I would say it is about incentives. If hiring manager is 'graded's on number of people hired, usually has a decent budget that might dissappear every new fisca

I would say it is about incentives. If hiring manager is 'graded's on number of people hired, usually has a decent budget that might dissappear every new fiscal year, and they want to hire you, they will be willing to negotiate :) On the other hand, your manager might operate on assumptions that you either won't leave because of your pay and if you'd leave you would have left even after you receive a raise.