> But if you do, now you are in the position of saying "Well, your equity/benefits/WLB suck, so I want more money." "The equity/benefits/WLB you describe aren'

> But if you do, now you are in the position of saying "Well, your equity/benefits/WLB suck, so I want more money." "The equity/benefits/WLB you describe aren't consistent with what I was expecting. I'll need higher base if this is going to work." Salary is not the only part of a compensation package. If other parts of the package pencil out, great, if not, you're within your right to ask for more salary. Some employers have more flexibility on salary, others might be more flexible in other areas. This is a very common negotiating technique; if you can't reach agreement on one point, expand the negotiating space. Anyone who would be offended by the above worth working with anyway. > There's no positive way to spin that. You look like an ass and are negotiating from weakness. If you think negotiation is about what party can project dominance the most, you don't have a clue about negotiation. You're not haggling for cab fare, you're establishing the terms of a relationship that will continue for years if things go well, and in those situations you want to be collaborative rather than adversarial. This will pay dividends down the road.