> If you want $200,000, whatever, just say so. BEFORE you start any interviews.

This article isn't about getting an amount that makes you happy, it's about getting as much as possible.

If you say $200,000, you've taken $300,000 off the table, which may have been on the table before you opened your mouth.

For many people, leaving money on the table is bad, and they want to get as much as possible.