Leaving money on the table is the biggest mistake engineers make. Here is how to negotiate your tech salary with confidence.
1. Never Name the First Number
The golden rule of negotiation: whoever names the number first loses leverage. When recruiters ask for your expected salary, respond politely with, "I am open to competitive market rates and I am more focused on finding the right fit for my career. Could you share the budget approved for this role?"
2. Total Compensation > Base Salary
Do not fixate solely on base salary. Equity (RSUs or options), sign-on bonuses, performance bonuses, and 401k matches often represent a much more flexible pool of money for recruiters to pull from when they hit the ceiling of the base salary band.
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