Download Article
Download Article
You've been offered the job of your dreams. There's just one problem: the pay. Don't let a low starting salary get in your way! Many employers' initial offer is lower than what they're willing to pay, so you can absolutely negotiate a higher starting salary—you just need to be confident that you're worth it. We've pulled together lots of tips to help you negotiate your ideal compensation package, from the initial offer to your counter-offer to the employer's response.
Steps
How Do You Negotiate a Job Offer?
Sample Negotiation Scripts
Expert Q&A
Search
-
QuestionShould you ask for a higher starting salary directly?Jonathan Soormaghen is a Career Coach and Founder of Resume Advisor, a career counseling firm that specializes in creating personalized products such as resumes, CVs, cover letters, and online branding tools to propel clients toward their next career milestone. Jonathan holds a BA in Political Economy from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was honored to serve as the Valedictory speaker of general commencement. Prior to founding Resume Advisor, he worked in management consulting and finance at companies including Accenture, Target, and Ernst & Young. Jonathan's clients have landed job offers from leading firms including Netflix, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, Uber, Deloitte, KMPG, Accenture, and Merrill Lynch.I would suggest stating the salary you were at before, and implying that you're seeking some advancement from what you were doing before. For example, you could say that in your previous role, you were making $75,000 a year and that you are hoping to see a 10% to 12% increase in your next role. That way you avoid stating an exact number, which can come off as aggressive to potential employers.
-
QuestionHow can I ask politely about a higher salary?This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerStart by telling them how excited you are to work for the company and how much you appreciate the offer. Then, explain that you were expecting more. Give them a precise number and back it up with research about the average starting salary for the position and things in your background that give you more value as an employee.
-
QuestionHow to I ask for a salary raise in the same company?Community AnswerDo your research on what you should be paid and approach your boss at a good time. Talk about your accomplishments and ask for a fair raise.
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
Advertisement
Video
Tips
- If you're a recent college grad, your school's career office will likely have resources on starting salary negotiation that can help. [19] X Research sourceThanks
- Whether negotiating in person, over the phone, or in writing, be polite and professional. Remember that if all goes well, you'll ultimately be working with these people—you want to continue to make a good impression. [20] X Research sourceThanks
- If the employer refuses your counter-offer and doesn't budge from their initial offer, see if you can find out why. Based on what they say, there might be room for you to bring up additional compensation later.Thanks
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- Ask the employer if they are "firm" on the number they're giving for a salary. They'll usually be honest if they can give you a higher pay.
- Be sure to get the final salary offer in writing before you accept the position so details don't change.
Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Name
Please provide your name and last initial
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
Advertisement
Warnings
- Always get the employer's final offer in writing before you agree to it—especially if it differs from the initial offer they made.Thanks
- Resist the temptation to try to negotiate every little thing or argue for the sake of arguing. Even if you get what you asked for, it can come back to bite you later. [21] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Business Review Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices Go to sourceThanks
- Never immediately accept a salary offer, even if you already know it's in a range you would accept. You should still take time to think about it critically and make sure the job and the company are good fits for you. [22] X Research sourceThanks
- Never be the first one to bring up salary. Always let the employer make the first offer. Then, you have the opportunity to counter. [23] X Research sourceThanks
- Do not overly push your willingness to work for the employer regardless of salary, as this may encourage them to make lower offers. This particularly applies to smaller or more competitive job sectors where other potential employers may find out and take advantage of you.Thanks
Advertisement
References
- ↑ https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2020/10/22/five-steps-take-when-negotiating-pay-and-benefits-new-job-opinion
- ↑ https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2020/10/22/five-steps-take-when-negotiating-pay-and-benefits-new-job-opinion
- ↑ Jonathan Soormaghen. Career Coach. Expert Interview. 7 October 2020.
- ↑ https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2020/10/22/five-steps-take-when-negotiating-pay-and-benefits-new-job-opinion
- ↑ https://gradschool.missouri.edu/professional_development/salary-benefit-negotiation/
- ↑ https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/region_rankings_current.jsp?region=021
- ↑ https://gradschool.missouri.edu/professional_development/salary-benefit-negotiation/
- ↑ https://hbr.org/2014/04/15-rules-for-negotiating-a-job-offer
- ↑ Jonathan Soormaghen. Career Coach. Expert Interview. 7 October 2020.
- ↑ Jonathan Soormaghen. Career Coach. Expert Interview. 7 October 2020.
- ↑ https://gradschool.missouri.edu/professional_development/salary-benefit-negotiation/
- ↑ https://hbr.org/2014/04/15-rules-for-negotiating-a-job-offer
- ↑ https://gradschool.missouri.edu/professional_development/salary-benefit-negotiation/
- ↑ https://hbr.org/2014/04/15-rules-for-negotiating-a-job-offer
- ↑ Jonathan Soormaghen. Career Coach. Expert Interview. 7 October 2020.
- ↑ https://gradschool.missouri.edu/professional_development/salary-benefit-negotiation/
- ↑ https://hbr.org/2014/04/15-rules-for-negotiating-a-job-offer
- ↑ https://hbr.org/2014/04/15-rules-for-negotiating-a-job-offer
- ↑ https://gradschool.missouri.edu/professional_development/salary-benefit-negotiation/
- ↑ https://www.fastcompany.com/40588267/heres-how-to-negotiate-your-salary-over-email
- ↑ https://hbr.org/2014/04/15-rules-for-negotiating-a-job-offer
- ↑ https://gradschool.missouri.edu/professional_development/salary-benefit-negotiation/
- ↑ https://gradschool.missouri.edu/professional_development/salary-benefit-negotiation/
About This Article
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 674,801 times.
Reader Success Stories
- "I'm about to go into a final negotiation, and the portion about negotiating with silence was great, plus starting out higher than what you actually want. When countering the counter-offer, coming back with asking for things like extra vacation time, cell phone paid for, time off for volunteering, all great ideas." ..." more
Advertisement