The Key Insight Behind Negotiation

Negotiation is fundamentally about leverage, and the strongest leverage comes from being able to walk away. Timing, preparation, and understanding the multifaceted nature of compensation are key to negotiating effectively.

• Leverage is built through optionality: The ability to walk away—especially when holding multiple offers—provides the greatest negotiating power. Desperation weakens a candidate’s position.
• Don’t discuss compensation too early: Deflect pre-interview compensation questions by focusing on mutual fit. Only begin negotiating after a formal offer is made.
• Confirmed offers reflect high value: By the time a company extends an offer, they've invested significant time and resources. With a low conversion rate from interviews to offers, candidates who make it to the offer stage are rare and valuable.
• Companies don’t rescind offers for negotiating: Especially in big tech, it’s extremely rare for a company to withdraw an offer just because a candidate is negotiating for better terms.
• Compensation has multiple levers: Salary, equity, and sign-on bonuses are negotiable components. Candidates can prioritize based on their risk profile and financial goals, trading one component for gains in another.