The interviewer said I'm not in a place to negotiate salary because entering a "possible recession" and mass layoff

The whole point of inducing massive layoffs was to help corporate executives weaken the workforce, and boost their personal take, at our expense.

You ALWAYS have leverage. The working class is after all... the people who actually do, create, build, work, innovate, and serve. Without us, those at the top, including those in government who prosper on our tax dollars, have nothing.

So, make sure you get enough to take care of today's responsibilities, help your family prosper, ENJOY life, but also save for the inevitable. Meaning, it's very likely that the government will jack up retirement age, and all those dollars you're feeding them for Social Security are theirs to keep, and you'll die without ever getting a dime back. Also, look around you. Look to your left, look to your right. If your industry employs no one over the age of 50 in the position you're looking at, then there is a 100% probability that you will be ousted, aged out of the workforce before you turn 70 as well. So, this means whatever wage you settle for needs to float you from 50 to 70, and beyond if your genetics (look at your family tree), dictated that you will indeed live on the upper side of the bell curve (as many will not).

/r/recruitinghell Thread