When considering how to negotiate a higher salary, job candidates often focus on back-and-forth haggling tactics. But it’s just as important to step back and think about broader goals, the kind of organization you’re joining, and how best to frame an offer. Salary negotiation isn’t only about numbers; it’s about positioning, perception, and preparation.
The following advice on how to bargain salary is designed to help you secure a stronger—and more satisfying—deal.
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1. Don’t Concede before the Salary Negotiation Begins
In 2013, Ira Glass, creator and host of the long-running public radio show This American Life, was offered a raise by Chicago public radio station WBEZ, the show’s producer. Glass later told The New York Times that he felt “weird” about the jump in pay—from $170,000 to $278,000—and asked that his salary be lowered to $146,000, less than the original starting point of the negotiation. He later asked for it to be lowered again.
Why would someone negotiate their salary down rather than up?
It wasn’t because Glass didn’t need the money. He revealed that he had been booking speaking engagements on the side to help cover living expenses in New York City. Instead, he appeared to feel uncomfortable earning a high salary from a nonprofit organization funded by grants and listener donations.
Negotiation is hard—and sometimes we make it harder by putting obstacles in our own path. When thinking about how to negotiate a higher salary, it’s essential to recognize how we “get in our own way,” write Deborah M. Kolb and Jessica L. Porter in Negotiating at Work: Turn Small Wins Into Big Gains (Jossey-Bass, 2015). Common pitfalls include:
- Failing to recognize opportunities to negotiate
- Fixating on perceived weaknesses
- Making concessions internally before the other side has even stated a position
Before a salary discussion begins, many candidates assume the employer holds all the leverage. These internal conversations are often where the first—and most costly—concessions are made
To negotiate more effectively, Kolb and Porter recommend gathering information that supports your request and strengthens your confidence. Prepare to articulate the value you would bring to the organization. Develop alternatives to the current negotiation to increase your flexibility, and assess the employer’s likely alternatives as well.
It’s also worth examining your own vulnerabilities and planning how to address them. For example, if you’re concerned about a gap in your work history, think through what you gained during that time and be ready to discuss it with clarity and conviction.
2. Tailor Your Salary Negotiation Strategy to the Organization
When deciding how to negotiate a higher salary, you’ll be better positioned if you tailor your approach to the organization’s structure and norms.
Large, established companies typically slot candidates into defined job categories with preset salary ranges. Negotiations often take place with recruiters or human-resources professionals rather than with your future manager. In these settings—particularly if you’re not negotiating at the executive level—it’s usually unrealistic to ask for equity or unconventional perks.
Instead, focus on determining where someone with your experience and qualifications falls within the salary band, and then build a thoughtful case for landing at the upper end of that range.
Now consider a very different scenario: a startup recruiting you as one of its first few employees. There may be no formal HR department and no established pay scales. In this case, you may have more room to negotiate creatively, perhaps by combining salary with:
- Equity or profit-sharing
- Flexible or remote work arrangements
- Accelerated learning or leadership opportunities
Ultimately, when negotiating a job offer, it’s reasonable to focus on immediate concerns such as compensation, benefits, status, and job satisfaction. But it’s just as important to think long-term. Marketable skills, access to influential networks, and leadership experience can pay dividends long after your initial salary fades from memory.
3. Make a Non-Offer Offer
How you frame your request can be just as important as the number itself. If an interviewer asks you to name your price, how should you respond?
In 3-D Negotiation (Harvard Business School Press, 2006), David Lax and James Sebenius recommend making a “non-offer offer”—a statement that anchors the discussion in your favor without sounding rigid or extreme.
Suppose your research suggests that candidates like you typically earn between $70,000 and $80,000, but you believe the next pay tier may be attainable. Rather than saying, “I want $80,000,” you might say:
“Correct me if I’m mistaken, but I’ve heard that people with my background often earn between $80,000 and $90,000.”
This isn’t a demand. But because anchors are powerful reference points—even when they’re open to debate—this framing can gently steer the conversation toward your upper goal while signaling flexibility and professionalism.
What other salary negotiation tips have worked best for you
Claim your FREE copy: Salary Negotiations
Discover how to refine your negotiation skills with this free special report, Salary Negotiations: How to Negotiate Salary: Learn the Best Techniques to Help You Manage the Most Difficult Salary Negotiations and What You Need to Know When Asking for a Raise, from Harvard Law School.
