I'm a New Grad: How Should I Negotiate My Salary?
The offer I received is lower than I expected, so I'd like to bring it up at least once, but I'm worried that as a new grad, saying something like this might make me look bad.
I'm curious how those with experience handled it.
3 answers
A lot of people say, “If you’re entry-level, just take it,” lol. But it’s worth speaking up once. If you don’t ask, you’ll keep getting lowballed based on that salary until your next job change.
I joined as a new grad last year, and I had the same concern. To get to the point: ask. Just don’t phrase it as 'the offer is too low'—instead, use a tone like 'I’m curious which parts of my skills I could emphasize more to see if an adjustment is possible.' Back then, I put together the projects I did during my internship and two certifications, sent them by email, and got about 2 million won more. Even if they say no, the offer itself is almost never rescinded. That said, if the company already has a fixed entry-level salary table, they really won’t budge—so whether they’re willing to move can actually become a criterion for judging the company.