I've negotiated up to $30,000 more than I was offered in each new job using the 'door-in-the-face' technique. Here's how it works.

Getty Images; Chelsea Jia Feng/BI

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with TJ Patel, a 27-year-old software engineer in Austin who asked that BI not name his employers. Business Insider has verified Patel's income and employment with documentation; the negotiations are based on his recollection of conversations during each hiring process. The following has been edited for length and clarity.