Far too many candidates that I work with make base salary, if not the be all and end all, their most important consideration. Paying the bills, keeping their significant other happy, and maintaining a healthy bank balance are all good goals. Having said that, there is a bigger picture.
On a simple, quantitative level one must consider the total package: base, bonus and benefits. On a deeper more qualitative level, considering a company's long term prospects, corporate culture, and those you will be working with, must also be examined.
Frequently I see good people making very poor decisions due to a myopic focus on the short term. The now matters, having said that, the long term matters far more. Who wouldn't give up something now to be part of a phenomenal company? Who wouldn't gladly give up a great deal to have stock in a company like Facebook ten years ago? Great candidates with focus and commitment should see this and sometimes do, more often the short term is the driver and sometimes to a person's detriment.
I find myself asking serious candidates, "what are you looking for in terms of compensation?" My intention is to assess the person's understanding of the real world and the current job market. A poor answer starts with, "well I'm currently making..." A forward thinker needs to think, and speak, in terms of tomorrow, not today.
Likewise, a strong company has to be willing and able to step up when they see real talent and a long term value add for their firm. Let's all focus, when possible, on the long term, it's where real wealth and success happens.
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