Hi Reader,

A few weeks ago, Alex was pulled into a heated debate on LinkedIn.

Alex shared a post covering 3 things you should never say on the first recruiter call and it went a bit viral, probably because a bunch of people piled into the comments to push back on what Alex said.

To be clear, we haven’t changed our thinking on how to approach the first recruiter call, but the LinkedIn commenters raised some good questions. The back-and-forth was great because it helped us highlight the nuance that can’t be captured in a single LinkedIn post.

In this newsletter, we’ll show you Alex’s original post, some of the pushback that he got, and our response to these objections.

By the time you’re finished reading, you’ll have a much better understanding of what to avoid the next time you’re speaking to a recruiter (and the exact reasons why you should avoid them).

Alex's original LinkedIn post

Pushback #1: “What’s the point in being vague? You’re just being difficult. Just ask for what you want.”

Here’s why you should be vague on the first recruiter call: the recruiter is doing the same thing.

Remember, the posted salary range is not accurate. Companies don't give away their true max budget for the role, if they know negotiations 101, and they do.

As we’ve seen in our work with clients, companies go above the posted salary range all the time. Our clients almost always get final offers above the top of the posted range, and this has been verified by many recruiters, including Mia from our recent podcast episode.

Companies usually leave buffer room at the top in case they need to sweeten the deal for a candidate they really love or need to win them away from a competitor.

But a recruiter will never give away this true max budget number. If they did, the candidate would know exactly what to ask for in the salary negotiation stage.

If you asked the recruiter, they’ll deflect and say something like, “The posted salary range is in the job description,” or “We may have flexibility for the right candidate.”

So if you keep things vague, that doesn’t mean you’re being difficult.

You’re just playing the same game they are.

Note: this is a sponsored newsletter. If you check them out below, it means a lot to us and helps keep our newsletter going!

PUSHBACK #2: “If the company isn’t willing to pay your target salary, you shouldn’t waste their time.”

It’s true. You should be interviewing for roles that are at least approximately within your ballpark and appropriate for your background/experience level.

It’s also good to have a ‘resentment number’ in mind. This is the absolute least amount of money that you’re willing to accept before you start to resent the work that you’re doing relative to how much you’re getting paid.

But there’s an important caveat here.

Interviews are an opportunity to show you why the company should pay you at the top of the range (or even higher).

If you blow away the team during the interview process, there’s a chance they’ll give you an offer above the posted salary range or even uplevel your title and level, unlocking an entirely new band of compensation.

But the first recruiter call is too early to start negotiating. The company is just getting to know you and doesn’t yet know what you’re capable of.

As long as you’re in the right ballpark for salary, you aren’t wasting anyone’s time. Just focus on getting to the hiring manager interview and blowing them away with your skills.

Closing

Negotiations are like a game of poker. You shouldn't freely show your cards, especially so early in the process like the first recruiter call. Try to deflect on salary, avoid negotiating before you have leverage, and focus on getting far enough into the process to show the company why you’re worth paying top of market for.

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Warmly,

Gerta & Alex

Founders, YourNegotiations.com

P.S. Are you job searching or have upcoming negotiations?

If you have an offer coming or are mid-process, we’re always happy to help you think through how to approach it. Book a free call here: https://calendly.com/alexhapki/call​

P.P.S. Know someone interested in negotiations?

Send them our way and we’ll thank you with $250 for each person who becomes a client. No cap.

A quick intro or an email to alex@yournegotiations.com works.