How to Negotiate Your Salary: A Script You Can Actually Use

Why Most People Don't Negotiate (And Why You Should)

Studies consistently show that only 39% of people negotiate their first salary offer. The remaining 61% accept the first number — leaving an average of $4,000–6,500 on the table.

Over a 30-year career, that initial difference compounds to over $130,000 in lost earnings. And here's the thing: recruiters expect you to negotiate. The first offer is rarely the best offer.

Before the Negotiation: Research

Know Your Number

Before any conversation, you need three numbers:

1. Your ideal salary — what you'd love to get
2. Your target salary — what's realistic based on research
3. Your walk-away number — the minimum you'll accept

Where to Research

• Glassdoor / LinkedIn Salary Insights — filter by role, location, experience level
• Indeed, LinkedIn salary tools — market-specific data
• Ask people in your network — "What would you expect the salary range to be for [role] at [company]?"
• The job listing itself — many roles now include salary bands (thanks to transparency legislation)

The Scripts

Script 1: When They Ask Your Salary Expectation (Before an Offer)

"Based on my research and the responsibilities of this role, I'd expect a salary in the range of $[lower] to $[upper]. But I'm flexible — I'm more interested in finding the right opportunity, and I'd like to understand the full package before we focus on a specific number."

Why this works: You've shown you've done research, given a range (not a single number), and kept the door open.

Script 2: Responding to a First Offer

"Thank you — I'm really excited about this opportunity. The offer of $[X] is a good starting point. Based on my experience in [specific area] and what I've seen for similar roles in the market, I was hoping we could discuss something closer to $[Y]. Is there flexibility there?"

Why this works: You've shown enthusiasm (they want to feel you want the job), acknowledged their offer positively, and made a specific counter-ask with justification.

Script 3: When They Say "That's Our Final Offer"

"I understand there are budget constraints, and I appreciate you being transparent. Could we look at other parts of the package? For example, an earlier salary review at 6 months instead of 12, additional annual leave, flexible working arrangements, or a signing bonus?"

Why this works: If salary is fixed, total compensation isn't. Extra holidays, remote work, training budget, or an early review are often easier for companies to approve.

Script 4: When You Have a Competing Offer

"I want to be upfront — I've received another offer at $[X]. Your company is my first choice because of [genuine reason], but the compensation difference is significant. Is there any way to close that gap?"

Why this works: Competition creates urgency. But only use this if it's true — lying about competing offers is a fast way to burn bridges.

Common Mistakes

1. Apologizing for negotiating — "I'm sorry, but I was hoping for more..." Don't apologize. Negotiation is expected and professional.
2. Giving your number first without research — you might undersell yourself or price yourself out.
3. Negotiating by email when you could do it live — tone gets lost in text. A phone call or video call lets you read reactions and adjust.
4. Focusing only on salary — bonus, equity, holidays, flexibility, pension, training budget — these all have real value.
5. Accepting immediately — even if the offer is great, saying "I'd like 24 hours to review the full package" is professional and normal.

Practice Before the Real Thing

Salary negotiation is a conversation — and like any important conversation, you perform better when you've rehearsed. Most people practice their interview answers but walk into the negotiation cold.

Stage Fright Pro's negotiation mode lets you practice salary conversations with AI that uses real tactics — anchoring, pressure, time constraints, and deflection. Practice your scripts until they feel natural.

Build your negotiation confidence with AI that pushes back like a real hiring manager. Try it free →