I've heard this a couple of times. Much of the startup founding crowd reads this the wrong way. Top talent seeks better perks because they already have a high

I've heard this a couple of times. Much of the startup founding crowd reads this the wrong way. Top talent seeks better perks because they already have a high salary. When you are already paid well over what you need, getting your own, quiet office and free lunch is a good trade for additional money that would be ok (I mean, who refuses a raise?), but not a major improvement. I, for one, have refused a lot of job offers that went along the lines of "we're cool to work with and we have a lot of perks because we're targeting people who appreciate what they do and the atmosphere they do it in rather than upfront pay". This has become so common that I began refusing it in a rather snarky tone. If I wanted a great atmosphere, I'd strike a deal with the local pub and work from there. Good perks can give you an edge, but the only case when they can compensate for below-par salary is when you're working with young developers that are talented, but unsure of their skills and low on self-esteem. In which case people should at least have the decency not to come up with the "we're encouraging personal growth" mantra.