It’s not surprising that many people aren’t comfortable asking for more money once their job search has ended and they have an offer in front of them. If the salary is reasonable, they don’t want to jeopardize the opportunity now that they’ve gotten this far.
But as the 2024 Salary Guide from Robert Half points out, 51% of firms increase starting pay to attract talent. On top of that, there’s a shortage of skilled professionals, with 55% of employers saying that finding talent with the required skills is a challenge.
If you have specialized skills and an impressive resume, you could be leaving money on the table if you don’t negotiate a salary offer.
Most hiring managers will give you the opportunity to do some thinking about the offer and won’t expect an immediate answer. So, do it! Here are salary negotiation tips that can help you tactfully and confidently ask for what you want, plus examples of what to say.
Asking about room for negotiation
"I’m very excited about the offer, and I wanted to ask if there’s any flexibility in the salary. Given my qualifications, I was hoping to discuss an offer around [$X]."
Citing market research
"Based on my research of the market rate for similar roles in this industry, I was expecting a salary in the range of [$X - $Y]. Is there flexibility in the offer to bring it closer to that?"
Opening the door to non-salary benefits
"I appreciate the offer! If increasing the base salary is not an option, I’d be open to discussing other compensation options such as a signing bonus or additional vacation days."
Requesting a review timeline
"While I’m happy with many aspects of the offer, I’d like to ask if we could increase the salary to [$X]. Alternatively, would you be open to discussing a salary review in six months based on performance?"