This is partially because Microsoft is flexible on equity, and partially because their equity component often starts relatively small when considered as part of the entire package. Occasionally, the equity component can be improved by multiples of the original equity offer. Potentially very flexible relative to the initial-offer baseline, but that’s largely because their equity offers can sometimes start out as a relatively small component of the overall job offer.
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How flexible is Microsoft on New-Hire Equity (RSUs)? Equity is one part of their offers, but it doesn’t tend to dominate Microsoft offers like it does at some other big tech companies. In general, it seems that Microsoft takes a more wholistic approach to their job offers, balancing all of the components together to construct the right offer. The equity component of a Microsoft job offer may often begin fairly low relative to base salary, but can often be negotiated up quite a bit relative to the starting point.
![principal software engineer salary microsoft principal software engineer salary microsoft](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IDoXytWER3g/maxresdefault.jpg)
They’re generally more flexible when you have not disclosed salary history or expectations.Īsking for more base salary can sometimes produce pretty good immediate results. This is somewhat unusual as other big tech firms are often very stubborn on base salary. In my experience, Microsoft will move on base salary by a pretty decent amount. How flexible is Microsoft on Base Salary? If you’re wondering whether the salary you’re offered is competitive, blind and levels.fyi are good places to start. Microsoft’s base salary offers tend to be pretty competitive with other big tech firms. You can’t know what company performance might look like in the future, so it’s hard to estimate how much of a bonus you’ll get or what your RSUs will be worth when they vest. Base SalaryĪs with most job offers, this is the stable, predictable component that you can use to pay your mortgage or car payment. Let’s look a little closer at the main components of a Microsoft job offer. Here’s an example taken from a modified version of a real Microsoft job offer from one of my clients (all numbers are $1,000s): Component They will often roll all these numbers together to describe the offer in terms of “Total Compensation”, which may seem like a big number. They may also include other components like a Target Bonus, and they may even share an estimated value of other perks that Microsoft employees get. Implicit in the offer is one more key component, which could be crucial for your negotiation:
![principal software engineer salary microsoft principal software engineer salary microsoft](https://2e8ram2s1li74atce18qz5y1-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/shutterstock_1357496909-234x134.jpg)
Let’s look at an example to see what you can expect. Once you actually get through the Microsoft interview and matching process, you may receive a job offer. What a typical Microsoft job offer package looks like If you have a job offer from Microsoft for a technical role like software development engineer or hardware engineer, negotiating it up front is the best way to ensure you maximize your starting salary and set yourself up for long-term success by starting your Microsoft career at the appropriate level of responsibility. The good news is there is often flexibility in Microsoft’s job offers, and that flexibility is found in typical places-base salary, equity, and sign-on bonuses-as well as in the level of the job itself. This means their offers are sometimes not as strong as other big firms, and they focus more on “fit” as they look for the right people to work with their teams. Anecdotally, it also seems that one of the more prominent benefits espoused by Microsoft recruiters is the work-life balance at Microsoft is more relaxed than at other big tech firms. Microsoft salary negotiation is unique because the offer you get is often very dependent on the level you’re assigned.