Handling Salary Discussions: 15 Negotiation Strategies that Work
Navigating salary discussions during job interviews can be daunting, so we’ve gathered insights from fifteen industry experts, including CEOs and HR directors. They share strategies ranging from focusing on job scope and culture to requesting justification for lowball offers, providing a comprehensive guide to effective negotiation.
- Focus on Job Scope and Culture
- Communicate Clear Salary Expectations
- Anchor with a Researched Salary Range
- Confirm Salary Before the Interview
- Inquire About Salary Transparency
- Articulate Your Value Proposition
- Highlight Your Value and Research
- Mix Knowledge, Timing, and Power
- Showcase Your Unique Value
- Emphasize Mutual Benefit and Contributions
- Prepare with Research and Articulation
- Use Data-Driven Salary Negotiation
- Initiate Pay Discussion Confidently
- Offer Trial Period for Salary Evaluation
- Request Justification for Lowball Offers
Focus on Job Scope and Culture
Keep the focus on the job scope. For example, you could say “I’m willing to consider any offer that is fair market value for the complexity and scope of this role. Of course, total compensation, organizational culture, and career advancement opportunities are important factors for me. It’s not just about dollars. Therefore, I’ll need to consider the entirety of your offer.”
Sandy Fiaschetti, Ph.D., Founder and Managing Partner, Lodestone People Consulting
Communicate Clear Salary Expectations
Be straight to the point with your expectations. As much as people can tell, you treat this like a game—it’s not! So, if you have a salary in mind, make sure to communicate that when it comes time to do so.
Tracey Beveridge, HR Director, Personnel Checks
Anchor with a Researched Salary Range
One effective negotiation strategy for handling salary discussions during a job interview is to anchor the conversation with a well-researched salary range. By providing a specific range based on market research and the value you bring to the role, you set the tone for the negotiation.
It’s important to express confidence in your abilities and the value you will bring to the organization, while being open to discussing the full compensation package, including benefits, bonuses, and opportunities for growth. This approach allows for a constructive dialogue that can lead to a mutually beneficial outcome for both you and the employer.
Mike Podesto, Founder & CEO, Find My Profession
Confirm Salary Before the Interview
The easiest way to manage salary discussions for a candidate is to ensure you are aware of the salary and have some level of mutual agreement with an employer, recruiter, or hiring manager beforehand.
If a salary isn’t advertised with the initial role, send a note to the person who invites you to the interview to ask if they could share the salary range for the position. That way, the salary discussion in the interview would be a confirmation of what has already been disclosed or discussed.
Amri Celeste, Interview Coach, A Celeste Coaching
Inquire About Salary Transparency
I have already used one question when I have conducted interviews. It’s important to ensure that your organization complies with the new transparency laws.
However, the question I always ask (regardless of my company’s salary expectations) is, “What salary would make this role work for you?” This allows candidates to consider the role as it has been explained and enables the employee to not have to share their previous salaries.
Ben Madden, Owner, HR Action LLC
Articulate Your Value Proposition
Drawing from my experience in recruitment and as CEO of a global actuarial job board, I’ve frequently advised candidates on navigating salary discussions in job interviews. The key strategy I recommend is thorough preparation, especially in understanding and communicating your value proposition. It’s crucial to articulate clearly how your unique skills, experiences, and potential contributions justify your salary expectations.
Providing concrete examples to support your case further strengthens your position. This approach not only demonstrates your awareness of your worth but also equips you with a solid foundation to negotiate your salary effectively.
Dr. Mark Farrell (FIA), CEO, Associate Professor & Actuary, ProActuary Jobs
Highlight Your Value and Research
One effective negotiation strategy for handling salary discussions during a job interview is to focus on the value you bring to the role and the company. Instead of solely emphasizing your desired salary, highlight your skills, experience, and achievements that demonstrate why you’re worth the compensation you’re seeking.
Additionally, do your research beforehand to understand the market rate for similar roles in your industry and geographic location. Armed with this information, you can confidently negotiate within a reasonable range based on your qualifications and the company’s budget. Remember to approach the discussion collaboratively rather than adversarially, emphasizing your enthusiasm for the opportunity while also advocating for fair compensation that reflects your contributions.
This strategy not only positions you as a valuable asset to the company but also fosters a constructive dialogue that can lead to a mutually beneficial outcome for both parties.
Bill Lyons, CEO, Griffin Funding
Mix Knowledge, Timing, and Power
Deploying the right mix of knowledge, timing, and power is key to negotiating a higher salary during a job interview. This often requires reading the interviewer’s negotiation style and understanding when to give information and when to ask questions.
If you’ve been diligent before the interview and demonstrate value during the process, you should know the company’s expectations and be prepared to request a salary toward the high end, while also knowing your true walk-away point.
Derek Colvin, Attorney, Waldrop & Colvin
Showcase Your Unique Value
Demonstrate to them that you did your homework and know the average salary for the role you’re interviewing for. It will empower you to request a fair and market-competitive salary. Check out online resources, salary surveys, and tap into your network for insights.
In addition, remember to showcase your unique value throughout the interview process by helping them connect the dots between your qualifications and the value you’re about to bring to this role.
Heidi Hauver, Chief People Officer
Emphasize Mutual Benefit and Contributions
One effective negotiation strategy for handling salary discussions during a job interview is to focus on the value you bring to the organization rather than solely on your own needs. Instead of fixating on a specific salary figure, emphasize how your skills, experience, and contributions align with the company’s goals and objectives.
Highlight specific examples of how you can add value and solve problems for the organization. By framing the discussion around mutual benefit and shared objectives, you shift the focus from a purely transactional exchange to a collaborative partnership.
This approach demonstrates your commitment to the company’s success while also advocating for fair compensation that reflects your worth and contributions.
Ben Richardson, Director, Acuity Training
Prepare with Research and Articulation
When negotiating your potential salary at an interview, it is important to come prepared. Anchor your expectations with research, including data on industry standards and the specific role’s market value. Clearly articulate your skills, experiences, and achievements, emphasizing how they align with the company’s needs.
Rather than focusing solely on a fixed number, express openness to a fair and competitive package. This collaborative approach demonstrates professionalism, research-backed expectations, and a willingness to find a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Shaun Gozo-Hill, Director, 2Game
Use Data-Driven Salary Negotiation
In my opinion, data-driven salary negotiation is the best approach. Theoretically, as part of the interview process, you, the candidate, have already engaged with HR or the hiring manager about the salary range of the position.
So, if the final offer isn’t where you expect it to be, refer back to the original discussion. Be prepared to discuss data points from your interview process that indicate your skills, knowledge, and expertise warrant a reconsideration of the salary offer.
Also, do your research before salary negotiation. Be ready to present information about salary ranges for companies similar to the one with which you’re interviewing. Too often, people will just throw out a number they read during a cursory search—but they’ll be citing the salary of a big tech firm when they’re interviewing for a role with a 10-person firm. Be prepared, but also be realistic. You lose some credibility if you try to argue that you deserve a six-figure salary that a head of Google makes when you’re joining a small business.
Finally, consider the entire compensation package. If the company isn’t able to negotiate on base pay, can you negotiate a signing bonus? If you’re taking a material hit by leaving your current company, can the new company make you whole with a bonus payout? Do you want to negotiate your PTO package or work-from-home arrangement? There are other things that can enhance an offer, especially if the company isn’t able to be flexible with the base salary budget.
Eric Mochnacz, Director of Operations, Red Clover
Initiate Pay Discussion Confidently
Never be reluctant to discuss money. If they bring up the subject of pay, and you are confident in your ability to initiate the discussion (and you are prepared to do so), then you should go ahead and do it. During the very last part of your interview, when your interviewer is discussing the further actions that will be taken in the recruiting process, this is an excellent opportunity to bring up the subject.
Vikas Kaushik, CEO, TechAhead
Offer Trial Period for Salary Evaluation
During job interviews, we inform prospective employees upfront and quickly about our salary negotiation process. We offer a trial period during which we evaluate their work ethic and productivity, and base their performance on this timeframe.
For the trial period, we offer the desired salary. However, after the trial period, which usually lasts for 30 days, we reserve the right to adjust the salary based on their success and failure during the 30-day period.
Tammy Sons, CEO, TN Nursery
Request Justification for Lowball Offers
Always, always, always seek clarification if you’ve been handed a lowball offer. I’ve always likened it to dealing with hospital insurance payments—if you ask for an itemized bill for what you’ve been charged, you’ll find your bill massively cut in half, as if by magic. The same principle works in salary negotiations.
If you suddenly receive a low offer and want to continue to negotiate, ask for clarification and justification for why the offer is so low before making a counteroffer yourself. I’ve found this to be quite an effective way to deal with salary negotiations, as it puts the business in question on the defensive and gives you opportunities to argue for whatever points they make, rather than dealing with what is essentially a black-box data point of just the offer.
Dragos Badea, CEO, Yarooms
