Most people don't negotiate their salary. They accept the first number offered, tell themselves they're grateful for the offer, and move on. Years later, they're still catching up to the compound effect of that decision.
Here's the thing: negotiation is almost universally expected. Hiring managers budget for it. A counteroffer almost never kills a genuine offer.
## Start before the offer comes
Negotiation doesn't begin when you receive an offer — it begins during the early stages of the process. How you position yourself throughout the hiring process shapes the employer's sense of your market value before they ever put a number on paper.
Talk about your impact early and specifically. Be confident and concrete when discussing your experience. Don't rush to give your current salary in initial conversations — it anchors the employer's thinking to what you have rather than what you're worth.
When asked about salary expectations before an offer is made, it's entirely reasonable to say: "I'd like to understand the full scope of the role before discussing numbers — is there a budget range you're working to?" This is professional, not evasive.
## How to respond to an offer
When the offer comes, take time before responding. "I'm really excited about this opportunity — could I have until [specific date] to consider the full package?" is a normal and expected response. Any employer who pressures you to accept on the spot is a yellow flag.
Review the complete package: salary, pension, bonus structure, equity if applicable, holiday allowance, benefits, and flexibility. Sometimes a lower base is offset by strong benefits; sometimes an apparently good salary comes with limited everything else.
## Making the counteroffer
Keep it simple and anchor it to the market, not your personal needs.
"Based on my research into market rates for this level of role, and given my experience in [specific area], I was hoping to be closer to [number]. Is there flexibility?"
You don't need to justify the number with your mortgage or lifestyle costs — those aren't the employer's concern. Anchor to market data (Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, industry surveys) and your specific value.
Be specific: "£58,000" is stronger than "somewhere in the high fifties." Specific numbers signal research and confidence; vague ranges invite the employer to anchor low.
## What to do if they say no
First: they might come back with something between the offer and your ask, which is often the real outcome of negotiation. If they genuinely can't move on base salary, ask what else is flexible: start date, annual leave, review timeline, signing bonus, remote work allowance.
If the answer is truly nothing — the number and the package are the number and the package — you now have accurate information to decide whether to accept. That's not a failure. That's negotiation working as intended.
## The only rule that matters
Never negotiate in a way that makes the employer regret making the offer. Be warm, be direct, be specific, and be prepared to close. The goal is a number you both feel good about — not a win over the other side.