Your First Tech Job Offer Isn't Set in Stone (Here's How to Negotiate Without Sounding Like a Gremlin)
So you got the offer. You're buzzing with excitement, maybe even a little nervous. Your first real tech job offer, and now you're staring at that email like it's a bomb about to go off: 'Do I dare ask for more? What if they take it back?' Let's cut through the panic. The truth? Companies expect you to negotiate, especially for roles where they're actively competing for talent. I've seen junior developers at startups and FAANG get 5-15% more base salary just by asking politely-and it's not because they're lucky. It's because they knew the script. The biggest myth? That you're 'too junior' to negotiate. Nope. In fact, companies build negotiation into their process for entry-level roles because they know they'll lose candidates who feel they have to accept the first number. Remember Sarah, a recent CS grad who got an offer for $85k at a mid-sized SaaS company? She asked for $90k, citing her internship at a similar company and ...