Salary Negotiation (2024)

FAQs

What is the #1 rule of salary negotiation? ›

➡️ Articulating with Confidence. Confidence is the linchpin of successful salary negotiation. Articulating your worth involves not just stating your desired figure but eloquently conveying the unique skills, experiences, and contributions that make you an asset to the organization.

“Can you tell me what range you've budgeted for the position? How you arrived at that number?” “It would be easier for me to discuss my salary needs if I understood more about the job and how my qualifications might be applicable. Could we discuss the position more in detail?”

Strive for agreement and harmony in your negotiation and that you appreciate their offer and that you are negotiating to benefit both the company and you. Overall, we recommend that you start with a figure that's no more than 10-20% above the initial salary.

So, can you lose a job offer by negotiating salary? Technically yes, though it's highly unlikely if you do it right. One thing is for certain: you won't get what you want if you don't ask for it!

Just as experts often advise job candidates to never accept an employer's first offer for a salary, an employer may counter your desired salary with a new number. You can choose to accept the employer's counter offer or negotiate further.

Unless the employer explicitly stipulates that their offers are nonnegotiable, that's typically a mistake. In fact, because they expect job candidates to negotiate salary, employers typically offer somewhat less than they are willing to pay.

I want to be upfront with you that the salary is lower than I was expecting based on my skills and experience. I'd like to be at a number more like $X. I'm really interested in this opportunity and would love to make this work with you.”

Entry-level base salaries are usually subject to no more than 10 percent of the original salary offered. Note that many top employers have set, non-negotiable salaries at this level. Mid-level positions typically have a negotiation range of between 10 and 20 percent.

Is 20% counter offer too much? ›

Scenario One: Offer Is at or Above Your Minimum

You want to give the employer an opportunity to make a higher offer without pushing too hard. The rule of thumb when you negotiate salary with a counteroffer is between 10% and 20% of the offer amount.

Golden Rule #1: Never Sell

Before you even start discussions with a potential customer, know this: never sell. People don't want to be sold to — they want their problems solved.

1. Research your market value. The first step to successfully negotiating your salary is to learn what the salary range is for your position and identify your target salary.

If you value only the economic outcome of your deal, make the first offer in order to anchor the negotiation in your favor. But if you value satisfaction with the negotiation process more than the outcome itself, you may want to avoid the stress and anxiety of making the first offer.