# Negotiating Offers - All Guest Insights

*3 guests, 4 mentions*

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## Bob Moesta
*Bob Moesta 2.0*

> "I can actually pay people less if I give them better experiences... I pay them fairly well, but I know they can make more money elsewhere. And ultimately I want them to be attracted to go. So if they need more money, they should go somewhere else. But if they're here to learn, that's what I want people who are here to learn."

**Insight:** Compensation is often a surrogate for other needs like respect or learning; optimizing for experience can be more valuable than maximizing salary.

**Tactical advice:**
- Identify if a candidate is prioritizing 'features' (salary/title) or 'experiences' (learning/autonomy).
- Be transparent about trade-offs, such as lower base pay in exchange for high-growth learning opportunities or mentorship.

*Timestamp: 00:37:42*


## Paul Millerd
*Paul Millerd*

> "A big move that a lot of people do is turn their current job into a contract job, which a lot of employers are a lot more open than people would think... You say, 'Hey, I want to work three days a week. I want to be a contractor. Here's exactly what I want to do. Are you open to this?'"

**Insight:** Transitioning from full-time to contract work within the same company can provide the flexibility needed for a career pivot while maintaining income.

**Tactical advice:**
- Propose a specific 3-day-a-week contract structure to your current employer
- Highlight the reduced risk for the employer (ease of firing) as a benefit of the contract arrangement

*Timestamp: 00:29:55*


## Phyl Terry
*Phyl Terry*

> "I want you to go and talk to the hiring manager... I want you to say, 'This is great. I want to talk about money, but before we do, I want to think about some of the things that will set me up to see succeed in this role. I think there's like $10 million of tech debt here. Does that sound right to you? And are we on board that that'll be priority one to eliminate the first day I start the job?'"

**Insight:** Negotiate for the resources, budget, and organizational commitments required for your success before discussing personal compensation.

**Tactical advice:**
- Identify critical blockers (e.g., tech debt, team training, headcount) during the interview.
- Ask for specific budgets or authority to fix these blockers as part of the offer negotiation.
- Frame these requests as necessary to achieve the agreed-upon OKRs.

*Timestamp: 00:53:35*

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> "87% of the time, Lenny, when you ask for more money, you get it... I want you to say, 'Hey, are you open to 450? That was really what I was hoping for. What I think I'm worth, are you open to that? Is that something we can talk about?'"

**Insight:** Ask for higher compensation using collaborative, non-antagonistic language after establishing your value and commitment to the role.

**Tactical advice:**
- Conduct the negotiation live (phone or in-person) with the hiring manager if possible.
- Use the phrase 'Are you open to...?' to lower risk and keep the conversation collaborative.
- Establish your 'job mission' and value first to make the salary request a natural follow-up.

*Timestamp: 01:00:48*


