every negotiation guide i read has you start with some version of "i'm really excited about this opportunity, i'd love to make it work, but i need to discuss the compensation package."
is this actually how people open? it feels scripted and i'm worried it sounds fake.
my offer is 9k below what i asked for in the screen. the work looks great. i genuinely do want the job. but saying that while asking for more money feels weird, like the enthusiasm and the ask undercut each other somehow.
do people actually use this script or is it just advice-column fiction?
5 replies
pm_priya
i've used it twice and it worked both times. the key is to make it sound like a statement of fact, not a performance. you're telling them where you stand, not asking for permission to negotiate. tone matters way more than the exact words.
apm_aisha
okay that reframe helps. statement of fact, not a performance. i'm going to try it.
numbers_only
skip the enthusiasm opener entirely if it feels fake. just go directly: "the base is X, i was targeting Y based on my research and my current comp. is there room to get closer to Y?" clean, respectful, no performance. i've never had a company react poorly to that.
growth_gabe
the enthusiasm line exists because recruiters do share feedback with hiring managers, and "candidate was cold" can actually tank an offer. so it's partly protective. but you can make it real: if you're actually excited, say one specific thing you liked about the role. then pivot to comp. specific > generic every time.
qa_quinn
counterpoint: sometimes the enthusiasm opener backfires because it signals you want the job badly enough to take less. if you have any leverage at all, lead with the market data instead of the feelings.