Final Interview, References, and Working Out a Counteroffer

TL;DR

• Final GitLab interview done, with the VP of Engineering for the AI group.
• The role sits in the Workflow Catalog group, presenting AI data.
• References requested, which is a good sign but not an offer.
• I only sent phone numbers at first; they reach out by email, so I had to follow up.
• The initial offer came in low. Considering a 20% counter, offset by reduced upfront equity and buying stock from month 18.

A whirlwind stretch on the GitLab process, from final interview through to working out what I’d actually ask for.

The interview

I completed my final interview with Tim Zellman, the VP of Engineering for the AI group. That’s the culmination of the whole hiring process, and it would put me in the Workflow Catalog group — the part of the AI department handling how AI data gets presented.

Excited and anxious in roughly equal measure. GitLab’s values genuinely resonate with me, and the team reads like a promising micro-startup inside a large company, led by someone knowledgeable and relaxed. Hearing the high-level vision made me want it more, which is its own kind of risk.

References

Then an email requesting references — a signal I’m near the end. A friend was bubbling about it, insisting that asking for references means I’m basically in.

I’m not counting chickens. Until there’s a written offer, restraint seems wiser than celebration.

I did fumble it slightly. I submitted only phone numbers on the form, no email addresses. After sending it off I emailed to ask what happens if they can’t reach my references, and they explained they reach out by email first. I sent the addresses immediately. Hopefully a minor snag rather than a real one, though I’d rather not have made someone chase me for it.

Thinking about the offer

The initial offer arrived and it’s on the low side. Rather than just asking for more, I want a structure that makes the number easier for them to say yes to.

Counter at roughly 20% higher base. That’s what aligns with the market and my experience — the anchor is what I’m worth, not what they opened with.

Offer reduced upfront equity in exchange. That shifts risk onto me and lowers their immediate cost. If I believe I can contribute to the company’s growth, taking less equity upfront is a way of saying so with something other than words.

Buy stock from month 18. Roughly 10% of salary annually, starting a year and a half in. They get cash back over time and I build an equity stake by choice rather than by grant.

The shape of it: higher salary now, cash returning to them later, and my stake growing because I bought it. Net salary still lands well for me, and their long-term position improves.

Whether it survives contact with an actual compensation team is another matter — this kind of structure is easy to propose and often hard for a large company to accommodate. Next task is formalising it into something clear and persuasive enough to be worth their trouble.