Go beyond salary to build up a complete job offer that candidates won’t decline

Problem

"I know that many people are afraid of salary negotiations. However I, personally, almost never face tense discussions."

Actions taken

"The first key thing to do is to pay a fair wage. Whatever we say, standards exist and depend on experience, title, company stage, country, and city. Use data on these factors to build a fair offer."

"If people request higher salaries than you expect, this is usually a sign of misalignment. Ask why. Understanding why will help you realign people or detect a misfit."

"Moreover, I believe a job offer is a complex combination of tools used wisely. Salary is just one part of it. First, try to clearly understand what the person's objectives are for both their life and career. Some people want to be managers, some want to be experts, and some constantly want to be learning new stacks. To find out about a person's objectives, let them talk and ask questions for an hour. You don't learn when you talk, you learn when you listen. I believe you can gain a pretty good idea of what drives an individual based on the questions they ask."

"Once you know that, build up your job offer using the following elements:

• Fair salary
• Equity
• Career opportunities
• Learning opportunities"

Lessons learned

"You don't want people to join your company for cash. These people will leave."

"If you, as a manager, end up in salary negotiations, try to learn what motivates your candidate and what gets them out of bed. You'll then have the best information in your hands, so you can be their advocate and can build up a job offer they won't decline."