You’re underpaid. Not because you’re not good at your job. But because you’ve accepted the baseline salary without negotiating.
Most people leave $5,000-$15,000 on the table during job offer negotiations. Over a career, that compounds into hundreds of thousands of dollars lost.
Why? Because negotiating feels uncomfortable. Risky. Like you might lose the offer entirely.
But here’s the reality: companies expect you to negotiate. They budget for it. If you don’t negotiate, you’re signaling that you don’t know your value.
This guide shows you exactly how to negotiate your salary—even if you’re terrified of asking for more money.
Why Companies Lowball You
The first offer is rarely the best offer.
Recruiters and hiring managers are incentivized to hire you at the lowest acceptable rate. It’s not personal—it’s business.
They have a salary range in mind:
- Minimum: The lowest they can offer without losing you
- Midpoint: The fair market rate for the role
- Maximum: Reserved for candidates who negotiate or have competing offers
The first offer is almost always at or below the midpoint.
If you accept immediately, you’ve left money on the table.
The Negotiation Mindset
Before you negotiate, you need to shift your mindset.
Belief 1: Negotiating won’t kill the offer
Companies don’t rescind offers because you asked for more money. They rescind offers because:
- You were dishonest during the interview
- Your background check failed
- You were rude or entitled during negotiation
Negotiating respectfully will never cost you the job.
Belief 2: You have more leverage than you think
By the time you receive an offer, the company has:
- Spent weeks interviewing candidates
- Invested time from multiple team members
- Decided you’re the best fit
- Committed to bringing you on board
Starting over is expensive and time-consuming. You have leverage.
Belief 3: Salary negotiations set your earning trajectory
Your starting salary determines your raises. If you start at $70K instead of $80K, every 3% raise will be calculated from that lower base.
Over 10 years, that $10K difference compounds into over $100K in lost earnings.
The 5-Step Negotiation Process
Step 1: Never Give Your Salary Expectations First
When asked about salary expectations during interviews, deflect:
“I’m focused on finding the right fit first. I’m confident we can agree on fair compensation once we both decide this is a good match. What’s the budget range for this role?”
If they push harder:
“Based on my research and experience, I’d expect something competitive with market rates for this role. But I’m open to discussing the full package once we get to that stage.”
Why this works: Whoever mentions a number first loses. If you say $70K and they were willing to pay $85K, you’ve capped yourself.
Step 2: Research Your Market Value
Before negotiating, know what you’re worth.
Use these resources:
- Glassdoor, Levels.fyi, Payscale: Get salary ranges for your role, location, and experience level
- LinkedIn: Message people in similar roles and ask about comp ranges
- Recruiters: Talk to external recruiters—they know market rates
- Job postings: Look at similar roles with listed salaries
Find the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile salaries. You’ll aim for the 50th-75th percentile based on your experience.
Step 3: When You Receive the Offer, Don’t Accept Immediately
Even if the offer is exactly what you wanted, pause.
Say this:
“Thank you so much for the offer! I’m really excited about the opportunity. I’d like to take 24-48 hours to review everything and get back to you. Does that timeline work?”
Why this works:
- It shows you’re thoughtful, not desperate
- It gives you time to analyze the full package
- It creates a natural opening to negotiate
Step 4: Make Your Counter-Offer
Here’s the formula for a strong counter-offer email:
Subject: Re: [Company Name] Offer
Hi [Recruiter Name],
Thank you again for the offer to join [Company] as [Role]. I'm genuinely excited about the opportunity to contribute to [specific project or team goal].
After reviewing the offer, I was hoping we could discuss the base salary. Based on my [X years of experience], [specific skills or certifications], and the research I've done on market rates for this role in [location], I was expecting something closer to $[your target number].
I'm confident I can deliver [specific value you'll bring], and I'd love to find a number that reflects that value.
Is there flexibility in the base salary?
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Best,
[Your Name]Key elements:
- Express genuine enthusiasm
- Justify your ask with data (market research, experience, skills)
- Frame it as a conversation, not a demand
- End with an open-ended question
Step 5: Negotiate Beyond Salary
If they can’t budge on salary, negotiate other components:
- Signing bonus: A one-time payment (often easier to approve than salary increases)
- Stock options or RSUs: Equity can be worth more than salary over time
- Annual bonus: Push for a higher target bonus percentage
- Paid time off: An extra week of PTO can be valuable
- Remote work flexibility: Work-from-home days or full remote
- Professional development budget: $2-5K for courses, conferences, certifications
- Earlier performance review: Move your first raise review from 12 months to 6 months
Example script:
“I understand there’s limited flexibility on base salary right now. Would it be possible to explore a signing bonus or additional equity to close the gap?”
How Much Should You Ask For?
Here’s the rule: Ask for 10-20% more than the initial offer.
If they offer $70K, ask for $77K-$84K.
Why this range works:
- 10% is reasonable: It’s within most salary bands and won’t shock anyone
- 20% is ambitious but justified: If you have strong competing offers or unique skills
- More than 20% risks seeming unrealistic unless you have exceptional leverage
They’ll likely meet you somewhere in the middle.
What If They Say No?
If they push back, don’t panic. Here’s how to respond:
Option 1: Ask why
“I understand. Can you help me understand what would need to happen for us to get closer to $[your target]?”
Sometimes they’ll reveal budget constraints or explain what could change the offer.
Option 2: Ask for a smaller increase
“I appreciate that. Would there be room to meet at $[lower number]?”
Option 3: Shift to non-salary items
“Understood. In that case, would it be possible to discuss a signing bonus or an earlier performance review?”
Common Negotiation Mistakes
Mistake 1: Accepting the first offer
Even if it’s good, always negotiate. You’ll regret leaving money on the table.
Mistake 2: Lying about competing offers
Don’t invent offers. If you’re caught, you’ll lose the offer and your credibility.
Mistake 3: Being vague
Don’t say “I was hoping for more.” Be specific: “I was hoping for $85K based on [reasons].”
Mistake 4: Negotiating over the phone unprepared
If they call to discuss, say: “Can we schedule a time tomorrow? I’d like to review the details and have a more informed conversation.”
Mistake 5: Being apologetic
Don’t say “Sorry to ask…” You’re not doing anything wrong. Negotiating is expected.
Real Example: How Sarah Negotiated $12K More
Sarah received an offer for $73K as a marketing manager.
She researched market rates: $75K-$90K for her experience level in her city.
She sent this email:
“Thank you for the offer! I’m excited about joining the team. After reviewing, I was hoping we could discuss the base salary. Based on my 5 years of experience in B2B marketing and my track record of growing MQLs by 40%+ in my last role, I was expecting closer to $85K. Is there flexibility here?”
The recruiter came back with $82K—but no signing bonus.
Sarah responded:
“I really appreciate you working with me on this. $82K is closer to what I was hoping for. Would it be possible to add a $3K signing bonus to close the gap?”
They agreed.
Final offer: $82K + $3K signing bonus = $85K total first-year comp.
Sarah negotiated $12K more than the initial offer in two emails.
Your Action Plan
If you have an offer on the table right now:
- Research market rates for your role
- Calculate your target salary (10-20% above their offer)
- Draft your counter-offer email using the template above
- Send it within 48 hours of receiving the offer
- Prepare to negotiate non-salary items if needed
If you don’t have an offer yet:
- Practice deflecting salary questions in interviews
- Build leverage by interviewing at multiple companies simultaneously
- Document your achievements to justify higher comp
- Save this guide for when you get your next offer
Negotiating your salary isn’t greedy. It’s smart.
Companies respect candidates who know their worth and advocate for themselves.
Don’t leave money on the table.