Career & Growth Lesson 4 of 4
Negotiation Strategies & Senior Mindset
18:20 Confidence for Your Tech Career
How to handle salary expectations, evaluate total compensation (base, equity, benefits), and negotiate respectfully with confidence.
Lesson notes
Negotiation is not conflict; it is the final collaborative agreement between two parties who both want the exact same thing: you doing great work at their company.
What you'll learn
- Never reveal your expected number first during initial screenings
- Calculate total compensation value across base, equity, and growth trajectory
- Scripts to counter-offer with collaborative gratitude
1. Deflecting the Early Salary Question
When asked in early screening calls: 'What salary range are you targeting?', respond politely: 'Right now I am focused on finding the right role fit and understanding the team's engineering challenges. What range has the company budgeted for this position?'