I Will Teach You to Be Rich: No Guilt. No Excuses. No B.S. Just a 6-Week Program That Works.

by Ramit Sethi

Five Things You Should Never Do in a Negotiation 1. Don’t tell them your current salary. Why do they need to know? I’ll tell you: So they can offer you just a little bit more than what you’re currently making. If you’re asked, say, “I’m sure we can find a number that’s fair for both of us.” If they press you, push back: “I’m not comfortable revealing my salary, so let’s move on. What else can I answer for you?” (Note: Typically first-line recruiters will ask for these. If they won’t budge, ask to speak to the hiring manager. No recruiter wants to be responsible for losing a great candidate, so this will usually get you through the gatekeeper. If the gatekeeper insists on knowing, I recommend you play ball, realizing you can negotiate later.) And in New York, asking for your current salary is actually against the law. 2. Don’t make the first offer. That’s their job. If they ask you to suggest a number, smile and say, “Now come on, that’s your job. What’s a fair number that we can both work from?” 3. If you’ve got another offer from a company that’s generally regarded to be mediocre, don’t reveal the company’s name. When asked for the name, just say something general but true, like “It’s another tech company that focuses on online consumer applications.” If you say the name of the mediocre company, the negotiator is going to know that he’s got you. He’ll tear down the other company (which I would do too), and it will all be true. He won’t focus on negotiating, he’ll just tel...