A Roundup of Lines I Actually Used in Salary Negotiations
These are methods that actually worked for me in salary negotiations across two job changes. The year before last, I got about 8% more than the initial offer, and this year I anchored my ask in industry averages.
First, it's better to start a negotiation like an "inquiry" rather than a "request." Instead of "Can you give me more?" ask, "What's the band for this position? Could you confirm this part?" When you ask this way, the other side doesn't get defensive.
- Talk in numbers, not emotions. "Because living costs are hard" isn't a valid rationale.
- Base it on future contributions, not your current salary. Prepare examples of what you improved at your previous company and the results it produced.
- Offer alternatives. If the salary amount isn't possible, adjust things like training budget or number of remote-work days.
One thing to watch out for: if you keep adding new conditions at the end, you lose trust. In negotiation, it's better to lay all your cards on the table at once. And even if you're not happy with the result, end on a good note. You'll change jobs again next time.
5 answers
I wonder if 8% was a bit of a lucky case. These days, many companies in the market set the top of the band in advance and insist, 'No further increases'—I'm curious how you handled that.
I really relate to the approach of checking the band. When I asked, "Can you offer more?" they immediately went into defensive mode, but when I changed it to "What's the band for this position?" the conversation became much easier.
The part about laying all your cards on the table at once resonates with me the most. I tacked on a request for a few more work-from-home days at the very end and got told, "Then let's say the original offer never happened" lol. I ended up getting it all, but it left a bad taste...