[zaphar]

If they don't counteroffer then they don't want you. This is a negotiation. The starting offer is about anchoring. Neither side should expect the starting offer to be accepted immediately. If it is accepted then one side didn't anchor properly and lost the negotiation. Start with a number you think is too high but still leaves room for the company to negotiate down to an acceptable number for you. I usually don't go for double my target but others might. I usually start out at 150% of my target.

[tinalumfoil]

> I usually don't go for double my target but others might. I usually start out at 150% of my target.

150% is far more reasonable than 200%. Let's say you won't take below 100k, Co. won't take above 120k, you offer 150k. From the Co.'s perspective, that's 25% difference, it's worth negotiating. If you offer 200k, that's 66% off what you'll take. Co.'s probably thinking, okay, this guy will take 160 maybe 140 but no way they'll really think they can negotiate down to 120.

At bigger companies there aren't incentives to spend tons of time negotiating a candidate down to the top of your acceptable range, so even if they think they can get you down 80k you're out.

You don't counteroffer a candidate you can't afford. And I think you understand intuitively 200% is too much, which is why you go 150%.

[viraptor]

Yeah, I should've expanded the comment more. 150% is more reasonable. A crazy high initial request is not a request, it's just "I want you to say your price first". It almost doesn't matter if you say 200% or "50 bazillion, your turn now". It's not that they don't want you, the hiring people may just assume you're not serious and not counteroffer at all - then it's up to you to come back and update your own offer.

So why not skip that step and start more reasonable?