this also assumes every candidate is fully willing to accept the offer. what if your first best candidate accepted the offer but was in the 36%. Then the 2nd be

this also assumes every candidate is fully willing to accept the offer. what if your first best candidate accepted the offer but was in the 36%. Then the 2nd best candidate after 36% rejected the offer, leaving you with potentially a bad choice in candidates. This seems highly probable too... If everyone did this, you have to assume the other candidate is doing the same, thus your choice after 36% may end with you being insider their 36% bracket. This works only at a selfish scale and dubious at best. This only really works for a gameshow situation. You have 20 boxes with money inside. You don't know what is the minimum or maximum amount, you get to look at a box and determine yes/no. So you do the 36%. Then the very next box that is close enough or above the maximum of the first 36% is what you chose.