> Don't get me wrong though, I know why people do this and I respect their choice. It's a bit mercenary and the corporate world is a mercenary place. Personally

> Don't get me wrong though, I know why people do this and I respect their choice. It's a bit mercenary and the corporate world is a mercenary place. Personally, I just place a higher emphasis on teamwork. You seem to be assuming that candidates somehow know that you are not going to attempt to fleece them, unlike every other prospective employer. If candidates don't know any better, and it's fair for them to assume that you are the same as all the others, then I don't think you can draw any conclusions about "trust" and "teamwork" from them refusing to state a figure. > More often than not that lack of trust shows up in their work and their effectiveness as part of the team. Not always but more than 50/50. I think you're probably just seeing a correlation with the sort of people who either negotiate well already, or have read up or received advice on what to do. But if you still choose not to make an offer on this basis, I suppose it's win-win - the candidates you turn down probably wouldn't want to work for you anyway.