Totally Honest Software Engineering Negotiations
Two things:<p><i>I went back to my original employer and said I had a new job offer for $70k, and I didn't want to negotiate, I just wanted their final, last ditch offer</i><p>That's an incredibly awesome way to have a huge target painted on your back.  A lot of employers get really pissed at this tactic but won't say so to your face.  They will gladly give you that new salary for just enough time to get a (cheaper) replacement on board.  Then your salary is changed to $0.00.<p><i>I found a solid startup, _one_I_would_actually_work_at_, and tell them I make $100k (a lie, I added $20k to my current salary).</i><p>Welcome to the 2010s, where credit bureaus now run additional services for employers and HR departments.  My company regularly uses The Work Number from Equifax.  I pulled up my report and it has my salary history for the last 20 years on it.  Perhaps working for small startups that can't afford this service will let you fly under the radar when it comes to bluffing about salary history (and don't get me wrong, I'm all for not letting your next employer know what you were making before), but you gotta tread lightly here.<p><a href="https://www.theworknumber.com/" rel="nofollow">https://www.theworknumber.com/</a><p>My opinion is that one should tell the new employer what it would take to make you jump, and that's it.  If they can't make that number then you have your answer.  That, or they need to make up the delta in other ways.