Negotiating a salary might be one of the most stressful parts of a job hunt.
Many factors can make the process feel uncomfortable: nervousness about talking about money, intimidation from recruiters, the pressure to make it work, and the anxiety that it might go wrong.
In today’s challenging labor market, it may feel especially daunting. However, like interviewing or networking, salary negotiation is a skill.
Business Insider spoke with four compensation coaches and advisors about the dos and don’ts of negotiation:
Just ask
Jacob Warwick, an executive negotiation coach, said that even in a tougher market, there are still ways to advocate for a salary boost. Warwick said he’s seen one simple phrase result in 5% to 20% more in offers.
He suggests asking “What’s the chance that there’s a little more here?”
The question is a low-lift, but just asking has the chance to boost your salary, he said. Wealth compounds quickly, and negotiating an extra 10% each job offer makes a difference in the money you build over time, Warwick added.
“Companies often build room into an offer and genuinely expect you to engage with it,” Warwick said, adding that pushing back doesn’t make someone difficult. Rather, it communicates that the candidate takes their value seriously.
Do your research
Ron Seifert, a senior client partner at Korn Ferry, told Business Insider that doing market research for the role you’re interviewing for is crucial.
“The most important preparation before any compensation conversation is market research,” said Seifert, who also serves as the company’s workforce reward and benefits leader for North America.
Candidates should also have a sense of their own business value, he said. The best way to do that is typically to get another job offer, coaches told Business Insider. Relying on your past salary doesn’t necessarily indicate what you should get paid in your next role, they said.
Ask the important questions
Job coaches told Business Insider that candidates should have extensive context around their offer before accepting a role.
Sara Perelli-Minetti, who runs the executive compensation coaching firm Hellos & Goodbyes, suggests questions like, “How did you arrive at this offer for me?” and “Where does this base salary fall in the range for this role?”
Candidates should also get clarity on any incentive-based compensation, bonuses, equity, benefits packages, non-compete agreements, and exit packages, she said.
“If you’re going to negotiate any given element of your comp package, make sure you understand the whole darn thing,” Perelli-Minetti said.
Even if the employer refuses to boost your salary, you should still ask follow-up questions to understand the company’s compensation philosophy and set yourself up better for the future.
Seifert recommends asking: “How does the organization make compensation decisions for this role?”
He also said suggests asking: “What would need to be true for my compensation to be revisited, and when should we agree to revisit it?” By asking this question, workers gain a clearer timeline and goalpost to work toward if they accept the job.
Negotiate over email
While getting on the phone to talk through an offer with a recruiter may be inevitable, Perelli-Minetti, who also worked as an HR leader at Wayfair and Capital One, told Business Insider that phone calls often go wrong for job seekers.
Perelli-Minetti said that recruiters may add pressure to say “yes” in the moment, and candidates should make detailed asks in a written follow-up. That could help level the playing field, Perelli-Minetti said, given that recruiters have significantly more experience negotiating in the moment.
“Laying things out in writing makes it much easier for you to be clear-headed, stand firm, and negotiate holistically,” Perelli-Minetti said.
Don’t act hostile
Perelli-Minetti said that candidates go wrong by approaching negotiation conversations like a fight. Ideally, the hiring manager will be the candidate’s future colleague, so you want to stay neutral during negotiations.
Gerta Malaj, cofounder and negotiation advisor at YourNegotiations.com, said that playing hard to get is the wrong move in these situations. When interviewing, job seekers should show “a lot of excitement.”
“That will offset the negotiation,” Malaj said, adding that hiring managers are often tasked with the back-and-forth, which can be annoying.
Warwick advises clients to share a forward vision when receiving an offer and make it clear that they want to make it work.
Don’t give a dollar amount in the recruiting screening
Coaches advise against responding with a dollar amount when a recruiter asks about your pay range during a screening call.
Malaj argues that every role has its own budget, informed by multiple variables, such as the budget they were approved for or whether a role needs to be filled quickly. Malaj, who used to work at Salary.com and LinkedIn, said overshooting can make a candidate look entitled, and undershooting could mean leaving money on the table.
Instead of giving a number, Warwick suggests saying something along the lines of: “Before we get into numbers, I’d love to understand the role and what you’re trying to solve. Once we both know it’s the right fit, we can align on comp.”
Don’t play dirty
Job coaches say the best way for candidates to determine their market value and gain leverage in negotiations is to receive multiple offers.
However, you shouldn’t lie about a second offer if you don’t have one.
“Employers could very quickly throw the BS flag at you on something like that,” Seifert said.
The Korn Ferry rewards and benefits expert said that candidates do not want to get caught in a lie, and companies may be likely to revoke an offer if that happens.
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