How to Negotiate Your Salary After a Job Offer (Without Feeling Weird About It)

You got the offer. Congratulations.

Now here is the part most people skip — and it costs them an average of $7,000 per year in lost earnings, according to a study from CareerBuilder. Not over a lifetime. Per year.

That compounds fast. Over a 10-year career, not negotiating your first offer can cost you $70,000 or more in cumulative earnings. And it is not because companies cannot pay. It is because most candidates never ask.

Here is exactly how to negotiate your salary — what to say, when to say it, and how to handle the awkwardness.

Why Most People Do Not Negotiate

Three reasons, and none of them are good:

**They are afraid of losing the offer.** The data says otherwise. A Robert Half survey found that 70% of hiring managers expect candidates to negotiate. If you do not, you look like you do not know your value — or worse, like you do not care.
**They do not know what to say.** That is fixable. You will have scripts below.
**They feel greedy.** You are not being greedy. You are establishing your professional baseline. Every raise, bonus, and future offer is anchored to this number. Getting it right now is the single highest-leverage financial move in your career.

Before You Get the Offer: Do Your Homework

Negotiation starts before the offer letter arrives. If you wait until they call, you are already behind.

Know Your Number

Use three sources to figure out your market rate:

**Glassdoor / Levels.fyi / Payscale** — Get the range for your role, level, and location
**LinkedIn Salary Insights** — Check what people with your title actually make in your city
**Talk to people** — Ask recruiters and peers. They will tell you more than any website.

Write down three numbers:

**Your target** — What you actually want
**Your walk-away point** — Below this, you say no
**Your stretch number** — A bit above target. This is your opening ask.

Document Your Value

Before you negotiate, you need ammunition. Write down:

Revenue you generated or saved
Projects you shipped and their impact
Skills that are hard to find
Competing offers (if you have them)

The strongest negotiations are built on data, not feelings.

When the Offer Comes: Never Say Yes Immediately

This is the single most important rule.

When they call and give you the number, say this:

> "Thank you so much. I am really excited about this opportunity. I would love to take a day or two to review everything carefully. Can I get back to you by [specific day]?"

That is it. No commitment, no rejection, no awkwardness. You just bought yourself time to think clearly instead of reacting emotionally.

Why This Matters

When you say yes on the spot, you lose all leverage. The company knows they got you at the minimum. Once you have said yes to a number, negotiating after feels like reneging — even though it is not.

The Counter-Offer: Exactly What to Say

Here is a script. Customize the numbers, keep the structure.

> "Thank you again for the offer. I am very excited about the role and the team. After reviewing the compensation, I wanted to discuss the base salary. > > Based on my research — including market data from Glassdoor, Payscale, and conversations with professionals in similar roles — the typical range for [role title] with [X years] of experience in [city/remote] is $[low] to $[high]. > > Given my experience in [specific skill/achievement], I was hoping we could land closer to $[your target]. That would put me in a position to accept and hit the ground running from day one."

What This Script Does Right

**Starts with enthusiasm.** You are not threatening to walk. You want the job.
**References data.** You are not pulling a number out of thin air.
**Makes a specific ask.** Vague negotiation gets vague results.
**Ends with commitment.** You are signaling you will accept if they meet you here.

What to Negotiate Beyond Base Salary

If they cannot move on base pay (common at larger companies with rigid bands), negotiate other things:

**Signing bonus** — One-time, often easier to approve than a salary bump
**Extra PTO** — Even one extra week is worth thousands
**Remote work / flexible schedule** — Especially valuable if the role is hybrid
**Title upgrade** — A better title compounds across your career
**Early performance review** — Ask for a 6-month review instead of 12, with a raise tied to it
**Professional development budget** — Conferences, courses, certifications
**Equity / stock options** — If it is a startup or public company
**Relocation assistance** — If you are moving

Stack these together. A $5,000 salary bump plus a $3,000 signing bonus plus one extra week of PTO is a real win.

Handling Common Pushback

"This is the best we can do."

Ask: "Is that a firm ceiling, or is there any flexibility on [signing bonus / PTO / other component]?"

Often the salary is locked but other levers are not.

"We do not typically negotiate."

Everyone negotiates. They may mean they do not want to negotiate. You can still say:

> "I understand. I just want to make sure we are aligned before I commit, because I want to stay at this company for a long time."

This reframes the conversation. You are not being difficult — you are being thoughtful about a long-term commitment.

"What number would make you say yes?"

Do not fall for this. Give your researched range, not a wishful number:

> "Based on the market data, something in the range of $X to $Y would work well for me."

This gives them a range to work within without anchoring too low.

"We will revisit in six months."

Get it in writing. Ask for a 6-month review with a specific raise amount tied to performance milestones. If it is not in the offer letter, it does not exist.

When to Walk Away

Walk if:

The offer is below your walk-away number and they will not budge on anything
They react negatively to a polite, professional negotiation (that is a red flag about the culture)
They pressure you to accept immediately without time to think
The total compensation is significantly below market and they know it

Walking away is hard. But accepting a bad deal because you are afraid to negotiate is worse. You will spend the next 1-2 years resenting it.

The Bottom Line

Negotiating your salary is not confrontational. It is professional. Companies budget for it. Hiring managers expect it. And every dollar you negotiate now compounds for the rest of your career.

Here is your checklist:

[ ] Research your market rate from at least three sources
[ ] Write down your target, walk-away, and stretch numbers
[ ] Document specific achievements that justify your ask
[ ] Never say yes on the call — buy time to think
[ ] Use data-backed scripts, not emotional appeals
[ ] Negotiate beyond base salary if the base is locked
[ ] Get everything in writing
[ ] Be willing to walk if the deal is not right

You prepared your resume to get the interview. You prepared for the interview to get the offer. Do not stop preparing now.

The negotiation is where you turn a good opportunity into a great one.