Are the big initial RSU grants in FAANG offers based on unvested stocks that people have at their current employers? If you don’t have much unvested stocks at your current employer, do you still get these big initial grants at FAANG companies?
No, they basically didn’t care about my unvested RSUs when I went from Amazon to Google. There are pay bands for each level, so an L3 at Goog can range anywhere between 150k - 200k and an L4 can range between 220-300 etc. These numbers (esp. at Goog) can vary a lot and most people posting their TC on Blind are somewhat of an exception rather than the rule. If you have multiple competing offers or If you’re downleveled (maybe you have 6 YoE and you get an L3 offer) they may go out of band for you. I don’t know how exactly comp committee evaluates how much to offer but their role is to get you in by giving you as little as possible. Maybe one of the variables in their models if you’re coming from a non top tier company (FAANG, Nflx, Uber, msft, Oracle, airbnb etc)., they assume you’re not on that high of a salary and try to low ball you. Regardless of all of this, the surest path to high TC is to have multiple competing offers and using that leverage to negotiate.
These are great tips, thanks guys!
In California they are not allowed anymore to ask about your current compensation, they only ask about your expectations Know your level and the band... (if you don’t express your expectation you get the bottom of the band)
Depends on your negotiation skills, my guy.
Any tips?
Get competing offers or bluff and say you have unvested stock. They can’t check it. Be ready to walk away though if they won’t budge.