You get the job offer. The salary is lower than you hoped but still good. Your instinct is to just accept it—after all, they chose you, and you don’t want to seem difficult or ungrateful. So you say yes, and immediately wonder if you just left $10,000 on the table.
Here’s the truth: employers expect you to negotiate. The initial offer is rarely their best offer. By not negotiating, you’re not being gracious—you’re underselling yourself and setting a lower baseline for every future raise and job offer. Here’s how to negotiate effectively.
Before the Offer: Do Your Research
Negotiation starts before you ever receive an offer. You need market data to anchor your ask in reality, not wishful thinking.
Research salary ranges:
Use Glassdoor, Levels.fyi, Payscale, and LinkedIn Salary to find typical ranges for your role, experience level, and location. Look for at least 5-10 data points to get a realistic picture. Don’t rely on a single source.
Consider total compensation:
Base salary is just one component. Factor in bonus structure, equity, 401k match, health insurance quality, vacation days, remote work flexibility, and professional development budget. Two $100K offers can have vastly different total values.
Know your walk-away number:
Before entering negotiations, decide the minimum you’ll accept. This isn’t your dream number—it’s the floor below which you’ll decline the offer. Having this clarity prevents desperate decision-making in the moment.
When They Ask About Salary Expectations
Many employers ask about salary expectations early in the process. This is a trap—whoever names a number first loses negotiating power. Your goal is to defer this conversation.
Effective responses:
“I’m focused on finding the right role fit rather than a specific number. I’m confident we can find a compensation package that works for both of us once we determine I’m the right candidate.”
“I’d prefer to learn more about the role and expectations before discussing specific numbers. Can you share the budgeted range for this position?”
“Based on my research for this role and experience level, I’m seeing ranges from $X to $Y. Does that align with what you’ve budgeted?”
Notice these responses either deflect or provide a range based on market data, not your personal need. Never anchor negotiations to your current salary or what you need to pay bills—anchor to market value.
Receiving the Offer: Buy Yourself Time
When you receive an offer, your immediate response matters. Do not—under any circumstances—accept on the spot, even if it’s exactly what you wanted.
The script:
“Thank you so much for this offer. I’m really excited about the opportunity. I’d like to take a day to review everything carefully. Can we reconnect [tomorrow/in two days]?”
This does several things: it shows you’re thoughtful and professional, it gives you time to strategize, and it signals that you’re evaluating the offer seriously rather than accepting whatever they throw at you.
Use this time to review the full package, compare it to your research, and prepare your negotiation strategy.
Making Your Counter: The Formula
Your counter-offer needs three elements: enthusiasm, data, and a specific ask.
The structure:
1. Express genuine enthusiasm:
“I’m very excited about joining the team and contributing to [specific project/goal]. After our conversations, I’m confident this is the right fit.”
2. Ground your ask in data:
“Based on my research and conversations with colleagues in similar roles, as well as my [X years experience/specific expertise/unique qualifications], I was expecting a base salary in the $X-Y range.”
3. Make a specific ask:
“Would you be able to come up to $X for base salary? I’m also interested in discussing [signing bonus/equity/additional vacation days/professional development budget].”
How much to ask for:
Request 10-20% above their initial offer, or ask for the high end of the market range if their offer is below market. If they offered $90K and market is $100-110K, ask for $105K. This leaves room for them to negotiate down while still landing above their initial offer.
Beyond Base Salary: Other Negotiation Points
If they can’t move on base salary, negotiate other valuable components:
Signing bonus:
One-time payment to bridge the gap between their offer and your ask. Frame it as compensation for what you’re leaving behind: “I’m forgoing my annual bonus by leaving before [date]. Would a signing bonus of $X be possible?”
Early performance review:
“I understand the salary is fixed, but would you consider a performance review at six months instead of the standard 12? If I’m meeting or exceeding expectations, we could revisit compensation then.”
Additional vacation days:
Often easier to grant than salary increases. An extra week of vacation can be worth $2,000-4,000 depending on your salary.
Remote work flexibility:
If the role isn’t fully remote but you want flexibility, negotiate for it. This has tangible value in time savings and quality of life.
Professional development budget:
Ask for a dedicated budget for conferences, courses, or certifications. This adds value to you while benefiting them through your expanded skills.
Handling Common Objections
“This is our final offer.”
Response: “I understand. Can you help me understand how you arrived at this number? I’m seeing higher ranges in my research for comparable roles.” This often reveals flexibility they claimed didn’t exist.
“We need to know you’re committed.”
Response: “I’m absolutely committed to making a significant impact in this role. That’s precisely why I want to ensure we start with compensation that reflects the value I’ll bring. When I’m fairly compensated, I can focus entirely on delivering results.”
“You’re asking for too much.”
Response: “I appreciate that feedback. Can you share what you think is reasonable? I based my ask on [cite specific data sources]. I’m open to discussion, but I want to ensure we’re both working from the same market information.”
When to Walk Away
Sometimes the best negotiation move is declining the offer. Walk away if:
• The final offer is below your researched minimum and they won’t budge
• They react negatively to reasonable negotiation attempts
• Red flags emerge about company culture or financial stability
• You’d be taking a significant pay cut without compelling non-monetary benefits
Walking away from a lowball offer demonstrates self-respect and market awareness. Companies that genuinely want you will often come back with a better offer. Those that don’t probably weren’t going to be great employers anyway.
The Bottom Line
Negotiating your salary isn’t about being difficult or greedy. It’s about fair compensation for the value you bring. Every dollar you negotiate at the start compounds over your career through raises, bonuses calculated on base salary, and higher starting points at future jobs.
Most people who negotiate get at least something—a higher salary, a signing bonus, more vacation days. People who don’t negotiate get exactly what was initially offered, which is rarely the best the company can do.
The worst they can say is no. They won’t rescind the offer because you asked professionally for more. And if they do? You just learned something valuable about that company’s culture before you started.
