Hey there, Eid Mubarak to all of you 🎉
Before we begin, a quick note – this newsletter just crossed over 200 subscribers. Big thanks to all of you ❤️
I noticed an interesting pattern last week.
A founder shared that a candidate tried to renegotiate their offer one week before joining, after serving a full 2-month notice period. This was after a 33% hike had already been agreed upon.
As expected, the internet split.
One side said it’s unfair. You agreed, the company waited, you should honor it.
The other side said the candidate has every right to choose the best option until Day 1 — companies do back out too.
This isn’t very common, but I’ve personally experienced a company rolling out an offer and then backing off just a week before joining.
So I find it hard to judge.
At the end of the day, both sides are optimizing for themselves.
And maybe that’s the uncomfortable truth — hiring isn’t as “closed” as we think it is.
Curious — what do you think is the right thing to do here?
On a related note, I’ve noticed something else.
A few colleagues who recently switched jobs didn’t update their LinkedIn immediately. This happens across levels.
I asked someone in my network — a CXO and investor — about this.
His response was simple:
“Announcing on LinkedIn today is a big commitment. You never really know a company until you’re inside. Better to test the waters first.”
That stayed with me.
Which means even after joining, people are still evaluating.
The offer letter isn’t the finish line. It’s just the start of another decision loop.
Despite platforms like Glassdoor or Fishbowl, these nuanced trust gaps still exist.
On the execution side, I tried something new last week.
I published a longer video on negotiation techniques.
Most of us aren’t prepared for situations like these. But even if you can’t predict every scenario, you can understand the frameworks behind them.
For example:
Is the argument rational or emotional?
How do you respond in each case?
What do you do when someone tries to manipulate you emotionally?
If this is something you deal with often (personally or professionally), you might find it useful.
Let me know what you think about this format. (Click below to watch)
If you want to learn something, read about it.
If you want to understand something, write about it.
If you want to master something, teach it.
This quote from the book “The Diary of a CEO” quoted by Yogi Bhajan has been sitting with me.
See you guys next week.