Connor S.
Mixed Experience
I worked with Brandon for compensation negotiation coaching and had a mixed experience. A few years ago I had worked with a salary negotiator to negotiate competing FAANG offers and so I was looking forward to Brandon's hands-on approach as I looked to make another job change. On the positive side, he was responsive, structured, and provided clear frameworks for thinking through offers and communication. There is value in having someone help organize the process, especially early on. However, in my case, several pieces of guidance at key decision points ended up being misaligned with how things actually played out. I was advised not to use a competing opportunity as leverage early in the process, which I later did independently and it materially improved my offer. I was also advised that a delayed start date with planned family leave shortly after would not be feasible, but both companies I was working with were ultimately supportive of that timeline. Additionally, during the counter-offer stage, the suggested pacing and approach - particularly given a slow-moving recruiter - made the process more difficult than it needed to be, and I ultimately took a different approach there as well. Overall, the guidance felt more conservative and risk-averse than what was effective in my situation. While the service may be helpful for some, especially those who prefer a structured and cautious approach, it didn't fully align with my goals at the most critical moments. Given the cost of the service, I expected more accurate and situation-aware guidance at key decision points.
Response from The Salary NegotiatorMay 15, 2026
I appreciate the feedback and the opportunity to provide additional context on how I approach negotiations. My coaching approach is built on hundreds of successful negotiations and real compensation data - it's designed to be strategic based on salary negotiation strategies that actually work. One thing I'll always be upfront about, and that is specific to this experience, is that I will never advise a client to share an offer they don't have. That's a firm ethical line for me regardless of what a client believes might move the needle and every client I work with should know that going in. Throughout any coaching engagement, my clients are always free to choose the direction they want to take with their negotiation - even when it's against what I advise and far beyond what the compensation data shows. My role in those cases is to outline potential risks and tradeoffs. That way they always have a clear picture of the pros and cons before making their decision. Wishing you nothing but success moving forward.