Job-offer negotiations are rarely easy. Consider three typical scenarios:
You’re in a third-round interview for a job at a company you like, but a firm you admire even more just invited you in. Suddenly the first hiring manager cuts to the chase: “As you know, we’re considering many candidates. We like you, and we hope the feeling is mutual. If we make you a competitive offer, will you accept it?”
via 15 Rules for Negotiating a Job Offer – Harvard Business Review.
