Setting Clear Objectives for Salary Negotiation

This Salary Negotiation Checklist has landed my clients $10k–$40k more. But 90% of professionals never use it. Instead? They: ❌ Take the first offer. ❌ Hope their manager notices. ❌ Undervalue their skills. Here’s the 7-step checklist I give every client before they negotiate 👇 —-------------------------------- STEP 1/ Know Your Number → Research market salary (Glassdoor, Levels, Salary.com, PayScale). → Pick 2 numbers: your ideal and your walk-away. —-------------------------------- STEP 2/ Gather Receipts → List out your achievements, metrics, and impact. → Quantify them. (“Increased revenue by 18%” > “helped sales team”). —-------------------------------- STEP 3/ Benchmark Benefits → Salary isn’t the only lever. → Research PTO, flexibility, sign-on bonus, stock options, learning stipends. —-------------------------------- STEP 4/ Script It Out → Practice saying your number out loud. → Example: “Based on my research and the value I bring, I’m targeting $___ to $___.” —-------------------------------- STEP 5/ Pause Power → After you state your number, stop talking. → Let the silence work for you. —-------------------------------- STEP 6/ Plan for Pushback → Write 2–3 responses in advance. → Example: “I understand budget constraints, but here’s the ROI I’ve delivered…” —-------------------------------- STEP 7/ Get It in Writing → Verbal offers ≠ final offers. → Always ask for a written document before signing. —-------------------------------- 🔥 Pro Tip: If they really can’t meet your salary, negotiate on title, scope, or career growth opportunities. Sometimes those open doors to bigger jumps later. For one of my client’s we negotiated a promotion at the 6 month mark with an additional $15-$25k salary increase. —-------------------------------- 💡 Question for you: Which step do you usually skip when negotiating? ♻️ Repost this so someone in your network doesn’t leave thousands on the table. 🔔 Follow me for more career coaching strategies that pay off.

Here’s how I define target compensation ranges BEFORE starting a negotiation (in 4 simple steps) ↓ Negotiation can be intimidating. Preparation is key to reducing tension and finding success. *Remember: Managers want you to be happy with your comp - but they won’t know if you don’t ask. Let’s get into it. 1. Know Your Worth Research market rates for your role, level, industry, and location. Use tools like: - Glassdoor - Blind - Fishbowl - Levels - Payscale Or industry reports to understand what professionals in your field earn. Talk to current employees if you can. Understanding your value in the marketplace is the first step. 2. Assess Your Experience and Skills Take an honest look at your experience, skills, impacts, and achievements. - Do you bring unique skills or experiences? - Do you have something others don’t? - Can you guarantee a level of ROI? Factor in what sets you apart from others in your field. 3. Consider the Full Package Salary is just one part of compensation. Don’t forget to consider benefits, bonuses, stock options, and work-life balance perks. A slightly lower salary might be worth it if the overall package offers long-term value. Map out your ideal package before you start the interviewing or negotiation. 4. Define Your Needs Determine the minimum base pay you’re willing to accept. Consider what would get you excited to say “yes”. Assesses your financial goals, lifestyle needs, and future growth opportunities to set a realistic, but ambitious target. - - - Remember, the best negotiations start with confidence and clear expectations. Do your homework, know your worth. Go into the conversation ready to advocate for yourself.

Working harder while earning the same salary isn't a sustainable career strategy - yet most professionals accept this as normal. The fundamental disconnect: raises aren't distributed based on effort or tenure, but on documented impact and strategic advocacy. The 5-step framework for successful salary negotiations: 1. Track your impact, not your activity 2. Time it strategically during budget planning periods 3. Script key talking points in advance 4. Research market rates and know your range 5. Eliminate apologetic language from your approach For professionals who struggle with confrontational conversations, structured preparation becomes essential. Scheduling formal discussions through calendar invites provides necessary preparation time for both parties. The most damaging mistake: apologizing for requesting appropriate compensation. Confidence in your value proposition is non-negotiable for successful outcomes. Your hard work alone will never translate to increased compensation without strategic self-advocacy. The market rewards those who understand this distinction. Sign up to my newsletter for more corporate insights and truths here: https://vist.ly/3zxa3 #salary #raise #careeradvice #negotiation #workplacetips #professionaldevelopment #executiverecruiter #eliterecruiter #jobmarket2025 #profoliosai #careerstrategy

Everybody tells you to negotiate. But they don't tell you how. Here's a simple guide ANYONE (including you) can use to get more from your next job offer (yes even if the idea of negotiating makes you feel sick): 1) Determine your goals / market value You need to understand your market value to know what to ask for. In addition, you need to decide your risk tolerance -- if you need a job in a month to pay bills, you might be less aggressive. I recommend talking to colleagues about pay range, looking at JDs for ideal jobs, and sites like levels.fyi to research. Pick a compensation range that you’re comfortable with. 2) Align on a range up front Don’t assume you can negotiate listed salaries on JDs up into your range. And if not listed, you should be asking what the expected compensation range is in your first interview. If below your expectations, let the company know so they can decide if they want to proceed. 3) Make yourself invaluable You need to make yourself THE candidate they can’t afford to lose in their process: -Demonstrating the value you will add -Researching the company -Aligning with their values -Going above and beyond You want the hiring manager to tell the recruiting team that they NEED you. 4) Let them make the first offer Typically, companies will extend an offer to you at the end of an interview process. Assuming there has been transparency, it should be within your range expectations. Don’t accept right away. Share your excitement and get back to them shortly. 5) Create your wishlist Create a list of things you want to prioritize negotiating. If they came in low on salary, maybe an $X raise would be your highest priority. If they came in where you wanted on salary, maybe you ask for more PTO. Make sure it’s realistic and within ranges discussed previously. “Springing” a huge ask at the end is bad faith. 6) Ask for your top priority with data Go back to the company with a specific ask about what you want. For example “I was hoping for $5k higher salary”. This is the point where you can reference other offers, market comps, etc. The key with this ask: add an incentive. “If you were able to get to $X, I’d love to sign today”. 7) If they reject, get creative If the company rejects, you have a few options: -Pivot to a lower prio ask (e.g. PTO) -Ask for the difference to be delivered in a different way (e.g. year 1 bonus) -Ask for a performance incentive For example: “could you add a $5k salary increase at my first review assuming I am meeting expectations”. It’s a very low-risk ask for a company. 8) Get everything in writing Regardless of what you get, make sure it is in writing. Companies can put ANYTHING they want into an offer letter. Any company that is hesitant to add a commitment in writing should be avoided. -- I wrote more about this in the Just Get Hired Newsletter — sharing the link in the comments if you want to read more. Follow Ben Grant for more content like this.

73% of employers expect you to negotiate. 55% of professionals don’t. That’s a costly silence. Negotiation isn’t about being difficult. It’s about showing up prepared and knowing your value. Here's how to do it right: 1. Research what’s fair ↳ Know the going rate for your role and level. 2. Know your impact ↳ Have proof of what you’ve led, built, or improved. 3. Define your range ↳ Set your target and your bottom line. 4. Look beyond salary ↳ Include PTO, bonuses, equity, flexibility. 5. Practice out loud ↳ Once is better than never. Confidence shows. Common missteps to avoid: 🚫 Accepting an offer on the spot 🚫 Leading with your lowest number 🚫 Ignoring the full compensation picture Smarter ways to respond: 🗨 “Based on what I bring, let's revisit the package.” 🗨 “What flexibility is there in total compensation?” 🗨 “Thanks. Can I take some time to review this?” Coaching 100s of people into roles they actually love  has taught me: You don’t get what you deserve. You get what you negotiate. Your new boss is expecting it. You just have to be ready. 🔖 Save this for when the offer comes in. 📤 Send it to someone who’s due for a raise. Reshare ♻️ to help someone in your network. And give me a follow for more posts like this. P.S. Looking to grow your salary? Each month, I help a select number of people get 40-80% pay bumps and land fulfilling $200K-$500K roles. DM me "Salary" to learn how.