If a guy is offered 60 and asks for 80, that's a 25% increase. Like I said before, anything over 5% without a really good reason is justified to pull an offer without a "firm". That still doesn't negate that the 5% is basically built into every offer I've ever seen, and I've hired roughly 30 people for 4 different large organizations in the past 15 years. Not a huge sample, but enough for me to know a consistent theme when I see one.

It isn't necessarily unheard of - but you basically have to ask for ridiculous things for it to happen, it's extremely uncommon. If you're asking for 2.5-5% more salary the worst they will do is say the initial offer is final. If you ask for 25% higher salary, 100% more stock options, a company car, subsidized living, and relocation assistance - sure, anyone with a brain will tell you to go pound sand because you're not only not in the same ballpark but you're likely going to be a huge pain in the ass to employ.

I'm trying to be realistic here.

Perhaps I should clarify I've always worked for Fortune 100 companies, and 100% of the time a manager would not be allowed to pull an offer if someone negotiated the offer - the absolute worst that would happen is HR would reject the negotiated request and state they are firm on salary.

Pulling a job offer because of salary negations would land a FLSA lawsuit faster than you could blink for every org I've worked at.

Regardless of experience you should always negotiate salary. I've been involved in hiring for over ten years and 100% of the time the initial offer is 80-90% of the max offer I am willing and able to spend. I don't agree with it, but it's always been the expectation - same process spanning across 4 different organizations in 4 different fields.

The offer you get will always be lower than the company is willing to pay. Failure to negotiate lets them know right out the door that you are someone they can walk all over and fosters a bad beginning relationship in my opinion.

In short, HR are assholes.