Lets help ben ji out and teach him about "Offer letters" and how to get the best compensation package possible.
Backstory-
Interviewed with a company about 3 years ago but didn't get the job. I stayed in contact with the two people who interviewed me since we are in the same industry etc etc. About 3 months ago these 2 people left and started a new company (more of a new division inside an established company, around 10 employees total) and it just so happens that one of my friends is in the HR department.
Friend approaches me about working for them and sets up a meeting with the people I had previously interviewed with.
We had lunch about 2 weeks ago and things went great, talked compensation/job duties/expectations/etc etc. They were looking for someone to start in Jan/Feb and told me to contact them after thanksgiving with a time frame on when I could start and they would send me an offer letter.
Current story-
I have never received an official "Offer letter" in my 2 post college jobs and obviously don't have it yet...but assuming they send me one in the next couple of weeks how should I approach it to get the best deal possible?
What are some specifics to ask for? What should I look out for?
All advice is wecome
quick thoughts:
If they are making the first offer you should be in a good spot.
Research salaries at other companies in the area/industry to get a better idea of your worth. (I don't know if glassdoor is active in kc, but it was very helpful in my recent search). Try to get an ideal number in your head now so you're prepared and can move quickly.
Don't be afraid to negotiate even though it's people you know well.
Make sure you're clear on vacation policy and other benefits before you agree to anything.
Negotiate vacation if they can't meet your salary demands but you still want the job.
And obviously think about why you're making this move. How does it help you in the next year? In five years?
wait, it looks like you already have compensation settled, so you can ignore the others
