical compensation history takes a more significant weight than the offer band itself.
What would jeopardize my offer?
Talking Numbers Too Soon
Dropping your desired salary in the first five minutes locks you into a ceiling before you know the band. Stay ambiguous about compensation until the company lets you know you are moving to offer. This gives you the leverage to ask questions about ranges and set requirements from an informed position.
Inconsistent Storytelling
Changing your compensation requirements will frustrate your advocates and erode trust quickly. As the conversation develops around your financial requirements, stay consistent. Peg your decisions to a data-backed narrative and stick to it.
Negotiating with the Hiring Manager
The hiring manager has already championed you. Turning the relationship into a price debate risks adding friction where you need goodwill. Keep all compensation conversations between you and the recruiter. The recruiter can then advocate safely on your behalf with finance.
Ignoring Non-Cash Levers
Focusing only on base salary leaves equity, bonuses, and perks untouched. A well-structured equity bump or sign-on can add six figures over four years with far less resistance. Do not push too hard for one form of compensation and fail to see the value in the others.
Accepting too quickly
Saying "yes" the moment the recruiter reads the package removes your opportunity to think, process, and counter. Kindly express your excitement and gratitude, but ask to take time to process and digest the offer. Ask as many follow-up questions as are necessary on the call, and set an additional call to follow up.
The Offer Negotiation (step-by-step) & How We Can Help
Passing Interviews
Congratulations, you've passed all of your interviews and have been given the green light to be hired! Having a favorable interview packet is the first step in the hiring process.
Team Matching
Beyond passing the company's interview bar, there has to be an open headcount for you. Sometimes this step can occur simultaneously with interviews, other times there will be subsequent calls after the fact to "team match" with a hiring manager.
Moving to Offers
Great news! Your candidacy has aligned with an open position that fits your skill-set. Your recruiter at this point will let you know that you have team matched, and that you are moving to offer.
Recruiter Compensation Call
On this call, your recruiter will begin to explain to you how the compensation structure works at the given company. They will talk through all the various components (including equity structure) and likely share the high points of the perks & benefits. Most importantly, they will look to get a sense of your compensation requirements. Their goal is to get as firm a number as possible to bring back to the finance department.
Verbal Offer
The recruiter has taken your commentary to finance and has gotten an initial offer cleared. This is merely a starting point for the negotiation. Again, both the finance team and the recruiter expects you to negotiate; the first offer is padded with upward space with this fact in mind.
Counter Offer
When crafting a counter offer, it is important to orchestrate a plausible story with data-driven benchmarks. Use markers like current compensation, competitive offers, even equity or bonuses left behind to drive your offer higher. Both the market's cost of labor and a city's cost of living can play a factor. Share any information that will help substantiate your case, but be savvy about withholding figures that may suggest you will be comfortable with a lower number.
Written Offer
Assuming we've been strategic about how and when we share information, we will have likely landed on a higher number than we started with. Congratulations for reaching this stage and don't forget to sign your offer!
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Does negotiating send the wrong signal? Will I risk losing my offer?
The first offer is meant to be countered
Silence can signal disinterest
Not negotiating undermines your future leverage
What would jeopardize my offer?
Talking Numbers Too Soon
Inconsistent Storytelling
Negotiating with the Hiring Manager
Ignoring Non-Cash Levers
Accepting too quickly
The Offer Negotiation (step-by-step) & How We Can Help
Passing Interviews
Team Matching
Moving to Offers
Recruiter Compensation Call
Verbal Offer
Counter Offer
Written Offer
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