I think the prevailing strategy in negotiations is to make the other person show their hand first. For example:
INTERVIEWER: What are your salary expectations?
CANDIDATE: Before I state my requirements, I would like to know the entire expected compensation package including salary and benefits. If need be I can present my counter.
In every interview I've been in during the last few decades, I've been asked (in addition to this question) what I'm currently making "in order for us to form an offer". I've tried explaining that I believe my compensation should reflect my skill levels and experience based on the current market, and not my current salary (since that was the sole reason for leaving some of my previous jobs [0]). Even when I tell them that I'm not allowed (by my current employer) to divulge that information (which was true on some cases), they were adamant that they cannot make me an offer or even "we cannot continue this interview" until I disclose my current salary. I've never walked out of an interview in a huff as I don't see that as being professional, but I've also never been able to get past this question - even though I question the ethics of asking it.
[0]: One particular company I worked for had an a cap on what percentage raise you could receive, even when changing to completely different positions in different departments. There was as running joke that "the only way to make money here is to leave and come back". Once I left and realized just how horrifically underpaid I was there, I saw no reason to return.
Yeah ... last time I had this question I said: I just want you to be aware that I'm not going to be comparing this position to my current position, I'm comparing to other positions being offered, and based on my market info I'm looking for $X.
That way they have a number at least... But in this type of situation, the interviewer is expecting to have the upper hand, and they are probably going to act like it.
I generally reply that I let the market decide. I apply to several positions in batch, just as they interview several candidates in batch and I take the best offer, taking into account the learning opportunities and the company culture.
I expect to be paid by the ratio of profit and my contribution to a realization of it.
Working on what exactly? I ain't gonna invest my time, work and good will working for peanuts on some dead end shitty project.
The amount starts at X just for joining your company and is NEGOTIABLE upwards regarding duties, projects and technologies that I'll be working with/on.
Every programmer can be an entrepreneur - not every entrepreneur can be a programmer.
Author here, and I agree with you. The phrase I hear most often is "I'm negotiable" or "but that's negotiable", which is why I used "I'm" for the title.
I even looked up the definition to see what was proper, and most definitions would imply that the term negotiable should apply to the request/demand and not to the person making it. So the amount requested is actually the noun that negotiable describes.
If you Google "negotiable", the first thing that pops up was a definition (which seems pulled from a site called Oxforddictionaries.com) leading with "open to discussion or modification".
"I'm willing to negotiate" does sound better, but might make for a worse title.
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[ 3.1 ms ] story [ 35.4 ms ] threadINTERVIEWER: What are your salary expectations? CANDIDATE: Before I state my requirements, I would like to know the entire expected compensation package including salary and benefits. If need be I can present my counter.
[0]: One particular company I worked for had an a cap on what percentage raise you could receive, even when changing to completely different positions in different departments. There was as running joke that "the only way to make money here is to leave and come back". Once I left and realized just how horrifically underpaid I was there, I saw no reason to return.
That way they have a number at least... But in this type of situation, the interviewer is expecting to have the upper hand, and they are probably going to act like it.
Upwards.
Working on what exactly? I ain't gonna invest my time, work and good will working for peanuts on some dead end shitty project.
The amount starts at X just for joining your company and is NEGOTIABLE upwards regarding duties, projects and technologies that I'll be working with/on.
Every programmer can be an entrepreneur - not every entrepreneur can be a programmer.
I even looked up the definition to see what was proper, and most definitions would imply that the term negotiable should apply to the request/demand and not to the person making it. So the amount requested is actually the noun that negotiable describes.
If you Google "negotiable", the first thing that pops up was a definition (which seems pulled from a site called Oxforddictionaries.com) leading with "open to discussion or modification".
"I'm willing to negotiate" does sound better, but might make for a worse title.