The average person who negotiates their first salary earns $5,000–$10,000 more per year than the person who accepts the first offer. Over a 40-year career, that gap compounds into hundreds of thousands of dollars. And yet most people never negotiate — not because they can’t, but because nobody told them how.
Here’s everything you need to negotiate your first salary, including the exact words to say.
Why you absolutely should negotiate
- Employers almost always expect it. The first number they give you typically has room built in.
- It will not cost you the job. No company rescinds an offer because a candidate negotiated professionally.
- Your starting salary sets your baseline for every raise and future job offer. A higher start compounds over your entire career.
- The worst they can say is “this is our best offer” — and you’re no worse off than you were before asking.
Before you negotiate — do this first
Know your number. Research the market rate for the role, your experience level, and your location. Use Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, Levels.fyi (for tech), and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. You want to know the range so you can anchor your ask toward the top of it.
Also know your minimum. What’s the lowest you’d accept? Having this in your head prevents you from getting talked down past your actual limit in the moment.
The negotiation — step by step
Step 1: Don’t give a number first
If they ask “what salary are you looking for?” before making an offer, redirect: “I’d love to understand the full role and compensation package first — what’s the range budgeted for this position?” Getting their number first gives you an anchor to work with.
Step 2: When you get the offer, don’t accept on the spot
Always say: “Thank you so much — I’m really excited about this opportunity. Would it be okay if I take 24–48 hours to review everything?” This is completely normal and expected. It gives you time to think clearly and come back with a counter.
Step 3: Counter with confidence
When you come back, here’s a script that works:
“I’m really excited about this role and the team. Based on my research into market rates for this position and my background in [specific skill or experience], I was hoping we could get to . Is there flexibility there?”
Ask for 10–20% above the offer. If they offered $50,000, counter at $55,000–$58,000. Go higher than what you’d actually accept — you’ll meet somewhere in the middle.
Step 4: Justify it briefly
Don’t just say “I want more money.” Give one clear reason: “My research shows similar roles in this area typically pay $55,000–$62,000” or “Given my experience with [specific thing], I think I can bring immediate value that justifies the higher number.”
Step 5: If they push back
If they say salary is fixed, negotiate other things: signing bonus, extra vacation days, remote work flexibility, earlier performance review, professional development budget. These have real value and are often easier for companies to give than base salary increases.
If they say this is their best offer
“I really appreciate you checking. I’m still very excited about the role — can we revisit compensation after 6 months if I’m hitting my targets?” This plants the seed for an early raise and shows you’re confident in your own performance.
What not to do
- Don’t mention personal financial needs. “I need more because of my rent” is not a negotiating argument — market rates are.
- Don’t give a range when asked. If you say $50,000–$60,000, they’ll hear $50,000.
- Don’t apologize for negotiating. “I’m sorry to ask but…” weakens your position immediately.
- Don’t accept verbally and then try to negotiate later. Once you’ve accepted, the negotiation is over.
The whole conversation takes 5 minutes and could be worth $5,000–$10,000. That’s the best return on 5 minutes you’ll ever get.