How To Negotiate Salary After a Job Offer (With 13 Tips)

By Jennifer Herrity at Indeed. Updated December 12, 2025.

Key takeaways:

Prepare a salary range for your negotiation by researching industry salary trends and evaluating what you have to offer.
Your geographic location, years of experience, managerial experience, education level, career level, skills, licenses and certifications can influence your salary.
Don’t be afraid to walk away from a job offer if the employer can’t meet your minimum salary requirement or offer additional benefits that make it worthwhile.

How to negotiate salary

1. Start by evaluating what you have to offer

It’s important to know how much value you can offer an employer before beginning the salary negotiation process. Several factors can influence your compensation, including:

Years of industry experience: If the job description requires three to five years of experience and you meet the higher requirement, it might warrant a higher salary.
Years of leadership experience: Similar to industry experience, if the employer prefers or requires leadership skills and you meet or exceed their expectations, it may justify higher pay.
Education level: Relevant bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate or specialized degrees can impact your compensation.
Career level: Generally, you can expect a higher pay range as you advance in your career.
Skills: Niche or technical skills that take time to master may attract higher salaries.
Licenses and certifications: An employer may require or prefer that you have specific licenses or certifications. If you already have them, you might be in a good position to request greater compensation.

When you begin your salary negotiation, be sure to reiterate why you’ll be a valuable employee and use the above factors to justify your desired salary.

2. Research the market average salary

The market average is a good baseline and justification for your salary request. Here are some questions to consider as you begin your market research:

What’s the national average salary for the position?
What’s the average in your geographic location and cities nearby?
How much do similar companies in your area pay employees in this position?

3. Prepare your talking points

As you’re developing negotiation notes, consider why you feel you deserve a higher salary than the one the employer is offering. Use the answer to frame your discussion. Kate Palmquist, who’s held various roles in HR over the last decade, offers this advice about asking for additional compensation:

When asking for additional compensation, be sure to provide one to two solid examples of why the company should invest more in you. It’s important to avoid asking for more money without any reason, much as you wouldn’t spend more of your money without understanding the value of the product. Provide a relevant example from your past that can persuade the hiring manager to increase your income. Outside of income, you can also negotiate benefits, time off or other valuable perks.

Prepare a few key talking points before contacting the employer, and be as specific as possible. You might include information such as:

Results you’ve achieved in previous roles, including goals you’ve met, revenue you’ve helped generate or awards you’ve earned. If possible, use actual numbers
Years of industry experience, particularly if you have more experience than the employer stated as a minimum requirement
Skills or certifications, especially if they are in high demand within your industry
Average salaries offered by other employers for similar roles

4. Schedule a time to discuss

Contact the recruiter or hiring manager to set up a time to speak over the phone. While it’s acceptable to negotiate over email, it’s more effective to have a verbal exchange. Speaking over the phone, in a video call or in person allows you to have a back-and-forth conversation, express gratitude and clearly communicate your requirements. Be respectful and clear, as the recruiter or hiring manager will be the one advocating for your salary to the decision-makers. Related: Salary Negotiation Scripts to Counter Any Job Offer

5. Rehearse your salary negotiation with a friend

Practicing your talking points can help you gain confidence and identify areas for improvement. The best way to practice is in front of a trusted friend or colleague who can provide helpful feedback. You can also try recording your conversation on camera or speaking in front of a mirror. This step is especially important because talking about money can sometimes feel uncomfortable, but the more you practice, the more comfortable you’ll feel when the time comes.

6. Be confident

Speaking with confidence is as important as the words you say. The more confidence you convey, the more confident the employer will be in considering your feedback. Lack of confidence can also result in overexplaining or apologizing for your request, neither of which is helpful in a negotiation scenario. Confidence, an appreciation of our own abilities and qualities, should not be confused with arrogance, which is an exaggerated sense of our own importance. Appearing overconfident or arrogant always gives a negative impression. Instead, confidently and simply state your requested salary with a brief summary of your reasons.

7. Express appreciation for the job offer

Once you reach the job-offer phase of the hiring process, you’ve probably invested a great deal of time and energy applying and interviewing for the position. The employer has also invested time in the process, so it’s crucial you recognize this and thank them for considering you. Be sure to share specific reasons why you’re excited about the job, such as the culture or the product.

Even if you ultimately decline the offer, it’s essential to do so in a friendly and professional manner. After all, you never know what opportunities they may have available for you in the future.

8. Ask for the top of your range

One fundamental rule of salary negotiation is to give the employer a slightly higher number than your goal. This way, if they negotiate down, you’ll still end up with a salary offer you feel comfortable accepting. If you provide a salary range, the employer will likely err on the lower end, so be sure the lowest number you provide is still an amount you feel is fair. Related: Negotiating a Job Offer: When to Accept, Decline or Counter

9. Consider job-related expenses

Another reason you may ask for an increased salary is to cover any costs associated with taking the job. For example, if you’re relocating to a new city for the job, you’ll have to pay moving expenses as well as any costs associated with selling or leasing your current home. If you’re taking a position further away from home, you’ll need to factor in commuting expenses, such as train fare or gas, as well as wear and tear on your vehicle. It’s not unusual for candidates to ask employers to adjust their salary to account for expenses related to accepting the position.

10. Prepare for tough questions

Recruiters and hiring managers negotiate often, so they will likely be prepared to ask important, sometimes intimidating, questions to determine your motivation. It’s important not to get rattled by these questions and to remain honest. Some questions you can expect include:

Are we your top choice?
If we come to a salary agreement, will you accept the position immediately?
Do you have any other offers?

11. Consider other types of compensation

Even if the employer cannot provide the salary amount you want, they may be able to offer other forms of compensation. For example, you may be able to negotiate stock options, extra vacation days, a sign-on bonus or additional work-from-home days to combat a lengthy commute. Be ready to ask for alternatives if the employer immediately lets you know they cannot increase the salary offer. Sometimes, the alternatives may be just as valuable as a bigger paycheck. Related: What Is a Sign-On Bonus? Definition and How To Negotiate

12. Ask questions to keep the negotiation going

If the person you’re negotiating with seems surprised, reacts negatively or immediately rejects your counter, try to remain confident and calm. Respond to their reaction with open-ended questions to gather more information and keep the conversation going.Examples of questions include:

“What is the budget for this position based on?”
”What information do you need from me to make a decision?”
”Are there other negotiables available besides salary?

13. Don’t be afraid to walk away

Sometimes, an employer may not be able to meet your minimum salary requirement or offer additional benefits that make it worthwhile. Or the employer may counter with a higher salary than their first offer, but not as high as your request. In this case, you’ll need to decide if the job is worth the lesser amount. If it’s less stressful than your current position, closer to home or offers you more flexibility or more free time, you may be open to a lower salary. If not, consider declining the job offer.

Salary negotiation email examples

Here is how you might approach the situation if you want to begin the negotiation process via email:

Hi Julie, Thank you for sending over the job offer package for the marketing director position. I want to state again how honored I am to be considered for this exciting position, and I appreciate you sharing these details. Before I can accept your offer, I want to address the proposed compensation. As I shared with your recruiting manager, I have more than 10 years of experience in digital marketing and have worked in leadership positions for the past six years. In my last role, I increased the number of marketing-influenced leads by nearly 40% annually and helped deliver a 25% increase in annual revenue. Given my experience and expertise, I am seeking a salary in the range of $125,000 to $130,000, which is slightly higher than your offer of $115,000. I know I can bring a great deal of value to ABC Company and help you exceed your revenue expectations this year. Please let me know when we can discuss the salary further. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Thank you, Oliver Perez

Salary negotiation conversation example

Here is how you might approach the situation if you’re negotiating in person or via phone or video call:

Thank you for sending over the job offer package for the regional sales manager position. First and foremost, I want to reiterate how excited I am about the opportunity. I believe in your product and know I could help you produce even greater results. Before I accept the offer, I do want to address the proposed salary. As I shared during the interview, I have more than 12 years of experience in sales, including eight years in medical equipment sales and two more years of management experience than requested in the job description. In my last role, my team exceeded the monthly quota by 15% for two years in a row and landed three of the largest accounts in company history. Given my background, I am seeking a salary in the range of $145,000 to $150,000. I am definitely open to discussing alternative compensation, such as opportunities for additional stock options or increased performance-based bonuses. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Frequently asked questions

When should I negotiate my salary? It’s typically best to negotiate your salary after you receive a written official job offer rather than during earlier stages of the interview process. You have the most leverage after you’ve proven that you’re the best candidate for the job and you fully understand the employer’s expectations. Negotiating early in the process might also harm your chances of securing a job offer. If you’re asked what your salary requirements are early, you can offer a wide salary range you’re comfortable with, or turn the question around by saying:“I’d like to learn more about the job and the duties before discussing my salary expectations. Can I ask what salary range you’re considering for this position?” It’s important to only counter the offer once or twice at the most. You should also avoid revisiting a compensation package that you’ve already agreed upon. Doing so shows you respect the employer’s time and have boundaries around what you will and won’t accept.

What should I do if my first offer is presented on the phone? If your initial offer is presented on the phone or in a video call, it’s okay to ask for some time to process the information. Let the employer know you appreciate their offer and are excited about the opportunity. Then, ask if you can take time to review it and get back to them within a set time frame—ideally no more than 48 hours. If you decide to negotiate, it’s best to do it via a phone, video or in-person conversation so there’s less room for miscommunication. It’s also appropriate to email your negotiation requests if that feels more comfortable.

What are common mistakes to avoid when negotiating salary? Here are a few mistakes to avoid when negotiating your salary.

Not negotiating at all: Many people find negotiating for salary too stressful and accept the first figure they’re offered. You could be cheating yourself out of money if you don’t try to negotiate, so it’s a good idea to at least attempt it.
Not being prepared: Research industry salary figures and come up with a few reasons for your minimum salary expectations.
Revealing too early what you would accept: Try to remain as noncommittal as possible when asked about your salary requirements early in the interview process.
Asking too early about salary: The longer you wait, the more advantage you have in the salary negotiation process. The ideal time to discuss salary is when you’ve received a job offer.
Not getting the offer in writing: If you receive an oral salary offer, ask for it in writing.
Accepting or rejecting a salary offer right away: It’s always a good idea to take some time to consider a salary offer before you decide whether to accept or reject it or to give a counteroffer. Take 24-48 hours to think it over and talk with other decision-makers in your life.