I think there's something called 'anchoring' in negotiation where the first number dropped is usually what people dance around afterwards. Waiting for the offer

I think there's something called 'anchoring' in negotiation where the first number dropped is usually what people dance around afterwards. Waiting for the offer and then negotiating is letting the hiring manager do the anchoring. Where as I think what the root comment is saying is for you to set the anchor first. This means that negotiation actually begins much earlier than when the offer happens. In that case then everyone is considered negotiating.