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Only use these statistics as a guideline, and negotiate the hell out of your compensation, even at a startup. You would be shocked at how much leeway companies
by oppositelock 9y ago
Only use these statistics as a guideline, and negotiate the hell out of your compensation, even at a startup. You would be shocked at how much leeway companies have in compensation if they need your skill set. I've worked at preeminent silicon valley companies, middle of the road ones, and startups (been doing this way too long I guess). I've managed to sign for almost 50% over their initial offer a couple of times. The hardest place to negotiate turned out to be the mid-size companies which aren't floating in money like Google, or aren't pissing away money like a startup.
When they ask, "how much are you currently making", just politely say that you would rather not go down that route, and please make me an offer you feel is fair for my skill set, and start from there. Hiring managers and departments do this a lot, and know all the numbers, and you, who change jobs infrequently don't have up to date info. What's shocking is how fast silicon valley salaries are increasing.
When I started this software engineering gig in the mid 1990's, a great offer for a fresh grad out of school was $45,000. Inflation adjusted, that's around $75,000 today. When my small company hires today, I get the special joy of making counter-offers against Facebook and Google, these two companies are simply nuts. Recently lost a fresh grad from a first tier CS school to an offer of $150k annual with $100k starting bonus from Facebook, not to mention RSU. Effectively $350k for the first year for a student with a bachelor of science. It's nuts. This guy was really good, but more realistic offers only lack that starting bonus.
- mceoin 9y agoIt is now illegal for employers to ask about past salary: [first article I googled] https://www.thepennyhoarder.com/make-money/salary-history-law-california/ https://www.thepennyhoarder.com/make-money/salary-history-la...
- kelnos 9y agoWell, as of Jan 1st it will be, anyway.
- perl4ever 9y agoI'm not sure how laws like that help if an employer has access to information about past salary so they don't have to ask. There is an Equifax service that keeps track of past jobs to some extent. It isn't necessarily accurate or complete, but it exists - https://www.theworknumber.com/ https://www.theworknumber.com/
- justonepost 9y agoIt’s not legal to use in California after the bill becomes law. (b) An employer shall not, orally or in writing, personally or through an agent, seek salary history information, including compensation and benefits, about an applicant for employment
- perl4ever 9y agoInteresting. I wonder whether the word "seek" instead of "obtain" or "utilize" is a loophole.
- angarg12 9y agoI keep seeing how recent graduates of top schools command very high salaries, and I wonder, has any company done a large scale study comparing the performance of graduates from different 'tier' schools? What about the performance after a number of years? I am really curious to see the difference in performance between two fresh graduates of different schools, and the difference after 2,5,10 years experience.
- ataturk 9y agoIt seems like by the time they get done working, it's the next day, and then the next, and the next. What is their hourly pay when you break it all down and how much does rent/mortgage cost? Imho, it's not worth it to command that pay if all you are is a wage slave.