[bdclimber14]

I'm not sure why you think I'm screwing over employees; I don't have any, I am one. This is true that someone has to make the first offer, but I stand by my argument that it's always to your advantage to nudge the other party to go first. If they ask what you need or are expecting, just say "above market rate."

[cookiecaper]

You're exploiting the naivety of your candidates by pretending that their initial offer is "about what you were thinking", even though it was really much lower. You should pay a fair salary even if your candidates are naive about what actually constitutes a fair salary. You're screwing over the people whose salaries you control by encouraging/allowing them to take a much worse offer just because they didn't know any better. Why is this good?

[bdclimber14]

I see what you're saying, but let me reiterate, I've only done this on the receiving end as an applicant, candidate, potential employee. Saying "about what I was thinking" is something I say when I would take a job for $500, but they offer $2,000. Am I screwing over an employer by encouraging and allowing them to pay me that much?