How to Negotiate Salary on a Job Offer (With Scripts)

Most employers expect you to negotiate. Many build room into the first offer for exactly that reason. Yet a large share of candidates accept the first number they hear, often leaving thousands of dollars a year on the table. That gap compounds with every future raise.

Negotiating doesn't require confidence you don't feel. It requires preparation and a few good sentences.

Step 1: Know your number before they call

Before any offer arrives, decide three figures:

• Your target: the salary you'd be genuinely happy with.
• Your ask: about 10 to 15% above your target. This is where you open.
• Your walk-away: the lowest number you'd accept, given everything else in the offer.

Base these on real data: posted pay ranges for similar roles, salary sites, and conversations with people in the field. Many US states now require pay ranges in job postings, so save the range for every job you apply to. It becomes your most valuable research.

Step 2: Don't name a number first (if you can help it)

When a recruiter asks for your salary expectations early, try:

"I'm focused on finding the right fit, and I'm confident we can land on a fair number. What range did you have budgeted for this role?"

If they push, give a range anchored on your ask, not your target:

"Based on my research for similar roles, I'm looking for something in the $X to $Y range, depending on the full package."

Step 3: When the offer arrives, pause

Never accept on the spot, even if the offer is great. Thank them sincerely and ask for time:

"Thank you so much. I'm really excited about this. Could I have until [day] to review the full offer?"

Ask for the offer in writing, including base salary, bonus, equity, benefits, PTO, and start date. You can negotiate any of them.

Step 4: Make your counter

Keep it warm, specific, and short. Lead with enthusiasm, then the number, then the reason.

"I'm thrilled about the offer and the team. Based on my experience with [relevant skill or achievement] and the market range for this role, I was hoping for a base salary closer to $X. If we can get there, I'm ready to sign."

That last sentence is important. It signals that you're serious and that this is the last thing standing in the way.

Step 5: If they can't move on salary

Budgets are real. If base salary is fixed, negotiate the package:

• A signing bonus (often easier to approve than salary)
• An earlier performance review with a defined raise
• Extra PTO or flexible/remote days
• A professional development budget
• A better title, which affects your next negotiation

"I understand the base is firm. Would there be flexibility on a signing bonus, or a compensation review at six months?"

What not to say

• "I need more because of my rent." Negotiate on value, not personal expenses.
• Ultimatums you won't follow through on. They destroy trust.
• Inflated competing offers. It's a small world, and recruiters talk.

Keep your data in one place

The best negotiators walk in with facts: the posted range, what they were told in each interview, and any competing offers. Logging the pay range and notes for every application in Trackr means that when the offer call comes, your research is already done.