The day comes for a job offer. Say to your future construction employer, "I’m ready to entertain your best offer." Then be quiet! Say nothing! Count to twenty in your head. You could even bring a tablet along with you to draw pictures or pretend that you’re doing your budget. Quiet makes people nervous. construction executive followed my instructions and said he was ready to entertain their best offer and then he said nothing and counted to 20 in his head. When they gave him their offer, it was much higher than he expected. He was so tongue-tied he could not say anything. In his silence, he got a 10 percent raise! Let your silence do your construction salary negotiations.