This Begaluru CEO does no salary negotiations, pays what candidates ask for

Chandigarh, August 4

Arjun V Paul, Co-founder and CEO of Bengaluru-based company, Zoko, took to LinkedIn to share how he has simplified the hiring process and retained top talent.

He no longer negotiates salaries with candidates. Instead, he gives them exactly what they ask for.

After hiring more than 18 team members, Arjun said that this strategy has proven successful in maintaining a motivated and loyal workforce. ‘We don’t negotiate salaries. We literally pay what they ask for,’ he wrote.

Arjun added that salary revisions are conducted annually, listing four reasons for his decision.

He also shared a unique instance where he negotiated a salary, not to lower it but to increase it.

‘PS: I’ve only negotiated salary once, and it was to increase the amount a candidate asked for. They undervalued themselves compared to others in the same role, so I had to tell them that and offer them more,’ he said.

Here’s the link to the original LinkedIn post

The post quickly went viral, sparking a debate among professionals.

Some praised Arjun’s approach. “This post should be used as a mini guide for recruitment,’ a person wrote, while another said, ‘This is awesome and should be emulated by other recruiters.’

However, not all responses were supportive. The co-founder and CEO of ellow.io wrote, ‘Arjun, What if they ask for unrealistic hikes? I have negotiated with candidates asking 100% hikes.’