A small company might be in a place where they can't match salary expectations but can offer something else. I'd still expect them to be upfront about it - if they can only offer me half of the money I'd expect but can offer me more time off, or equity in the company, or more freedom to work from home, or whatever else, then I'd want to know in advance. Maybe I'm willing to work for half the cash salary I wanted because the equity is worth something to me, but maybe I can't afford to take a pay cut and hope the equity goes stratospheric in years to come. If you're hiding the package on offer all I can assume is that I'm not going to be impressed when I finally find out.
Startups aren't hiding the package, the don't know what to offer but they are willing to shell out for the right person to drives outcome that grows the business and that person has to make the case.
At the end of the day, they have to gamble their own money or someone else's and its hard sell to hire someone on a piece of paper. The only thing that matters is 1-to-1 with what they need, and you can if you can deliver that then they will bring you that offer.
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A small company might be in a place where they can't match salary expectations but can offer something else. I'd still expect them to be upfront about it - if they can only offer me half of the money I'd expect but can offer me more time off, or equity in the company, or more freedom to work from home, or whatever else, then I'd want to know in advance. Maybe I'm willing to work for half the cash salary I wanted because the equity is worth something to me, but maybe I can't afford to take a pay cut and hope the equity goes stratospheric in years to come. If you're hiding the package on offer all I can assume is that I'm not going to be impressed when I finally find out.
Startups aren't hiding the package, the don't know what to offer but they are willing to shell out for the right person to drives outcome that grows the business and that person has to make the case.
At the end of the day, they have to gamble their own money or someone else's and its hard sell to hire someone on a piece of paper. The only thing that matters is 1-to-1 with what they need, and you can if you can deliver that then they will bring you that offer.