Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on Monster.
The best way to negotiate salary is to prepare your research early, wait for a written offer, and respond with a structured counteroffer backed by market data. You should also avoid accepting the first offer too quickly and be prepared to negotiate benefits, flexibility, bonuses, or other parts of the compensation package when needed.
This guide explains how to negotiate salary in your career step by step, with expert advice on how to prepare, what to say during negotiations, how to handle employer pushback, and salary negotiation email and script examples you can use in real conversations.
“Yes, you should absolutely negotiate your salary! If you opt out of negotiation, you risk leaving money on the table,” shared Toni Frana, a career expert at Monster. “Keep in mind, when employers extend a job offer, their initial offer tends to be a starting point rather than their maximum budget because most expect a counteroffer.”
Many job seekers avoid negotiating because they worry about seeming difficult, losing the offer, or asking for too much, but most employers expect some level of salary discussion. Plus, negotiating can influence more than just your starting pay, including future raises, bonuses, and long-term earning potential throughout your career.
“Knowing the value you bring and understanding the market value of the role you’re considering can help you prepare a thoughtful and realistic counteroffer that creates room for collaboration,” Frana continued. “Ultimately, this can lead to a salary that better reflects your worth while still aligning with the employer’s expectations.”
Successful salary negotiation starts with knowing your value, your market range, and your walk-away point before any offer is made. This means entering your job search—or at least your job applications—with an idea of what you bring to the table, what the market value is for the role, where you’re willing to negotiate beyond the salary, and your bottom line.
“From there, you’ll be able to make better decisions on how much more to ask for and what other benefits you could consider negotiating, such as more PTO or a potential pay increase after 30, 60, or 90 days,” advised Frana.
Prepare for salary offer negotiations by following the six tips below.
Before you can research the average salary for your role and impact, you should know where you fall in your career and what value you bring to an organization.
Identify your:
You should also consider factors that may make you especially competitive for the role, like experience with managing teams, working in regulated industries, or speaking multiple languages.
You might be asked about your desired salary or range in the initial job application, and you must be informed before doing so. You may lock yourself into a lower salary right then and there, or you could be rejected if your ask is drastically different from the market value for your role.
To answer this question and prepare for negotiations down the road, research the following:
To find the information you need, check out several sources, including:
Salary is only about 70% of your total compensation, and much of it can be negotiated. If it’s looking like the employer won’t budge on pay, you can negotiate these additional aspects of compensation:
You likely have a minimum salary in mind that you need to comfortably cover your day-to-day expenses and financial goals. Before negotiations begin, decide on the minimum compensation package you’d realistically accept. Consider your salary needs alongside benefits like healthcare, PTO, retirement contributions, flexibility, bonuses, and remote work options.
If the employer’s best offer falls below that threshold, then the role probably isn’t going to be financially sustainable for you, and it’s okay to walk away.
Early salary conversations shape your negotiating position, so the goal is to avoid anchoring too low before you have an offer in hand. Sharing a number too early can unintentionally anchor the conversation lower than the employer may have been willing to offer.
Sharing a number too early can unintentionally anchor the conversation lower than the employer may have been willing to offer.
If a job application includes a non-required salary expectations field, leave it blank. If it’s required and allows a range, provide a broad range with a number above your bottom line but in line with market expectations as the lower end.
For example, the BLS, which uses large-scale employer wage data, reports a median salary of $75,260 for editors. Meanwhile, a simple search for “average editor salary” may surface broader nationwide ranges as high as $77,000 from sites that use employer postings or self-reported salary data.
So, if you’re a mid-level editor with experience and the application requires a salary range, you might enter “$76,000–$80,000.” If the application only allows one number, a target like $80,000 may make sense.
Of course, if the job posting includes a salary range that’s significantly higher or lower than these numbers, you’ll want to adjust your expectations and target range accordingly.
If you’re asked about salary early in a screening call, try redirecting the conversation back to the role, responsibilities, benefits, bonus structure, and overall compensation package before giving a number.
Politely asking for the employer’s budgeted range can help you avoid underselling yourself or wasting time on a role that doesn’t align with your compensation needs. It also gives you a better grasp of what the company believes the role is worth before you respond.
You don’t need to make this confrontational (in fact, you never should) or overly formal. A simple response like, “I’d love to learn more about the role and compensation structure. Do you have a budgeted salary range for the position?” is perfectly acceptable.
If the employer still wants an early answer, provide a (research-backed) salary range rather than a single figure. Keep the lower end above the minimum you’d realistically accept, since employers will often anchor to the lowest number you provide.
For example, if you’d accept $80,000 but are targeting closer to $90,000, you could say:
Based on my experience and market research, I’d expect a salary somewhere in the $85,000-$95,000 range, though I’m flexible depending on the overall compensation package, responsibilities, and benefits.
It’s almost always a good idea to wait a short period of time (usually 24–48 hours) before accepting a job offer. This is especially true if you’re in a highly competitive market, you’ve completed several interviews with the company, you’re desperate for a job, or you’re burnt out from the job search process. But employers are usually prepared for some negotiation, and this agreement goes both ways.
Take some time to evaluate the offer, review the full compensation package, and weigh it against your expectations, goals, and market research. If you’re still happy with the offer, by all means, accept! But if you want to boost the salary a bit, you have options.
Next, we cover exactly how to negotiate your salary once you have the job offer in hand.
So, you have a job offer, and the salary isn’t quite where you want it to be. You can negotiate by leading with gratitude and confidence, presenting your research and business-impact pitch, and preparing for a healthy back-and-forth.
To learn how to negotiate salary after an offer, follow the step-by-step guide outlined here:
It’s important to wait for the official job offer before negotiating or agreeing to a salary amount for three main reasons:
The fastest way to shut down negotiations (or have an offer rescinded) is to come across as unprofessional or, worse, ungrateful.
Setting a positive tone from the start helps build rapport and reaffirms your commitment to the role.
Example:
Thank you so much for extending this offer. I’m very excited about the possibility of joining the team and contributing to the upcoming projects. I’ve had a chance to review the initial details, and I’d like to discuss the compensation package to ensure it aligns with my experience and the value I’ll bring to the organization.
“Employers often expect a negotiation period after they extend an offer to you,” said Frana. “Asking for 24–48 hours to review everything is generally acceptable, and during this time you can prepare for your counteroffer.”
Use this time to review the salary alongside the full compensation package, compare it against your research and walk-away number, and decide exactly what you want to negotiate before responding.
While waiting 24–48 hours is perfectly fine, make sure the employer knows that’s your plan.
Example:
This is great news. Thank you for the opportunity and for sending over the offer. I’d like some time to review the details, and I’ll get back to you with a response by Tuesday afternoon.
Your counteroffer should be firmly rooted in your market research. Aim for the high end of a market-informed range to provide room for movement while using phrases that indicate flexibility to show you’re a reasonable partner in the negotiation.
Example:
Based on my research for similar roles in this industry and location, I was targeting a salary range of $95,000–$105,000. While I’m flexible depending on the total compensation package, I’d like to see if we can get closer to that range.
Salary negotiation works best when you remain calm, confident, and collaborative—not aggressive or apologetic. You’re an expert in your field, and the company has already confirmed they want you.
Pro Tip: Practice these conversations with a friend or mentor to get comfortable with your phrasing and tone before the actual call.
Frame your request around the specific business value and quantifiable impact you plan to deliver, rather than personal financial needs or lifestyle preferences.
Example:
In my previous role, I implemented a new workflow that reduced project turnaround time by 20%, resulting in an annual cost savings of $50,000. I plan to bring that same level of efficiency and financial impact to your operations, which is why I’m requesting a salary that reflects that level of high-performance output.
If salary is flexible or unclear, ask clarifying questions about the full compensation package before responding.
Expect pushback during salary negotiations, and prepare calm, structured responses in advance.
| Employer Response | What to Do | Example Response |
|---|---|---|
| “Why do you feel this higher salary is warranted?” | Support your request with specific accomplishments, specialized skills, certifications, leadership experience, or market research tied to the role. | Based on my experience leading similar projects, my track record of improving team performance, and current market rates for this type of role, I’d be more comfortable closer to the $100,000 range. |
| “Is this the absolute minimum you would accept?” | Avoid locking yourself into a hard number too quickly. Reinforce that you’re considering the full compensation package, not just salary alone. | I’m looking for a compensation package that fairly reflects the responsibilities of the role, my experience, and the overall benefits included. |
| “We don’t typically negotiate salary for this role.” | Stay professional and reiterate your enthusiasm while explaining that you wanted to discuss compensation based on your qualifications and market research. | I completely understand. I’m very excited about the opportunity, and I wanted to discuss compensation because of my experience level and the market range for similar roles. |
| “This is already at the top of our range.” | If salary flexibility is limited, pivot toward negotiating other parts of the offer, such as PTO, bonuses, flexibility, title, or review timelines. | I appreciate the transparency. If salary flexibility is limited, would there be room to discuss a signing bonus, additional PTO, or an earlier compensation review? |
| “Another candidate is willing to accept less.” | Avoid becoming defensive or competitive. Refocus the conversation on the value, expertise, and results you bring to the role. | I understand. I’m confident in the value and experience I’d bring to the position, and I’m looking for compensation that reflects that level of contribution. |
If the answer is “no,” handle it gracefully by reiterating your value and enthusiasm for the team. This is another great time to pivot to non-salary components like flexible hours, bonuses, or title changes that can still improve the overall value of the offer.
Example:
I understand that the budget for this role is firm. Since salary negotiation is off the table, I’d love to explore other ways we can make the package more competitive, such as an additional week of PTO or a performance review in six months rather than 12.
Once you reach an agreement, ensure every final term is provided in writing. Review the final contract meticulously before formally accepting. And remember, it’s completely acceptable to decline the offer if the final package falls below your pre-determined walk-away number; you deserve a financially sustainable role.
Example accepting an offer:
Thank you again for the offer. I’m excited to officially accept the Senior Marketing Specialist position at the agreed-upon salary of $92,000, along with the hybrid work schedule and three weeks of PTO we discussed. I appreciate you sending the final offer details in writing, and I look forward to joining the team on June 10th.
Example turning down an offer:
Thank you again for the offer and for taking the time to discuss the compensation package with me. After careful consideration, I’ve decided to decline the opportunity because the final compensation package falls below the salary range I’m targeting for my next role. I truly appreciated learning more about the company and meeting the team, and I wish you success in filling the position.
Salary negotiation conversations become easier when you can see exactly how they sound in practice. Below are two examples of salary negotiation in practice—one over email and one during a verbal conversation.
If you choose to negotiate over email, keep your message professional, appreciative, and direct. Express enthusiasm for the role, reference your research or qualifications, and clearly state the compensation you’d like to discuss.
Subject: Offer for Senior Marketing Manager Role
Hello Shannon,
Thank you again for the offer and for the opportunity to join the team. I’m excited about the role and appreciate the time everyone invested throughout the interview process.
After reviewing the offer and researching compensation for similar roles in this market, I’d like to discuss the salary component of the package. Based on my experience managing multichannel campaigns and leading projects that increased lead generation and revenue growth, I was hoping we could explore a salary closer to $98,000.
I’m very enthusiastic about the opportunity and confident I can make a strong contribution to the team. Please let me know if there’s flexibility to discuss the compensation package further.
Best regards,
Michael Jones
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