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There is only one rule when talking about job, or essentially anything in life, if you wan to win. And that is - always be ready to walk out. This mostly means able, not just willing. Never put yourself in a position where you are cornered and have no way out. This is where "fuck you money" comes in, usually. If you know you will have food on the table, roof above your head and a bed to sleep in, your perspective will be quite different than a person that is one blown up tyre away from getting evicted.

And secondly, when it comes to jobs, always look for a job while employed. And not just that, you can use that to renegotiate your salary and benefits with your current employer because hiring new person would also mean mentoring them in the company culture and know-how and things like that, that you already know. So it is a cost to them that might be, and usually is, much higher than increasing your salary.

And a tip for the road, make sure your pay increases every year, either with inflation or based on agreed upon percentage(like 5% a year, for example). Inflation is universal and companies increase their prices accordingly, yet workers never require increase of their salaries, usually until years later.



> Inflation is universal and companies increase their prices accordingly, yet workers never require increase of their salaries, usually until years later.

Every (shitty) company: Best year ever! Profits are up XX%! Investors are happy! Sorry, there's no money for raises.


Even worse:

"Best year ever! Profits are up XX%! Investors are happy! Sorry, there's no money for raises. Also, we're laying some of you off."

That's exactly what Activision-Blizzard did in 2019. They announced record profits, and in the same week announced the layoff of 800 workers.

https://www.polygon.com/2019/2/12/18222096/blizzard-layoffs-...


It may seem odd at first impressiom, but profits are about the past, layoffs are about the future, so its also not nonsensical.


That seems like improper management to me.


Improper management is report past results as results and making forward decisions based on forward prospects? Or…what, exactly?


> when it comes to jobs, always look for a job while employed

I have never done this. Sure, I might have missed out on summer cash, but I enjoyed the breaks between the jobs immensely.


Those are not mutually exclusive, you can specify a starting date one year ahead of signing the offer, if the company is not in a hurry. At least where I live. Then you have bargaining power and vacation at the same time.


I don’t think it’s a requirement. A well timed interview loop and having 6+ offers on the table where you pit them all against each other does wonders for your negotiating position as well


He who cares the least controls the situation.


Similarly, not hitting a gift horse in the mouth is a good idea.


I thought it was looking a gift horse in the mouth. Something about gum health being indicative of the age or health of the horse, and it being disrespectful to critically examine a gift in front of the giver.


that would be akin to looking up market price of a gift in front of person giving you something of value :D


Yeah, only the saying is slightly older than online product price lookups. It's the other way around, looking up prices now is akin to what looking a gift horse in rhe mouth has always been.


I don't think is a good idea to negotiate a raise with an offer.

Either leave or stay.


Raises are bullshit. 3% inflation raise for everyone! Maybe?


> And that is - always be ready to walk out.

No, it's to crush your competition. And we all know it. Employment is largely out of an individual's ability to negotiate—we're all getting fucked and we know it.




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