What to Say When They Tell You the Number
- 5 days ago
- 5 min read
I had a client, we'll call her Danielle, who lost twelve thousand dollars in about four seconds.
Not to a bad interview. Danielle crushed the interviews, all four rounds. She lost it on the phone call after.
The recruiter said, "We'd love to bring you on, we're thinking eighty two thousand."
And Danielle said, immediately: "Yes! Absolutely! That works!"
Six weeks later she found out the guy who started the same Monday, same title, same team, same level, was making ninety four.
The difference wasn't his resume. I've seen both. Danielle was the stronger candidate.
The difference was that when they said the number, he said "hmm." And then he said nothing for about four seconds. And the recruiter filled the silence with "though there may be some flexibility there."
Twelve thousand dollars. For a "hmm."
Why we say yes that fast
I need to say this before anything else, because I've been Danielle and you've probably been Danielle.
The reason we accept instantly is not greed and it's not stupidity. It's relief.
You've been searching for seven months. You've been ghosted by people who couldn't be bothered to spell your name right. You've done the fourth round with the panel of five. And then somebody finally, finally says they want you.
Of course you say yes. You're not negotiating. You're exhaling.
But here's what I learned in almost twelve years on the hiring side, sitting in the chair where I was the one saying the number:
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