The C2C Rate Conversation Nobody Wants to Have First
Somebody has to name a number first, and both sides usually hope it's the other one. Waiting too long to have this conversation costs more time than the conversation itself.
Somebody has to name a number first in a C2C rate conversation, and both sides usually hope it's the other one. Avoiding it doesn't avoid the rate problem — it just delays finding out there's a mismatch until after a submission has already gone out and stalled.
Who is this for?
This is for BSRs and recruiters who've watched a promising submission go quiet, only to find out later the rate was never actually going to work.
Why does this conversation get avoided?
- Fear of anchoring too low. Naming a number first feels like giving up negotiating room.
- Fear of anchoring too high. Naming a number first also feels like risking getting filtered out immediately.
- Assuming it'll work itself out. Both sides sometimes hope the fit is strong enough that rate becomes secondary — it usually isn't.
What does this look like in practice?
A BSR submits a strong consultant without stating a rate range, hoping to discuss it once there's real interest. Two weeks and one interview later, the client's budget turns out to be 15% below what the consultant would accept. Both sides spent two weeks on a submission that a five-minute rate conversation upfront would have either confirmed or ruled out immediately.
What actually works better?
State a realistic range early, framed as a starting point rather than a final number: “Looking at $75-85/hr C2C, open to discussing based on the full scope.” This gives both sides a real basis to decide whether to keep going, instead of discovering the mismatch after time's already spent.
Where does Jobfynder fit in?
Rate expectations live as a structured field on every consultant profile, visible before a recruiter requests an introduction — so the rate conversation happens as a filter up front, not a surprise two weeks in.
Jobfynder is getting ready to launch, starting with a limited, invited group of BSRs and their connected recruiters. If rate keeps surfacing late in your submissions, visit jobfynder.com and open the Live Chat to get in touch.
