[fhdkdhfj]

The catch is that the company often knows more about your value (monetary, not personal) than you do. And they're often more experienced negotiators than you. So as a perspective employee you're normally at a disadvantage, unless you're at the tail of the bell curve or in a very in demand field.

Most companies are happy to pay you way less than you're worth if you'll accept it.

As an engineer I'm used to all the facts going on the table and then reaching a consensus. That's not how hiring works, the employer won't show you their cards. They ask how much you made in your last job, but they won't tell you how much the employee that left the position you're applying to was paid.

[WalterBright]

Employees don't show all your cards, either. Employers misjudge candidates all the time. That's how they wind up with deadwood, quiet quitters, thieves, drug addicts, etc.

I've had many, many people brag to me how they lied on their resume. Many have shameless posted here how they cheated their way through college.

Employees have the ultimate power - they can just say "no".

[MichaelZuo]

Supply and demand also applies to expertise, so it's hard to see how it can be any other way. There's an infinite amount of information in the universe, so there will always be someone with more 'cards', more intelligence, more cunning, etc., then you in a large enough sample size.

[WalterBright]

> Most companies are happy to pay you way less than you're worth if you'll accept it.

I laugh when I see things like this. Would you turn down a job offer if it is way more than you expected?