Ask HN: Negotiating with Several Offers? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Negotiating with Several Offers?

12 pointstqthrow15 comments

Dear HN,

I'd like your advice on something.

I'm working in software and recently decided to switch jobs. Last week I finished interviewing and now have four offers from four smallish companies. They're all exceptional places to work: very talented engineers, very friendly employees, driven and knowledgeable founders, very interesting work, and so on. I would be happy working at any of these companies, although I have put together a ranking of which companies I prefer to work on.

So my question is: Given that I have four good offers, how can I negotiate a better offer?

It feels unprofessional to ask for a certain compensation, and then, if given that compensation, reject the offer anyways. But on the other hand, if all the companies were willing to offer 15% more compensation, perhaps the company I want to work for most would be willing to offer it as well, so it seems like I should try to negotiate with several offers at once.

What would you do in this situation (if negotiating a higher compensation were important to you)? What is a professional and tactful way to, roughly speaking, discern what a company is actually willing to give to hire me?

Thanks! - Dave

Dave,

Figure out where you want to work the most. Don't be a fence-sitter in this regard. Follow your gut.

Next, let that company know that you have another offer that is better than theirs. Explain that you really want to work with them and ask if they would be willing to match the offer. Negotiate for more vacation time as well, but do it all at once.

If they don't match the offer then see what the best they can do actually is and take it. A few dollars here or there aren't going to change your life in the long run. Go and be happy.

Can't upvote enough. Many people I know, including myself, made the mistake of going for the highest salary / best benefit package, disregarding other factors. Big mistake!

Taking an extra $5000 on your salary, while you might think is good, doesn't necessary translate to a better work environment. I see this problem a lot, where people go for the highest monetary offer. Some places have more to offer than a few extra bucks. They can offer a long career plan, smarter/better colleagues, and ideally a place where you will continue to learn even 3-5 years in.

I highly encourage you to take partisan's advice.

Waking up every morning and being excited to go to work is much more important than making some extra $$ and having low morale.

Can't stress this enough. I took a 30% pay cut from my previous employer to work at my current job, and I could not be happier. Work from home, interesting/hard problems, flexible hours, and most importantly, I could not find team members as smart or kind as I currently work with.

You spend a third of your hours alive working (roughly speaking); enjoy them.

the key is a few dollars though

Even $20k is going to be $12k/year after taxes. Four years of that not only means your next job will negotiate against a higher base, but will be $50k in your pocket, either for savings, a down payment, or to take a year off of working during your one and only life to see the world, write a book, learn something interesting, give you the time to start your own company, or who knows...

You are right and I was speaking purely from my experience. In the past few years, I just about doubled my income, but it hasn't made me much happier at all.

It comes down to priorities. For some people, the priority is money. For others, it is happiness. If money is going to buy you happiness, then I guess the choice becomes easier.

Studies (mobile browsing, I have no sources nearby, google it, sorry) says that happiness peaks around $75,000.

Do you think happiness living in SF peaks at 75k?

Disclaimer- does not live in SF.

There is no happiness in living in SF.

http://www.kalzumeus.com/2012/01/23/salary-negotiation/ has some good advice.

Wow, that's an awesome resource. I think I read this earlier, actually, and it helped me get over my initial aversion to negotiations, but it doesn't mention trying to use several competing offers as a negotiation point.

That said it is also coming from a slightly different perspective; perhaps trying to "play" companies off each other is really a little sleazy, I don't know... It certainly sounds worse when I put it that way.

And what do you think it's their basis for salary? What other people are willing to work for, so "sleazily" playing other people against you. For example, for some reason e.g. google in europe pays a lot less than they pay in the states. It's not because people in Europe provide far less value, but because they can. Salaries are market-based and that works both ways, the better market you find yourself in, better for you (companies are not going to look twice).

It wouldn't hurt to ask them if they could pay "market value". After all, those other offers are proof of your actual market value - not some abstract idea of what you are worth.

I wouldn't mention your other offers unless they press you to justify how you arrived at your "market value" number. No one wants to be in a bidding war. If they give you the "We think we are offering matches the market." then ask them if it would change their minds if you could show them what the actual market it.

"I've considered everything and if you raise the offer to market value and add bit more vacation I can start on Monday."

"I'm looking forward to working with you. Make it $N and X weeks vacation and we have a deal."

Let's face it though, some places just do not value engineers. If they are cheap at the start, they will never, ever "make it up to you".

just be careful when asking online! http://www.quora.com/What-is-the-best-way-to-start-my-career...

There seems to be more backlash against the CEO for revoking the offer than the asker.

> how can I negotiate a better offer?

Which company most believes you can add real value, create the biggest positive impact, & help generate revenue? Understanding others perceptions is essential to successful negotiation.

Suggest reading Stuart Diamonds brilliant book, Getting More. Here's his presentation @ Google > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOZo6Lx70ok

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