Don’t Lead With “I Deserve More”
Why asking for title and pay too early can quietly kill your interview.
The other day I interviewed a candidate who opened with questions about the job title and pay before they could even tell me why they were qualified for the role. The vibe was, “You’ve seen my LinkedIn, so you already know I’m an A‑player.”
That’s like giving yourself the nickname “Bad Ass” before you’ve actually done anything bad ass.
A lot of candidates walk into interviews convinced they can do the job OR that they’re even better than the job. That’s okay and it might be true. But you still have to show it before you start pushing for a bigger title and more money. First, get the company or at least the recruiter to actually like you, trust you, and see the fit.
You might be great. Just don’t lead with “I’m great.” Lead with proof. Stories, results, examples. Then ask for flexibility.
In this case, the hiring manager actually is open on title. But there’s a right time to go there: after you’ve shown you can do the work, after you’ve built some trust, and after you can tell they want to move you forward…but not in the first two minutes of the call.