Generally, recruiters at Dropbox are open to negotiating, and the company pays quite well to begin with. Since Dropbox often offers higher initial numbers vs competing offers, candidates might feel that there is no room to negotiate. However, there are still strategies you can employ to secure top of band numbers. At a minimum, start by negotiating your other offers first if Dropbox is your top choice.
- Base Salary
- Dropbox Equity Package (see Dropbox's RSU vesting schedule below)
- Dropbox Signing Bonus (not included in all Dropbox offer packages and is being phased out)
- Annual Bonus
- Refreshers
Dropbox's annual bonus target is usually between 10-20% depending on the level and role. Targets were updated in 2022 (e.g. IC2 going from 10 -> 12.5%). The actual amount paid out also depends on personal performance ratings and company performance. Last year 1.15x was the company multiplier.
Since the onset of the pandemic, Dropbox has switched to a virtual-first policy. The pay bands still differ based on geographic location.
Dropbox has moved to a virtual-first policy (as seen above). Therefore, there aren't many situations where the company requires you to move, decreasing the likelihood of a relocation package. However, if you need to move to join a specific team, pushing for a $10k+ relocation package is a good rule of thumb.
At Dropbox the most negotiable component is always equity. This is particularly true since they've recently made a push to remove signing bonuses in 2022. Recruiters will sometimes match competing offers by raising equity and base instead of providing a signing bonus (looking at the 4-year value of course). However, base salary typically has a narrower pay band so equity continues to see the biggest increases.
Dropbox doesn't usually require written offers but will ask for additional information about the competing offer like level, location, breakdown, etc. In a few unique cases (typically for very high counter offers), we've had recruiters ask to see written competing offers - this can be deflected if you prepare in advance.
Dropbox is not known for going above band. Even candidates with higher competing offers will rarely see exceptions made if they've maxed out the compensation band for their level. The other option in these scenarios is to push for an uplevel. Dropbox is willing to reconsider leveling after extending an initial offer. It's most effective to bring this up by mentioning interviews or offers you have for more senior positions at other companies. Sometimes Dropbox will require 1 additional interview if they agree to consider an uplevel.
It is always beneficial to have a strong relationship with your hiring manager. However, managers at Dropbox have less impact on Dropbox negotiations as the company has a centralized compensation team.
What does the hiring process look like at Dropbox? The hiring process at Dropbox is different for every role. However, the hiring process for a software engineer typically has five stages: pre-screen, technical phone screen, onsite interview, domain interview, and offer stage.
The pre-screen contains questions regarding your experiences and skills, with a few behavioral questions sprinkled in.
The technical phone screen lasts about 30-45 minutes and judges your problem-solving skills.
The onsite interview typically contains three rounds (coding, design, and behavioral round), but it can vary depending on the seniority.
The next round of interviews is designed to test your domain knowledge.
Lastly, if you succeed and an offer is extended, this is where your Dropbox salary negotiation process will begin.
Let's consider a Dropbox software engineer salary as a point of comparison. The difference in pay between the two companies is quite significant. Dropbox usually pays better than Box across each component. In terms of total compensation, an IC4 SWE at Dropbox with a maxed out offer can make ~$500k per year and a Box Staff Software Engineer (equivalent level) top of band is ~$410k per year.
While base pay and equity should be the focus of your negotiation, Dropbox offers other excellent perks. They provide health benefits (including vision and dental insurance), paid time off for vacation and new parents, and provide a retirement plan (401k, FSA). For more information on benefits, you can check out this page on their website.
IC1
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IC7
Equivalent Level at Google
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Between L4 and L5
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Between L8 and L9
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Dropbox
has a unique set of negotiation policies. If you don’t have experience negotiating with them, you risk losing out on large amounts of money because of very small mistakes.
There are many of these rules you need to know to get the highest
Dropbox
offer possible