How to Negotiate Starting Salary for Programmers
Channel: Ryan McBeth
Date: 2021-11-18

Most employers expect you to negotiate salary once you receive the offer letter, but you should approach salary negotiation in a very precise way.

Keep in mind that your salary was decided in October of the previous year.  You have a better chance of getting the salary you want in January, February and March because the hiring budget hasn't been used up yet.

First, go to Glassdoor.com and look at the average salaries in your area for the position.  You probably won't make much more than the average, so position your counteroffer a little above the average.

Second, counter with an offer that ends in an even number or one that is divisible by 5.  So if you are presented with $70,000 in your offer, don't ask for  $80,000, ask for $77,000, $83,000 or $86,000.  

This shows that you have done your homework and may even give a subtle hint that you have a counteroffer and you are seeing if the company can beet it by a few thousand dollars.

When you negotiate, also keep in mind that you can also negotiate for more paid time off (PTO) which some companies may be more willing to give than salary.

The spreadsheet for this video is available here:
https://www.ryanmcbeth.com/
https://github.com/mcbethr/SalaryNegotiationVideo