Salaries don't increase for an entire career in most cases, and once you hit a certain number of years in the industry we tend to see salaries plateau where som

Salaries don't increase for an entire career in most cases, and once you hit a certain number of years in the industry we tend to see salaries plateau where some job seekers will receive (and perhaps accept) offers below their current compensation. Employers know that applicants that are long-tenured employees will be earning above market rate due to their specific value to that employer, so as long as the applicant is realistic and understands their true market value there isn't likely to be any issues in negotiation. Job seekers often get this reality check at some point in their career - salaries don't rise forever - and will adjust their expectations accordingly.