Negotiation help - passed HC at Google for L4, Amazon SDE1 offer, Microsoft L61 offer stage
So I am in a bit of a situation and I wanted to reach out to to the community for some input. All of these are for Seattle ( and nearby neighborhoods ) and I currently have 4.5 YOE. Current TC is low so no need to post it. I cannot use this as negotiation since it's a small unknown company. I have passed Google's HC and I am at the Team Matching phase. With Amazon, I was placed in an SDE1 position after the interviews( wasn't my best day and they seemed to downlevel me quite a bit ) and just received an initial over from them on the phone and the offer was between $170k and $180k TC but they didn't break it down for me. With Microsoft I was placed in L61 and they are asking me to provide the numbers I want for the offer. How should I handle all of this to maximize TC ? I am mostly wanting to join Google ( potentially Microsoft if the offer is as good ) and I did really good on the interviews with Google ( my best performance of all 3 ). However, how can I leverage this low position offers from Amazon and MS to increase TC? Thanks!
Yoe?
4.5 YOE. I updated the post as well
Take google! L4 is a better fit for your yoe
Just take Google. Not much to think about there.
This question is mostly regarding how to negotiate a higher TOC with Google by leveraging these other offers. Google is the main of the three that I would like to join for sure.
First I suggest you clarify with Amazon on the breakdowns. It has more implications than anything else. All these companies have their own salary band. And they know how others pay too. And it is unlikely they would up level the position for this level or role. Have MSFT gives you an offer? If not, just ask to defer that discussion later. If yes, then I could just share the Amazon numbers and see how they react. Simple.
Microsoft wants me to submit what I want to them. Then they'll come back with their counter offer. That's kind of what they told me.
Msft should offer you around 220k. Use that to leverage Google and get 240k. L4 at Google starts at 220k these days.
Isn't 220k a bit too much for Level 61 ?
Oh I thought you were 62, my bad...
This might be tricky. Google will probably low ball you and msft will offer you 150k tc. You will need to first somehow convince msft that you are very interested in joining but comp needs to go up, and hope that they want you enough to give you 180-200k. (The hiring manager would need to spend some political capital and talk to the cvp or cost center owner) Then take that offer and make google give you 200+ and take google.
This. You can expect Google to beat other offers by a little bit. No other way to increase comp at Google really.
Can I push Amazon and Microsoft to up the offers above 200k ? Basically, I'll tell MS that I want 220K ( they need my expectation for salary before we proceed ) so I could ask for that especially since they know I have an offer from Amazon but they do not know the exact offer. I do not plan on sharing the exact offer to them. So if I ask for 220, they'll lowball and offer something way less than that I assume. But then I can use that as leverage for Amazon so they up their TC. If Amazon bites, then I could leverage that with MS again.
Google will in all likelihood beat the Microsoft offer (which for L61 will be around 170k if you’re extremely lucky). Then you don’t really have any leverage to negotiate at Google. But here’s what I know. If you are a Google convert, Microsoft will definitely bump you up to L62. You also have the work experience for it (> 4 yoe). Then they’ll raise your comp and you use that to negotiate at Google.
I am planning on telling them that I want an L62 with TC of 230K ( with the clear understanding that I will not get a 230k TC offer from them ) but I need to start somewhere given that I think my initial offer from Google should be close to 230K. But I think my performance on the interviews with MS was one of the strongest according the recruiter so I also think that should play well into the whole negotiation game.
Your initial offer from Google might be around 200k in the absence of a competing offer. (The way google determines an initial offer is 80-90th percentile of comp for ALL software engineers including no-name companies in the Seattle area at your YoE). Goes higher only if you have competing offers or you actually reject their offer and they really want you.
What ended up happening @OP
Post update OP
Location?
Good question. These are for Seattle. I just updated the post as well.
Just a quick look at levels.fyi that seems like a solid sde I for amazon and that would put you mid band at sde 61 for Microsoft. I would add 20% if forced to give a number to Microsoft but try and get them to give the first number.