How to negotiate your salary
Quick answer
Salary negotiation works best when it is calm, prepared, and specific. Research a realistic range, open with a number at the top of that range with a short justification, respond to pushback with questions rather than concessions, know the point at which you would decline, and confirm the final agreement in writing before you resign from anything.
Most people lose money in a salary conversation not because they negotiate badly, but because they never negotiate at all — or they negotiate emotionally, in the moment, without a number in mind.
This guide gives you a calm five-part framework you can rehearse before the call: research, anchor, pushback, walk-away, and close.
1. Research your number before you say anything
Walk in with a range, not a wish. Look at public salary data for your role, level, and city, ask people in your network what bands they have seen, and factor in your own leverage: scarce skills, a competing offer, or a track record the employer already knows.
Turn that into three numbers: your target (what you would be genuinely happy with), your acceptable floor, and your walk-away point. Write them down. Numbers you have written down are much harder to talk yourself out of.
- Target: the top of a defensible market range.
- Floor: the number you would accept without resentment.
- Walk-away: below this, you decline and mean it.
2. Anchor appropriately
If you are asked for your expectations first, give a range whose bottom is your target, and attach one sentence of justification tied to scope, not to your personal needs.
If they name a number first, do not accept or reject it immediately. Thank them, restate your interest in the role, then present your number with your reasoning. Silence after you state a number is not rudeness; it is the negotiation working.
- Anchor on the role's value, not your current salary.
- Give one reason, not five — extra reasons sound like pleading.
- Never apologize for the number you name.
3. Handle pushback with questions
The most common reply is 'that is above our band.' Do not immediately drop your number. Ask what the band is, what would move someone to the top of it, and whether there is flexibility in the rest of the package.
Every question you ask buys you information and time, and neither costs you anything. Concede in small, deliberate steps, and only in exchange for something: a signing bonus, an earlier review, extra leave, a title, or a written development path.
- 'What is the range for this level?'
- 'What would someone at the top of that band be doing differently?'
- 'If base is fixed, what parts of the package are flexible?'
4. Know your walk-away point — quietly
Knowing your walk-away point makes you calmer, not more aggressive. You never need to threaten it; you simply stop feeling pressured to accept a number below it.
If you reach that point, decline warmly and leave the relationship intact. Say the offer does not work at this level, thank them for the process, and leave the door open. Roles get re-opened at higher bands more often than people expect.
5. Close in writing
A verbal 'yes, we can do that' is not an offer. Once you agree, send a short summary email confirming base, bonus, equity if any, start date, and anything else negotiated, and ask them to confirm.
Do not resign from a current job until the signed offer is in your hands. This is not distrust — it is standard practice, and any reasonable employer expects it.
Example
A short example exchange
Recruiter: 'We are thinking 90,000 for this role.' — You: 'Thanks for being direct, and I am genuinely interested in the role. Based on the scope we discussed — owning the reporting pipeline and mentoring two juniors — and what I have seen for this level, I was targeting 105,000.' Recruiter: 'That is above our band.' — You: 'Understood. What is the band for this level? And if base is capped, is there flexibility on a signing bonus or an earlier review?' Recruiter: 'The band tops out at 98,000, but I could look at a signing bonus.' — You: 'If we can do 98,000 base with a 7,000 signing bonus and a review at six months, I am ready to move forward.'
Template
Counter-offer template
Thank you for the offer — I am excited about [role] and about [specific thing about the team]. Based on [scope of the role] and the market range for this level, I was targeting [number]. Is there room to get closer to that? If base is fixed, I am open to discussing [bonus / equity / review timing].
Written confirmation template
Thanks for the call today. To confirm what we agreed: base [X], signing bonus [Y], start date [date], [any other terms]. Please confirm this matches your understanding and I will look out for the formal offer letter.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Naming a number before you have researched a range.
- Justifying your number with personal expenses instead of the role's value.
- Filling the silence after you state a number by lowering it.
- Conceding without asking for anything in return.
- Resigning before the signed offer arrives.
Practice exercise
The 20-minute negotiation rehearsal
- Write your three numbers: target, floor, walk-away.
- Say your anchor sentence out loud five times until it sounds ordinary.
- Have someone reply 'that is above our band' and practice answering with a question, not a concession.
- Practice staying silent for five full seconds after naming your number.
- Write your confirmation email in advance so you are not drafting it while excited.
Frequently asked questions
Is it risky to negotiate a job offer?
A polite, well-reasoned counter almost never costs you an offer. Employers expect it. The risk comes from aggressive ultimatums or negotiating after you have already accepted.
Should I share my current salary?
Where you can avoid it, redirect to the role instead: 'I would rather focus on the value of this role — I am targeting [range] for this scope.' In some places employers are not allowed to ask.
What if they ask for my expectations first?
Give a researched range with your target at the bottom of it, plus one sentence tying the number to the scope of the job.
Can I negotiate things other than base salary?
Yes. Signing bonus, review timing, title, remote days, leave, learning budget, and start date are all commonly negotiable — often more flexible than base.
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