Salary Negotiation

Content Warning: 🔥 Real Talk 🌶

My Agenda

  • Truth Bombs and Empowerment
  • Saying No
  • Tools and Resources
  • Playing Your Hand

Who Am I?

Founded / C-Suite:

Background:

~2 decades as a Dev

~1 decade as an Engineering Manager

No college (or high-school)

Serial Entrepreneur

I wrote the algorithm that protects your debit card from fraud (probably)

Taught 100,000s of people to code

Helped start the GDISF chapter in 2012

@lizthedeveloper

Let's start with some truth bombs

  • Life is demanding, without understanding
  • No one's going to drag you up to get into the life where you belong

Capitalism

  • Inherently competitive
  • Dollars = Coercion points
  • Women & under-represented minorities have less coercion points on average
  • You don't get any coercion points for accommodating others

120k a year adds 10,000 per month burn

140k a year adds 11,666 per month burn

Corporations are not People

25 employees @ 10k / mo = 250,000

25 employees @ 11.6k / mo = 291,650

 

3 million vs 3.4 million a year

1,666 a month is a rounding error to them, but it is 20k a year to you
 

Managers ask themselves:

What is the lowest number this person will agree to that will keep them happy for 18-24 months?

I have finite headcount, is this person worth the "spot"?

Managers do not ask themselves:

Which candidate is the cheapest?

Is this person really worth $140,000?

If this person complains about their offer, will they be a big problem to work with?

Project Power

Things that don't project power:

  • I need less than most people
  • I don't complain even when things are unfair
  • I accommodate the needs of companies before I compensate myself

Know when to walk away

In Breakout Rooms of Two:

 

Introduce Yourself but don't "code switch"

 

Ask them for their preferred salary range

Lower it by 30% and give them an offer

Say no to this offer

Activity: 5 mins

Say it professionally,

 

Then say it lightly condecendingly,

 

Then laugh and say no

In Breakout Rooms of Two:

 

Introduce Yourself:
Code Switch - Be Intimidating

 

Ask them for their preferred salary range

Lower it by 30% and give them an offer

Say no to this offer

Activity: 5 mins

Say it professionally,

 

Then say it lightly condecendingly,

 

Then laugh and say no

Archetype: Michelle Rodriguez

In Breakout Rooms of Two:

Introduce Yourself:
Code Switch - Be Wise & Say More With Less, Reveal Crafted Narratives
 

Ask them for their preferred salary range

Lower it by 30% and give them an offer

Say no to this offer

Activity: 5 mins

Say it professionally,

 

Then say it lightly condecendingly,

 

Then laugh and say no

Archetype: Maggie Smith

How do you know when to walk away?

and when to run?

Do your research.

bit.ly/gdi-salary-negotiation-worksheet

Data = Negotiating Power

http://glassdoor.com

http://comparab.ly

http://angel.co

http://levels.fyi

GDI Slack / Elpha / Other Backchannels

Juggling Multiple Leads

Key Moments

  • Invitation to Screen - You are now "In Process"
  • Screen
  • Interview Scheduled
  • Interview
  • Recruiter Check-In
  • Possibly More Interviews
  • "Negotiation Phase"
  • Post-Negotiations
  • Hire Date
  • 30 days
  • 60 days
  • 90 days

Rules of Engagement

Don't:

  • Lie
  • Apologize
  • Make commitments on the spot
  • Talk about the makeup of your family

Rules of Engagement

Do:

  • Selectively Reveal Vague, Crafted Narratives
  • Say "Unfortunately"
  • Defer decision-making authority elsewhere
  • Speak optimisitically

You get as many tries at this as you want

Be the change you wish to see in the world

But don't try to live in a world that doesn't exist

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By LizTheDeveloper

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