5 ms·

It depends how old you are, how senior you are, and how likely you are to switch companies in a shitty situation. It works for a specific (perhaps more stable)

It depends how old you are, how senior you are, and how likely you are to switch companies in a shitty situation. It works for a specific (perhaps more stable) archetype of engineering hire for sure!

scarface74 4y ago
Why does it depend? You got your full market compensation in mostly cash for the first two years.
- nkjnlknlk 4y ago
  I misread and didn't realize the schedule changed from the offers I received 2+ years ago. This compensation structure is definitely my preference.
  - scarface74 4y ago
    I was hired in 2020. My structure was - Year 1: base + high prorated signing bonus + 5% stock vest - Year 2: base + slightly lower signing bonus + 15% stock vest - Year 3 and 4 - base + 40% stock vest If the stock doesn’t move, you should make about the same amount Years 1 through 4 or slightly more.
    - nkjnlknlk 4y ago
      That's awesome. Definitely wish I was in that situation right now. :)
bradjohnson 4y ago
At my last company, the stock price when I joined was at $150/share, it rose to over $200/share and crashed to under $30/share by the time my initial vesting date came. I lost six figures of expected TC based on my original offer (over half my total compensation). Since it was a 1 year cliff, I couldn't do anything to diversify or limit my risk because my RSUs were not mine until they vested. Lesson learned, but I don't think there's an archetype of engineer that prefers that kind of risk profile over large cash payments each month. My downside for Y1 at Amazon is 4% of the agreed upon TC.
- nkjnlknlk 4y ago
  Oh, I COMPLETELY misread due to my biases. My fault. You are completely right. Perhaps I'm not as good as a negotiator as I thought (or the schedules are within the past two years) b/c I haven't ever received an offer that balances the agreed upon TC as you describe. It sounds great!
  - bradjohnson 4y ago
    I agree, I think it's mostly framed as something Amazon does to screw over employees by dangling stock they might not ever get a few years out. I'm not even arguing about the other points for the parent of my original comment, but the vesting schedule at Amazon is severely underrated in my opinion.

It depends how old you are, how senior you are, and how likely you are to switch companies in a shitty situation. It works for a specific (perhaps more stable) archetype of engineering hire for sure!

scarface74 4y ago

Why does it depend? You got your full market compensation in mostly cash for the first two years.

nkjnlknlk 4y ago
I misread and didn't realize the schedule changed from the offers I received 2+ years ago. This compensation structure is definitely my preference.
- scarface74 4y ago
  I was hired in 2020. My structure was - Year 1: base + high prorated signing bonus + 5% stock vest - Year 2: base + slightly lower signing bonus + 15% stock vest - Year 3 and 4 - base + 40% stock vest If the stock doesn’t move, you should make about the same amount Years 1 through 4 or slightly more.
  - nkjnlknlk 4y ago
    That's awesome. Definitely wish I was in that situation right now. :)

bradjohnson 4y ago

At my last company, the stock price when I joined was at $150/share, it rose to over $200/share and crashed to under $30/share by the time my initial vesting date came. I lost six figures of expected TC based on my original offer (over half my total compensation). Since it was a 1 year cliff, I couldn't do anything to diversify or limit my risk because my RSUs were not mine until they vested. Lesson learned, but I don't think there's an archetype of engineer that prefers that kind of risk profile over large cash payments each month. My downside for Y1 at Amazon is 4% of the agreed upon TC.

nkjnlknlk 4y ago
Oh, I COMPLETELY misread due to my biases. My fault. You are completely right. Perhaps I'm not as good as a negotiator as I thought (or the schedules are within the past two years) b/c I haven't ever received an offer that balances the agreed upon TC as you describe. It sounds great!
- bradjohnson 4y ago
  I agree, I think it's mostly framed as something Amazon does to screw over employees by dangling stock they might not ever get a few years out. I'm not even arguing about the other points for the parent of my original comment, but the vesting schedule at Amazon is severely underrated in my opinion.