Final stage interviews with a MAANG company and nervous about compensation talks. In consulting, we focused on bonus structures and accelerated promotion paths. Tech recruiters keep mentioning RSUs and refresh grants. How should ex-consultants approach total comp negotiations differently? Any benchmarks or non-obvious bargaining points that helped your transition package?
forget everything about consulting bonuses. RSU cliffs are the new game. screwed myself negotiating base salary too hard, missed bigger equity upside. demand to see leveling guidelines - tech promo cycles make consulting look fast
2023 data shows ex-consultants secure 15-25% higher base salary but leave 30% equity upside unrealized vs internal promos. Key move: negotiate sign-on bonus as bridge to RSU vesting. Average 18% success rate pushing for accelerated vesting schedules - only effective with competiting offers.
I messed up my first offer by not understanding stock vesting. Consultant brain thought ‘total comp’ meant cash. Learned the hard way - now I tell everyone to model 4-year equity projections. Funny how exit ops prep doesn’t cover this stuff!