High Earners: Optimize your job offer with expert salary negotiation coaching

Full-service salary negotiation coaching: Optimize your job offer with personal help and actionable advice

Negotiating an offer? Let's talk

You're on the clock. You finally got a job offer from a company you would like to work with, and they want to know if you're ready to accept it.

You think you can command a higher salary and a better compensation package, but you just don't know how to negotiate these things in your job offer.

How do you counter their job offer? What if you ask for too much? What if you leave money on the table by asking for too little? What if they retract the job offer? How do you know what to do and if you're doing it correctly?

Wouldn't it be nice if someone else could just negotiate for you?


Imagine this...

Justin negotiated an additional $74,000 per year with Salary Negotiation Coaching


That's exactly how Justin felt when we worked together to negotiate his Amazon offer. He has earned an additional $74,000 per year so far—that's $220,000 and counting!

On average, High Earners improve their job offers by $47,273 when I negotiate for them

I'm Josh Doody, a professional salary negotiation coach who helps High Earners get more job offers and negotiate higher salaries. People going to Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Tesla, @WalmartLabs, Zillow, Kimberly-Clark, Bloomberg, Red Hat, Verizon, IBM, Microsoft, and other companies you've heard of have benefited from my full-service salary negotiation coaching.

How does this work? When you work with me, you'll have me working behind the scenes to negotiate your salary for you. You can rest assured you won't leave any compensation—monetary or non-monetary—on the table.

Let's talk

Results

Having a professional involved allows me to not overthink and overanalyze the process. I can throw out ideas, have them approved or not, without having to spend hours and hours agonizing over the decision tree. With Josh’s help, I negotiated $30k more salary, $50k more bonus, and $100k more equity. I always try and convince folks to hire Josh. I consider myself above average at negotiation (and some of that was learned from Josh and his book), but I would still much rather have the guidance of a professional to get the max comp offer and peace of mind.

Josh Johnson

Staff Software Engineer

Opendoor

I was able to almost double my sign-on bonus and equity, resulting in a $100,000 increase over the original offer in year one total compensation and a total increase of $405,000 over five years. If I had taken the original offer, reaching my retirement savings objective would be delayed by seven years!

I’d recommend working with Josh at a certain comp level. As the numbers get bigger, you need more professional support. I hired a financial advisor when my retirement savings approached $1 million. Same thing here.

Zach

Principal Product Manager

Microsoft

I’ve never negotiated an extra dollar for myself in any job offer or raise, and I had tried a couple times before. The fact that Josh helped me get an additional $74,000 was amazing. It wasn’t unexpected to get more money, but it was unexpected to get that much more money.

Justin Garrison

Software Development Advocate

Amazon

When I considered hiring Josh to help me negotiate, I had concerns that the company wouldn’t move from their initial offer. Given the amounts I was looking at for this job transition, I decided the initial fee was worth the risk and I expected I’d learn a lot in the process, so considered it a form of tuition. The initial offer was in the $400k range. We negotiated a first-year improvement of more than $50k, which includes improvements in salary, equity and signing bonus. I learned a lot and I’m very confident I came out ahead. I don’t think I would have asked for what we did on my own.

Anonymous

Senior Software Engineer

L5

Working with Josh went great! I thought I could maybe get a 10% improvement on my own. Together we ended up close to a 20% improvement on an offer that was in the mid six-figures. I didn’t think they’d go that high. I was so stoked. In fact, my message to Josh when I got the offer “holy s&#t. [number redacted for privacy reasons] total. i’m accepting.”

Anonymous

With Josh’s help, I negotiated increased offers from Facebook, Amazon and GitHub. GitHub was the lowest offer, but they came up quite a lot with a $25k signing bonus, a $15k increase in salary, and a $32k annual increase in equity. The offers got close enough to each other that I could decide based on other more intangible factors and choose the opportunity that was the most compelling for me personally.

Jamie

Senior Software Engineer

GitHub

Josh provided the insight and guidance I needed to be confident throughout the negotiation process. I know that because I had Josh’s help, I asked for more that I would have on my own. I negotiated $20,000 more in salary and a substantial increase in equity.
Josh also put my own desires ahead of his own; there was a part of the negotiation process where he could have tried to influence me in a direction that would result in a larger fee for himself. Instead he discussed the options with me, provided me with enough information, and encouraged me to make the decision that was best for me.

Wayne B.

Staff Software Engineer

L6

I didn’t want to get too emotionally involved in the negotiation — not too confident, not too timid. Having Josh as an experienced coach by my side was an important check on my emotional involvement and I learned a lot about negotiation strategy. I negotiated for an additional $24,000 and large upside potential in bonuses. Josh helps you get not only the best deal, but also the fairest one for all parties.

William

Chief Revenue Officer

"How much does this cost?"

$3,000–$6,000
Strategy Fee


Depending upon the complexity of the situation and your needs, the strategy fee is between $3,000 and $6,000. The strategy fee is for all aspects of your salary negotiation. It ensures that I can build and execute the best possible strategy for each and every client.

10% First-year
Result Fee


The result fee is due only when we improve your job offer, and is 10% of the improvement to your first-year compensation that we negotiate.

The result fee is to ensure that our incentives are aligned throughout our engagement and to help us both share directly in the results. Sometimes, a company is very flexible and will significantly improve their offer through negotiation. Sometimes they are inflexible and their first offer is also their best offer. We cannot know which case applies to your offer until we negotiate, and the result fee enables us to work together knowing that we will share in the result.

You keep 90% of the negotiated first-year compensation improvement, and I collect the remaining 10%.

Fees due upon
completion


Your strategy fee and result fee will be paid after we complete our work, and I have a 100% satisfaction money back guarantee.

How it works


Once you sign and return your Letter of Engagement, we'll get started by scheduling your kickoff call. During this call, we will discuss your specific situation in detail and lay out our strategy for negotiating your offer.

I'll negotiate your salary behind the scenes, consulting with you every step of the way to provide the best strategy to negotiate the best version of your job offer.

Once we conclude our engagement, we will calculate the result fee—10% of the improvement in your first-year compensation—and arrange payment.

CASE STUDY: Taylor negotiated an additional $160,000 in annual compensation as an executive joining Alphabet


Taylor (name changed upon request) has built an extensive career in tech that spans more than 30 years, during which he's developed some unique and highly specialized expertise. It was this expertise that led Alphabet to approach him with a significant opportunity to direct one of their teams.

Despite having a long career, Taylor hadn't gone through many salary negotiations, and never with a company like Alphabet. Being at the executive level, he knew that compensation packages differ quite a bit in terms of components such as stock options, vesting, signing bonuses, performance bonuses and so on.

“What am I really worth in this situation?”

"This company is obviously one of the biggest in the world, the division I'd be working with is dealing with a lot of very novel technology, and I also happen to have a very unique skillset in the industry," says Taylor. "So all of that was creating a lot of angst on my part about what am I really worth in this situation? I can't really compare it to a lot of things."

Taylor wanted to do everything he could to put himself in a winning position for his salary negotiation, so he did some online research to find out all he could about Alphabet's compensation packages. His research led him to the Fearless Salary Negotiation material and my coaching service.

Hiring a salary negotiation coach was not something he had considered since he wasn't previously aware that such a service existed. Like many people, Taylor wanted to confirm that I was legitimate before deciding to work with me, and felt more comfortable after finding my book and its reviews on Amazon.

"The thing that really clinched it for me was Josh’s experience helping software engineers negotiate salaries and offers with these big tech companies," says Taylor. "It was pretty clear through the information I found that Josh really understood their process."

As soon as he received word that he was chosen for the role and would be receiving an offer, Taylor reached out to me and we set to work immediately.

Pushing the comfort zone to get the best offer possible

We focused first on setting the table for Alphabet to put a strong offer forward, which includes the often difficult task of refraining from disclosing salary history or salary requirements, even when asked multiple times over.

"I'm a scientist — when somebody asks me a question, I give them an answer," says Taylor. "One of the most helpful things Josh did is he actually gave a script and the logic and the thinking behind how to play the game, so to speak."

Taylor and I walked through each of the likely scenarios that he would face during the negotiation and I coached him on suggested responses in each case, providing wording he could use to tactfully respond to questions and set him up for success.

"Of course I had the opportunity to put my own words in the response," he says. "But it's a lot easier to start with something you can rely on versus creating from a blank page. So for every conversation I went into with Alphabet, I was prepared."

Alphabet came in with a strong offer, which included: a salary range that started around the $250,000 mark, a 30% performance bonus, and about seven-figures of equity in restricted stock units (RSUs) over four years.

In order to maximize the result and avoid leaving money on the table, we decided to put all our chips on trying to negotiate a bigger equity package for Taylor (since Alphabet typically doesn't move much on base salary and is generally fixed on performance bonus). We wanted him to go back with a number that would push the upper bounds of what they could offer without going way outside those bounds. We decided to go with a counteroffer for nearly double the equity they offered.

Pushing for a large number usually requires going quite a bit outside your comfort zone, as was the case for Taylor. A week went by with no response from the recruiter.

"That waiting was very stressful," says Taylor. "My imagination's going all over the place with what they could be doing. Maybe they decided I'm just too greedy. Who knows what? Josh helped calm me down."

When Taylor checked in with Alphabet to inquire how the process was going, the recruiter responded immediately and said everything was fine and they were just waiting on approvals. That showed us that we were in good shape and that we played it just where we wanted it. If we countered too low, they would have come back with a snap yes, and if what we asked for was way outside the bounds of what they could do, that also would have been a quick response.

A six-figure negotiated improvement in annual compensation

After going through the necessary approvals on their side, Taylor's recruiter came back with a huge improvement to their original offer. They came close to meeting the number we suggested for equity and maxed out the salary to the top of the offered range as an offset, resulting in a total increase of about $160,000 in annual compensation over the original offer.

It was a big win for Taylor, and more than doubled his current annual compensation as an executive at a startup.

"Being able to proceed to the last few years of my career ending with this huge bonus is great," says Taylor. "You know, some of that money may end up being my kids' money — that's not necessarily a bad thing."

Our work together was very collaborative and Taylor's willingness to go outside his comfort zone with a big counteroffer helped him get this fantastic result. Taylor says what helped give him confidence was working with someone who is knowledgeable about how the negotiation process and compensation programs work with big tech companies like Alphabet.

"It's like professional sports — if you don't have film on your opponent and you go into a game without any scouting report, you're in big trouble," he says.

"Josh has 'the film' on Alphabet and other tech companies. He knows who you're dealing with and that's a huge advantage. Even when Alphabet came up with some surprises, Josh was still able to pretty well predict what they were doing and why. It takes a lot of the anxiety out of the process."

Taylor and I enjoyed working with each other immensely. I'm honored that he was so happy with our work together and the excellent result that he connected me with a colleague of his who is also negotiating with a big tech firm (and has even paid my coaching fee on his colleague's behalf).

"Bringing on Josh made a huge difference for me — no way I would have ended up with that number without his help," Taylor says. "Whether you're a mid-level engineer or an executive — to me it's a no brainer to work with Josh. Even just a $10,000 difference in your annual compensation is a lot of money over time and a career."

Here's what Taylor had to say about the experience of working together:

Josh helped me negotiate with Alphabet to get an additional $160k in annual compensation.

Alphabet is obviously one of the biggest in the world, the division I'd be working with is dealing with a lot of very novel technology, and I also happen to have a very unique skillset in the industry. So all of that was creating a lot of angst on my part about what am I really worth in this situation? I can't really compare it to a lot of things.

It's like professional sports — if you don't have film on your opponent and you go into a game without any scouting report, you're in big trouble. Josh has 'the film' on Alphabet and other tech companies. He knows who you're dealing with and that's a huge advantage. Even when Alphabet came up with some surprises, Josh was still able to pretty well predict what they were doing and why. It takes a lot of the anxiety out of the process.

Bringing Josh on made a huge difference for me — no way I would have ended up with that number without his help. Whether you're a mid-level engineer or an executive — to me it's a no brainer to work with Josh.

Taylor | Joined Alphabet, earning an additional $160,000 his first year

Let's talk

1-on-1 Salary
Negotiation Coaching


If you're a High Earner expecting to negotiate a job offer in the next few weeks, then 1-on-1 Salary Negotiation Coaching could be perfect for you. Let's schedule a brief intro call to talk about your situation and whether Salary Negotiation Coaching might be a good fit!

Let's talk

Still have questions?


You can an extensive list of questions and detailed answers here: Salary Negotiation Coaching: Common Questions and Answers

These are a few of the most frequently asked questions that may be helpful...

I've never negotiated before. Will this coaching work for me?

Yes! You don't need to be an experienced negotiator to benefit from negotiating your salary. With this salary negotiation coaching, you'll be totally prepared for every conversation, and even have word-for-word scripts to use every step of the salary negotiation process.

What is a "High Earner"?

If you're making or expect to make at least $400,000 per year, then you're a High Earner and Salary Negotiation Coaching could be perfect for you.

I'm not a High Earner. Can you help me?

I can definitely help, although 1-on-1 coaching may not be your best option depending on your budget and timeline.

Let's schedule a brief intro call to talk about your situation and whether Salary Negotiation Coaching might be a good fit!

Click here to schedule a call

What if I'm not happy with the results? Can I get my money back?

You won't pay any fees until we complete our work, and I have a 100% satisfaction money back guarantee. In other words, you'll only pay if you're satisfied with our engagement.

Results

Working with Josh was amazing and I have already recommended him to several other engineers. Having someone who knows how these companies operate and what normal looks like in a hiring process was one of the most valuable things to me. We negotiated $30,000 additional total comp. My comp when I started working with Josh was $165k annually. My new comp is 2.5x that amount. I don’t know what to do with the extra money. I guess I’m going to invest it and maybe donate some to non profits I’m affiliated with.

Anonymous

Software Engineer

L5

Amazon AWS

I weighed the cost/benefit of hiring Josh. There are other far less expensive options and I believe I could have done pretty well negotiating myself, but you tend to “get what you pay for”.

The process was enjoyable, Josh was quick to help, and the results were strong. I ended up with a $50k+ increase in compensation year one and I have a good four-year outlook that I’m happy with.

Leonardo

Senior Manager

Amazon

My past negotiations have honestly been terrible where I never felt like I had the upper hand. Josh’s coaching gave me confidence in the negotiation process. Because I knew Josh had gone through this before, I knew I wasn’t asking anything too crazy / offensive of Apple. We ended up negotiating $35,000 more in base salary, $300,000 more total equity (vesting over four years), and $25,000 more sign on bonus.

Anonymous

Software Engineering Manager

Apple

The $3000 upfront fee was my biggest concern about hiring Josh. I was worried that maybe Google would be unwilling to negotiate or perhaps even rescind the offer and I would end up with nothing. I ended up negotiating more equity (and it more than covered the coaching fee). I know that I got the best possible offer. I also learned about negotiation strategy and how to handle this situation in the future.

Julian Diaz

Software Engineer

Google

I found myself in a surprise situation with the company saying “we don’t negotiate offers” after I already hired Josh. It had me afraid that I wasted the $5k fee. Josh helped me navigate a “non-negotiation” to communicate my desired outcome and achieve something workable without endangering the interaction by making it sound too much like a negotiation. I received $30k (>10%) more salary, $50k more equity, and a $42k signing bonus. I completed the process with high confidence that I had the best possible outcome.

Anonymous

Staff Software Engineer

L4

Josh helped me negotiate with Alphabet to get an additional $160k in annual compensation.

It’s like professional sports — if you don’t have film on your opponent and you go into a game without any scouting report, you’re in big trouble. Josh has ‘the film’ on Alphabet and other tech companies. He knows who you’re dealing with and that’s a huge advantage.

Bringing on Josh made a huge difference for me — no way I would have ended up with that number without his help. Whether you’re a mid-level engineer or an executive — to me it’s a no brainer to work with Josh.

Taylor

Executive

Alphabet

I wanted to maximize offer value and come off as a professional when asking for more money. I wasn’t sure if I’d get an ROI from hiring Josh, given the high cost.

Josh gave me great email drafts and talking points. I negotiated $75k more in salary and a $25k bonus. It’s good to know I’m valued at the company and helps with my motivation.”

K. S.

Software Engineering Manager

I’d heard the company I wanted to join made strong but fairly inflexible offers, and so I thought there may not be enough room to negotiate to make up for the up-front coaching fee. But I decided to work with Josh anyway and got a great outcome. The company made a strong initial offer and with Josh’s help, we added an additional $100k in bonuses — a $50k signing bonus and a $50k second-year bonus.

Martin

Staff Software Engineer

a fintech unicorn

The biggest risk is not taking any risk. Most of my friends were reluctant for me to work with a salary negotiation coach. They thought I was crazy because I had to pay a lot in fees for the service. However, I took a risk and guess what? I received more money from the company than I expected. For my first year, I am receiving $35,000 more for my sign-on bonus and a few thousand more in equity.

Jane

Sr. Product Manager – Technical

Amazon

Getting paid what you're worth as a High Earner is tough. Work with me, and I'll show you how.


It's time to decide: Are you ready to get paid what you're worth so you can finally afford those things you've been putting off? This is your chance to finally make the downpayment on that house or plan the family vacation you've been dreaming of.

On average, High Earners I work with improve their job offers by $47,273.

If you're ready to invest in yourself, this is your chance to avoid leaving money on the table.

Salary negotiation coaching works. The testimonials and results from other High Earners are the outcomes we're aiming for when we work together to negotiate your salary and help you get paid what you're worth worth.

You don't get many opportunities to change jobs and negotiate a significantly higher salary. Don't miss out on your chance to negotiate a higher salary at your next job.

All the best

Josh

On average, High Earners improve their job offers by $47,273 when I negotiate for them

I'm Josh Doody, a professional salary negotiation coach who helps High Earners get more job offers and negotiate higher salaries. High Earners at Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Tesla, @WalmartLabs, Zillow, Bloomberg, Red Hat, Verizon, IBM, Microsoft, and other companies you've heard of have benefited from my full-service salary negotiation coaching.

How does this work? When you work with me, you'll have me working behind the scenes to negotiate your salary for you. You can rest assured you won't leave any compensation—monetary or non-monetary—on the table.

Let's talk

PS, not yet ready to work together (or looking to DIY your Salary Negotiation)?

In that case, I recommend Salary Negotiation Mastery to help you negotiate the best compensation package possible without endangering your offer. Learn more here: Salary Negotiation Mastery