I've always found it amusing how ham-fisted employers' tactics are when dealing with talented engineers. They know you're not stupid, but they try to swindle you anyway, knowing the only way you fall for it is if you have serious self-esteem or assertiveness issues.
That's why I tell every honest engineer I know how much I make and how the game works. It's disgusting.
Engineers are typically intelligent, but most of them know very little about negotiation, especially straight out of college - which is a huge percentage of new hires every year.
You may have graduated from MIT and done hard psets for 4 years, but the most you ever negotiated was that $50 desk you bought on Craigslist.
> the only way you fall for it is if you have serious self-esteem or assertiveness issues.
Which young engineers, being often introverted and nerdy, do tend to have...
Recruiters are basically sales people, so they're on the other end of the extroverted scale: extremely assertive, used to interact with, read, and manipulate others. Is it any wonder they try to push engineers around?
That's why I tell every honest engineer I know how much I make and how the game works. It's disgusting.