The scenario: two different kinds of standing
One version of this scenario is a candidate evaluating a new offer whose base sits below expectation but whose bonus structure ties closely to campaign performance, requiring a case for either a higher base or clearer bonus terms before accepting.
The other is a marketing manager who's proven results with a lean team and wants to make the case for a second direct report or a bigger channel budget, framed as much around scope as around pay. Both conversations require a specific, evidence-backed case, and both go better rehearsed than improvised, since the actual back-and-forth rarely follows the version practiced silently in a candidate's head.
What each mode covers
New-offer mode fits the base-and-bonus negotiation, stating a specific ask about structure or number and holding that position when a hiring manager pushes back citing internal pay bands. Internal-raise mode fits the scope negotiation, framing a request around demonstrated results and the specific headcount or budget that would let those results scale further, rather than a general request for more money.
Both modes have the AI on the other side respond the way a real hiring manager or director managing budget constraints actually would, rather than folding the moment a specific number or headcount gets named.
Scoring
How the report reads this conversation
The abrupt-ending penalty matters here specifically, since a candidate who states an ask and then drops it the moment a manager cites budget constraints is a common pattern this session surfaces. Holding the conversation through that kind of pushback, and restating the specific results the ask is grounded in, counts for more than getting immediate agreement.
The written reasoning in the report explains what held up in the case made, the response to pushback, and how the conversation closed, which reads as more useful feedback than a single verdict on whether the number moved.
Frequently asked questions
Which mode fits negotiating a new offer's base and bonus structure?
New-offer mode fits that scenario, practicing a case for a higher base or clearer bonus terms and holding that position against a hiring manager citing standard pay bands.
Which mode fits asking for a bigger team or budget instead of pay?
Internal-raise mode fits that conversation too, since it's built around the exchange a manager has with a director about compensation and scope of authority.
Does the AI actually push back, or agree to whatever's asked?
It pushes back. The AI on the other side responds the way a real hiring manager or director managing budget constraints would, rather than accepting the first ask stated.
Can this session help with a scope ask instead of a pure pay ask?
Yes. Internal-raise mode works for a case built around team headcount or budget authority as much as for a straightforward compensation request.
Related pages
Rehearse the offer or scope conversation before it happens
Practice negotiating a new offer's structure or an internal scope conversation out loud, then review a scored report on how the case held up.