How would you negotiate a salary at Google?

Posted by sendhil on Monday August 25, 2008 @05:12PM
from the self-post dept.

Google has recently given me an offer. I find that the salary is not very competitive. It seems to me Google feels that people should take the jobs for a lower salary anyway? Have any of you readers have similar experiences? If so how did you negotiate your salary?

( 14 comments | 3 points | on HN )

Re:How would you negotiate a salary at Google? by noodle on Monday August 25, 2008 @05:39PM (#286465)

the same way i would negotiate a salary anywhere else.

figure out what the minimum salary you would need to work for them. interview at other companies. get other job offers. tell them that you want to work for them, but you have other offers elsewhere and the minimum you'd accept is $xyz.

you must be prepared to walk out if you're going to negotiate. if they balk, tell them they have a week to reconsider or you'll accept a position elsewhere.

also, don't forget that google does have a lot of intangibles and perks that other companies don't. in addition, working at google is CV gold. they're probably trying to lowball people and get the people who just want to work for them in their offices, posisbly weeding out the people in it for the money.

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Re:How would you negotiate a salary at Google? by qhoxie on Monday August 25, 2008 @06:05PM (#286500)

Along with this, tell them the process behind figuring out how much your minimum is. Show them that you have an understanding of factors at play, and you aren't just grabbing upward frivolously.

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Re:How would you negotiate a salary at Google? by gaius on Tuesday August 26, 2008 @11:23AM (#287150)

in addition, working at google is CV gold

Is it really? I mean, is there any evidence that Google alumni are better paid when they leave? There are an awful lot of companies that look "good" on a CV. Goldman Sachs looks pretty good on a CV, but they don't play silly games with lowballing new hires...

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Re:How would you negotiate a salary at Google? by noodle on Tuesday August 26, 2008 @02:33PM (#287329)

never said anything about being paid more. being a google alumni doesn't make you gold. however, it does look quite good.

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Re:How would you negotiate a salary at Google? by tptacek on Monday August 25, 2008 @05:22PM (#286443)

Microsoft used to be notorious for doing the same thing, and friends who were in very strong negotiating positions wound up walking over it. Microsoft may have eased up since then, but in 2001, they weren't kidding.

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Re:How would you negotiate a salary at Google? by gaius on Tuesday August 26, 2008 @11:18AM (#287147)

Microsoft used to be able to do that because their stock kept on going up and up. Less so now. Same with Google. I don't think Google (or any other "big name" employer) is as impressive on a CV as they would like to think. If you took say 75% of the market rate salary now thinking that it would get you 150% of the market rate when you jump ship in n years, then you might be in for a surprise.

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Re:How would you negotiate a salary at Google? by tptacek on Tuesday August 26, 2008 @02:36PM (#287334)

Hey, I wouldn't do it. I'm just saying, sometimes when HR tells you they have an official policy of paying 60% of market, they aren't kidding.

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Re:How would you negotiate a salary at Google? by gaius on Tuesday August 26, 2008 @04:18PM (#287466)

Gotta wonder if HR are on 60% as well...

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Re:How would you negotiate a salary at Google? by tptacek on Tuesday August 26, 2008 @05:42PM (#287537)

I'm pretty sure you can get HR people from a one-click shopping listing at Amazon.

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Re:How would you negotiate a salary at Google? by prakash on Monday August 25, 2008 @06:13PM (#286511)

The best way to negotiate is by not needing that job at Google/(substitute some other company name) i.e. always be prepared to walk away.

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Re:How would you negotiate a salary at Google? by sendhil on Tuesday August 26, 2008 @01:38AM (#286804)

I already work for a great tech company. The Google recruiter told me that Google can't match my current compensation. It's so strange? I spent a lot of time interviewing with them. So I made the case it doesn't compare with with I have.

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Re:How would you negotiate a salary at Google? by wh on Tuesday August 26, 2008 @02:04AM (#286819)

They spend millions on free food..can't they spend few more k's for good engineers ..strange ?

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Re:How would you negotiate a salary at Google? by sendhil on Tuesday August 26, 2008 @10:15AM (#287077)

It is, I don't understand what's going on. Maybe a reflection of the times there.

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Re:How would you negotiate a salary at Google? by vonsydov on Monday August 25, 2008 @05:17PM (#286434)

have another larger offer in hand is the standard way to negotiate a salary. i don't know how google handles that though.

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