Ask HN: Which perks do you negotiate for beyond base salary? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Which perks do you negotiate for beyond base salary?

2 points2data2222 comments

I'm about to enter into a compensation package negotiation where I have the upper hand. I have skills that this company needs and they know I have them (my previous boss works there).

I'm thinking of negotiating the following in order of priority for me and I wanted to know if there was something I was overlooking:

* Base salary (depending on the initial offer, of course)

* 10% annual base salary as a Signing Bonus (because I was already told it's too late in the year to participate in the annual profit sharing plan) payable after 90 days of employment

* 5% annual base salary for Moving/Relocation Expenses (to break my lease, etc.)

* 4 weeks paid vacation/sick time (employees start at a generous 3 weeks here)

* Work laptop of my choosing (they can pick the brand if they're married to one; they can set an upper limit for the budget)

* Remote work 2 days per week (of my choosing) starting 30 days after successful employment

* Work cell phone of my choosing

* Internet stipend to facilitate my work from home days

* Slight modification to my Title such this the "lateral move" becomes a move up

What am I forgetting? Hiring managers, what about this is out of the question? What is the hardest to accommodate?

Thanks!

Severance package. Try to negotiate for a few months of severance. Make sure the wording includes language for no longer employed by. So that if you decide to quit, or they let you go they will pay you a wage before any unemployment for a given term. But also includes it being open if you do start another job right away that they still owe you. Also try to get health insurance during the term as well.

Then at review time try to get more added time added to it. So that over time you can get more weeks of pay. This can be a bargaining chip if they can’t afford a giving a raise, that you would accept more time for the severance package instead of a raise. While it might also seem silly if a raise is offered but no increase in severance counter with a proposal with a smaller raise and severance.

Do this until you have 6 months to a year of severance. Start low with say 2-4 weeks but try for 12 weeks.

This will buy you protection in the future if work becomes hostile, or a super visor start pulling crap trying to make up bs on performance reviews to try to justify letting you go.

Make it expensive for you to leave the company and that they need to be honest, fair and ethical with you at all times, or you can play the fuck it card and sit at home and still get paid while you look for work. If they let you go same deal, but you then get any unemployment after the severance terms are up.

During the first internet bubble companies offered cars, not leased or company car, but the signing bonus was a new car. (I assume it was also PR go get their name out).

I negotiated 5 more (paid) vacation days once and would do again.

My very first contract had a clause of automatic promotion after 1 year unless there are objections.

> What is the hardest to accommodate?

Mostly companies try to be perceived fair. So paying somebody home internet but not offering it also to others in a policy (e.g. everybody is entitled after 1 year employment) comes off as unfair. Giving out more salary is usually easier.

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