Rules for Negotiating a Job Offer (2016)

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Relevance of 2016 Advice in Today’s Market

  • Many say core ideas (labor as a deal, not a favor; always try to negotiate; have alternatives; be willing to walk) are timeless.
  • Others argue market conditions have flipped from seller’s market (2016–2021) to buyer’s market: fewer roles, lower salaries, more picky employers, less remote work, many “take it or leave it” offers.
  • Some report the advice still worked recently; others say companies simply refused to budge on anything, even with strong interview performance.

Salary Transparency & Legal Shifts

  • Several US states now require salary ranges and often ban asking about current pay; this changes the “don’t reveal your number first” dynamic.
  • Ranges can be huge or “useless,” but even a low-end number gives candidates a floor.
  • Some recommend refusing to apply where no range is posted.

How Common & Effective Is Negotiation?

  • Split views: some say multiple simultaneous offers and bidding wars are normal if you run a deliberate pipeline; others say 1 offer in years is already lucky.
  • Success stories: 10–25% bumps, big improvements just by asking “is there room to increase this?” or by not naming a number.
  • Failure stories: offers rescinded or frozen, “non‑negotiable” bands, or only small concessions like vacation days.

Tactics, Mindset, and Leverage

  • Recurrent themes:
    • Treat yourself as a business; job = business deal.
    • Know your walk‑away point; “want is fine, need is not.”
    • Use transparency tools (levels.fyi, posted bands) to ask for top of range.
    • Time multiple processes so you can truthfully mention competing offers and create urgency.
    • For startups, ask for two offers (cash‑heavy vs equity‑heavy) to expose their true limits.

Ethics, Relationships, and Power

  • Several warn that “winning through power” can sour relationships: over‑budget hires can be overworked or subtly punished.
  • Others insist both sides should end up feeling it’s fair; if either feels they “lost,” it’s a bad start.
  • Debate over tactics like “I need to check with my spouse” as legitimate vs manipulative.

Books & Resources Mentioned

  • Frequently cited: Never Split the Difference, Getting to Yes, Fearless Salary Negotiation, Harvard negotiation material, and related communication/relationship books.
  • Common claim: just understanding basic negotiation “grammar” dramatically improves outcomes and reduces frustration.