78% of people who negotiate get higher salaries. Here's your complete negotiation playbook.

Before You Negotiate

Research Market Rates

Use:

• Glassdoor
• Levels.fyi (tech)
• PayScale
• LinkedIn Salary
• Industry reports

Know Your Worth

Calculate based on:

• Years of experience
• Skills/certifications
• Location (or remote)
• Company size/funding
• Industry

Determine Your Range

• Minimum: Walk-away number
• Target: Ideal salary
• Maximum: Stretch goal

When to Negotiate

✅ DO Negotiate When:

• You have competing offers
• You have unique skills
• Market rate is higher
• You have strong performance record
• Company has budget flexibility

❌ DON'T Negotiate When:

• Salary is clearly non-negotiable
• You're desperate for any job
• You have no leverage
• It's an internship/entry-level role with fixed pay

Negotiation Scripts

Initial Response to Offer

"Thank you for the offer! I'm excited about the opportunity. I'd like to take a day to review the complete package. Can we schedule a call for tomorrow?"

Negotiation Opening

"I'm very excited about joining the team. Based on my research and experience, I was expecting a range of $X to $Y. Is there flexibility in the offer?"

If They Ask Your Current Salary

"I'd prefer to focus on the value I can bring to this role rather than my current compensation. Based on market research for this position, I'm targeting $X."

If They Ask Your Expected Salary

"Based on my research for this role and my X years of experience, I'm looking for something in the $X to $Y range. What's the budget for this position?"

Negotiating Beyond Salary

"If the salary is fixed, I'd love to discuss other aspects of the compensation package, such as signing bonus, equity, additional PTO, or professional development budget."

Accepting the Offer

"Thank you for working with me on this. I'm excited to accept the offer and join the team. When should I expect the written offer?"

What to Negotiate Beyond Salary

• Signing bonus
• Stock options/equity
• Annual bonus structure
• PTO days
• Remote work flexibility
• Professional development budget
• Relocation assistance
• Start date
• Title
• Performance review timeline

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Accepting first offer immediately

2. Revealing current salary

3. Negotiating before receiving written offer

4. Being aggressive or demanding

5. Lying about competing offers

6. Negotiating via email (use phone/video)

7. Focusing only on salary

Negotiation Leverage Builders

• Competing offers
• Unique skills/certifications
• Strong interview performance
• Referrals from employees
• Industry awards/recognition
• Published work/portfolio
• Relevant advanced degree

If They Say No

"I understand. Is there a timeline for salary reviews? I'd love to discuss compensation again after [6 months/1 year] once I've proven my value."

Conclusion

Negotiation is expected. Companies respect candidates who know their worth. The worst they can say is no—and the offer rarely gets pulled for professional negotiation.