Author here, and agreed. For different reasons, though - I think that when you've picked someone out of 400 applications, both you and they feel like they got "

Author here, and agreed. For different reasons, though - I think that when you've picked someone out of 400 applications, both you and they feel like they got "lucky", as opposed to being the handpicked winner of at least a couple hundred mostly-qualified applicants. I contrast this most heavily with, say, someone the company has done cold outreach to get in touch with; like, yeah, there's a reason you did the cold outreach, they probably look like a good fit. But more importantly the power dynamic is different - the employer had to go to the applicant and ask for their attention. The applicant feels like something the employer might "lose" if they don't play their hand right, as opposed to someone who should feel honored to take the lower-mid of the payrange.