Did I screw up by giving the recruiter an expected salary range?
Interviews aren't done yet, I have another round soon.
But during the first talk the recruiter asked what I'm looking at so he doesn't waste my time and I said "115-130k" (115k base, imo, is very good for the state I live in, already much higher than other companies in the area especially since my YoE is a little under 2). I thought I gave a good range and the interviewer said "we can definitely work with that."
However I talked to friends (not from the company I'm applying to) and they're saying since I named the bottom bound, I will flat out not get a number higher than that. They said I should've listed a single number as an upper bound.
Are you typically able to negotiate up at the offer stage even after having given a number earlier? I am interviewing at other places as well so I may have some leverage, but would one be able to do it even without leverage?
#engineering #software #swe #negotiation
comments
Instead of stating current pay, its better to give a hint on what range would make it easy for you to consider switching. Make it clear that a 5% increase is not worth it.
However you can still negotiate.
When I was interviewing with Amazon, I was willing to accept around 150k before looking closer to levels fyi.
I spent a whole phone call recruiter asking for my range. Gave absolutely no numbers she finally told me some numbers herself.
Anyhow, I get the offer for 200k+ (if rounded to a 50k), no other offers, I conceal my excitement and say I was expecting more, closer to 300k (since that's what I saw for L6 on levels, and I'm no junior here).
She tells me can't do, but comes back with an extra 10% that rounds closer to 250k. I'm still disappointed thinking I was L6.
After joining, I see I'm merely L5, and the offer was actually VERY decent for a tetriary market - most L5 offers at the time were below mine. Many still are. (My same offer was almost 300k at the high mark for AMZN.)
It's anyone's guess what would have happened had I told the recruiter I was expecting 150k. Probably would have gotten a straight 200k even, and would have to be asking for 250k instead of 300k to not look out of line. Certainly couldn't come back after an offer and simply go "300k" without having to mention other offers or looking like an idiot.