Practice room
Practice negotiating your offer
Say your number out loud to a recruiter who does not fold. You get scored on your anchor, your justification, and whether you negotiated against yourself.
Answer one real Practice negotiating your offer question now
A question a Practice negotiating your offer panel actually asks, answered out loud, scored on what you said and how you said it. Under two minutes, and nothing to sign up for.
“Before we go further, what kind of number are you looking for?”
We never store the audio. Your answer is deleted within 24 hours unless you save the result.
How this conversation really runs
Offer negotiation is a short conversation with a long consequence, and most of it is decided in two moments: the first number, and the first silence after it. The recruiter does this weekly and you have done it maybe twice. They are trained to ask what you are looking for before they tell you the band, and to let a pause do the work. So this one puts you on the other side of that pause, with the whole package on the table rather than base alone.
Who you are talking to: A recruiter with a real band, a budget, and no reason to volunteer the top of it.
What you will be asked
Every one of these is a moment people tell us they were not ready for.
“Before we go further, what kind of number are you looking for?”
Why it is hard: The single highest-leverage question in the conversation, and it comes early, sounds friendly, and is designed to make you anchor first and low.
A strong answer: Either redirects once to get their band first, or names a specific ambitious figure with a reason attached. Never a vague range, never 'I was hoping for'.
“That's above the band for this level. I can get to the midpoint, but that's genuinely where I am.”
Why it is hard: The first no. Most people either accept it immediately or repeat their number louder, and both end the negotiation.
A strong answer: Holds the number once without re-arguing it, then opens the rest of the package: bonus, equity, start date, review timing, title.
“Mm. Okay. [The recruiter goes quiet and lets the pause run.]”
Why it is hard: Silence is the cheapest tactic there is and it works on almost everyone. The instinct is to fill it, and filling it usually means conceding.
A strong answer: Lets the pause sit. Says nothing new, and does not improve their own offer while waiting.
“Are you talking to anyone else? Where are they landing?”
Why it is hard: Tests leverage. A bluff that gets probed is worse than having no leverage at all.
A strong answer: Is accurate about what actually exists, and uses genuine alternatives as context rather than as a threat.
“Help me build the case internally. Why is this number the right one for you specifically?”
Why it is hard: An invitation to justify, and the place where people reach for personal need instead of value.
A strong answer: Ties the figure to scope, impact and market comparables. Never rent, never 'I have been here five years', never an apology.
“Okay. Let me see what I can do and come back to you.”
Why it is hard: Sounds like progress and is usually where momentum dies.
A strong answer: Pins a date, confirms exactly what is being taken away to check, and asks for it in writing.
What you get scored on
Anchoring
Whether the first number was specific, justified and yours.
- · Names a figure, not a range
- · Ambitious but explainable
- · Does not anchor low to be safe
Value-based justification
What the ask is backed by.
- · Scope and impact
- · Market comparables
- · No personal need, no apology
Concession discipline
Whether anything was given away for free.
- · Concedes only in trade
- · Does not cave to the first no
- · Never negotiates against themselves
Leverage
How alternatives were used.
- · Accurate about what exists
- · No clumsy bluffing
- · Credible without ultimatums
Composure
Holding steady through stalls and silence.
- · Does not fill the pause
- · No over-talking
- · No flinch on pushback
The close
Whether the conversation ended somewhere concrete.
- · A clear numeric ask across the package
- · A date, not a maybe
- · Confirmed in writing
Same engine as the interview practice
Round Zero started with interviews because that is where the deadline is. It turned out the hard part is the same everywhere: saying a thing you have never said out loud, to someone who can interrupt. Practicing a review, a presentation or an interview all run on the one engine, and they all draw on the same weekly allowance.