Negotiating your Worth

The first person to say a number 'Loses'. **Salary Negotiation** is a game of information. Whoever knows the market better has the power.

1. Data Sources for Architects

Don't use Glassdoor (it's often too low). Use:

• Levels.fyi: The gold standard for FAANG/Big Tech real compensation data.
• Blind: For anonymous discussions on current offer trends.
• H1B Data: Public record of what companies pay foreign workers (shows the 'Floor' for a role).

2. The "Range" Technique

If a recruiter forces you to give a number, give a range: 'Based on my research and the complexity of this role, I'm looking for total compensation in the $350k-$420k range.' This gives you a high ceiling while showing you are flexible.

4. Career Mastery

Q: "The recruiter says the budget is fixed. What do I do?"

Architect Answer: "Budgets are rarely fixed for top talent. Say: 'I understand there's a budget, but given the specific AI/Full-Stack expertise I'm bringing which can save the team 6 months of development time, is there any flexibility in the Sign-on Bonus or the Equity grant?'. Often, a 'Fixed' salary budget doesn't apply to 'One-time' bonuses or stock pools."