Ramit Sethi and Susan Su explain the Eeyore Syndrome, where job candidates undervalue themselves with apologetic language like "I'm probably not qualified, but..." A recruiter role-play shows how tentative responses tank salary offers. Let the employer say no, not you.
Common mistake number two, which is, okay.
I will call this the Eeyore Syndrome. So everyone remember that really depressed, sad Eeyore animal. Okay, this may be my favorite title.
For something we talked about the Craigslist Penis effect.
We talked about Negotiate like an Indian, but we've never talked about the Eeyore Syndrome. Okay, so the Eeyore Syndrome is simply when people don't value themselves and it manifests itself in a number of very interesting ways. One of them is simply undermining themselves. So they'll say things like. They'll use phrases that. If you use this one phrase as a hiring manager, I will knock off 10% from the offer I was going to do. They'll be like. They'll say things like recruiter. So I need to get a number from you, candidate. Well, you know, I'm not really sure. I think, you know, whatever would be work would work for you. I mean, I'm just really interested in the company. $5,000 off the salary right there.
Let's do a little bit of back and forth.
Okay, so am I the recruiter or are you the recruiter?
I'll take a hit. I'll be, er.
Okay. All right.
So I'm just going to be a normal, not mean like I normally am, or meek, but just a normal recruiter. So, Susan, we've actually really enjoyed having you in here and now we have to have discussion about compensation. So I wanted to just get a sense, a ballpark from you of what number in terms of salary would work for you.
Well, I don't really know. I mean, I don't know. I mean, I was looking online and I saw that, you know, the average salary for this position was like around, I don't know, like 60k. But I understand. I mean, I know it's a little high. I understand if, I mean, I really want to work here, so I'm willing to work with you guys.
Done.
Or if you said, I understand, like, times are tough right now.
Hey, guess what?
It doesn't matter.
That's not your fault.
Let the company say no to you. Don't you say no to yourself. Your.
What the hell?
I'm so angry right now. Okay? This is.
This infuriates me.
