Can you lose a job offer by negotiating a salary? Receiving a job offer is exciting, but salary negotiation makes some nervous about jeopardizing the role. While rare, it is possible in some cases to negotiate yourself out of a job offer. Understanding when salary talks make strategic sense, approaching them constructively, and avoiding missteps can optimize your chance of success.
Should You Negotiate the Job Offer Salary?
Before opening a salary dialogue, weigh several factors to determine if negotiating is appropriate and likely to produce the outcome you want.
Assess Company Culture Around Negotiations
Every employer has a different philosophy and norms when it comes to salary negotiations. Some companies actively expect candidates to negotiate and are accustomed to engaging in these discussions. Other more rigid firms take a “take it or leave it” stance, frown upon negotiation attempts, and expect applicants to accept the offer as-is. Do some research through current employees or other contacts to get a feel for the organization’s cultural posture before negotiating. If norms are strongly against it, you may need to decide whether to accept the existing offer or walk away.
Understand Your Market Value
Market data provides the most powerful, objective leverage when negotiating pay. Before initiating salary discussions, research typical compensation for the role in your geographic area, industry, and at companies of a similar size and profile. Resources like Glassdoor, Payscale, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics provide aggregated local salary ranges. If the job offer already aligns closely with competitive market rates for someone with your credentials and background, negotiating for substantially higher pay may not be realistic or reasonable. However, if the offer falls noticeably below market benchmarks, you have a sound, data-driven rationale to advocate for a higher wage.
Consider Your Personal Leverage
Your negotiating leverage largely depends on two factors – the uniqueness of your skills and abilities compared to other candidates, and your attractiveness to the employer. Applicants who bring in-demand skills, coveted credentials or experiences, or other differentiating value propositions carry more leverage than entry-level candidates with common qualifications. Similarly, if you are fielding multiple competing job offers, it strengthens your position in salary talks compared to applicants with no alternatives. Assess whether the circumstances put you in a place of advantage at the bargaining table or whether you are at higher risk of replacement by another candidate.
Confirm You Are Ready to Walk Away
Only open salary negotiations if you are truly willing to walk away from the job offer should talks reach an impasse. Using threats or bluffing with no intention of declining the role destroys trust, often backfiring. Be prepared for the employer to call your bluff or rescind the offer if you push too hard. Know your walk-away number based on your own needs, determine the highest realistic target salary based on research, and engage in discussions in good faith to find a compromise. But avoid making threats just as a presumptive negotiating tactic.
How to Negotiate Salary Professionally and Constructively
When approaching pay negotiations, use these strategies to maximize your odds of success:
Emphasize the Value You Bring to the Role
Rather than focus negotiations around demanding a higher number, communicate the unique value you will contribute in the role that warrants increased pay. For example, relevant past experience that makes you uniquely qualified for the role’s responsibilities provides solid rationale. Outline intangible qualities and capabilities not reflected in your resume that will allow you to over-deliver on expectations. Discuss how you can help the company save costs or increase revenue. This constructive approach centers negotiations around the additional value you bring, rather than what you want.
Reference Objective Market Data
Back up requests for higher pay with concrete data on salary norms. Citing the average (and ideally upper percentile range) for compensation levels from reputable sources lends credibility to your case. Most employers offer to pay within competitive market ranges, so data showing you are requesting aligned with, not above, norms can justify an increase that still works within their budget.
Suggest Alternative Ways to Bridge the Gap
If outright salary increase requests hit a ceiling, float compromise ideas like a sign-on bonus, accelerated timeline for raise and promotion opportunities, extra vacation days, or performance incentives. This demonstrates a problem-solving spirit, showing you want to find an agreement that works for both parties.
Express Enthusiasm About the Role
Throughout negotiations, continue conveying excitement and interest in the job itself, and indicate that salary is the only barrier to fully accepting. This is especially important if talks get tense or protracted. Prevent the employer from interpreting negotiation as disinterest or being difficult. Make it clear you want to find amenable terms so you can officially accept.
Know When to Stop Pushing
If the employer communicates directly that they have reached the extent of what they can offer, further attempts to extract concessions generally won’t be productive. Pushing past the point of refusal can irritate the employer and reflect poorly on you. Once you reach their limit, professionally thank them for their time and consideration, and bring the process to a gracious close.
What to Avoid When Negotiating Job Offer Salary
Certain negotiation approaches antagonize employers and often backfire, sometimes costing candidates the job:
Making Ultimatums
Candidly state your ideal target salary range and rationale, but avoid framing it as an ultimatum where you will automatically decline the role if they can’t meet your demand. Unless you have abundant leverage, this strong-arm tactic rarely succeeds and portrays the candidate negatively.
Overstating Qualifications
Inflating or exaggerating your credentials, experience, or skills to try to gain leverage often backfires. Astute employers will see through this and it calls your honesty and integrity into question. While you should advocate for your value, misrepresenting qualifications destroys trust.
Refusing to Justify Requests
Expecting or demanding a higher salary without explaining the rationale typically falls flat. The employer needs context on why you deserve an increase to evaluate the request’s validity and determine if they can accommodate it. Declining to provide supporting reasons for the increase makes negotiations one-sided and frustrates employers.
Bundling Too Many Requests
File salary negotiations separately from requests for increased vacation time, earlier review cycles, bonuses, etc. Employers typically have set budgets and policies on compensation. Asking for too many separate concessions simultaneously appears greedy and unreasonable. Keep salary the focus.
Dragging Out Negotiations
Employers invest significant time in screening and selecting new hires. Once they extend an offer, they want to finalize terms promptly. Drawing out back-and-forth negotiations for salary or non-monetary provisions unnecessarily delays closing the hire and wastes the hiring manager’s time. Once you’ve made your case, work to reach a mutually agreeable resolution efficiently.
How to Handle a Rescinded Job Offer with Poise
While relatively rare, some negotiations do result in employers withdrawing the job offer altogether. This rejection can feel disheartening. However, candidates can manage the situation professionally to mitigate damage to their reputations.
Don’t Take It Personally
Should an offer get rescinded, it generally does not reflect personal animus toward you on the employer’s part. More likely, structural factors like strictly capped salary budgets for the role or corporate policies limiting negotiation flexibility constrained their ability to meet your requests, despite their desire to hire you. Do not attribute it to a character flaw or mistake on your part.
Request Honest Feedback
When notified of a rescinded offer, ask for candid feedback on what factors contributed to that decision. Listen earnestly, keeping in mind the input will help refine your approach for future opportunities. Resist defensiveness if they critique your negotiation style or demands.
Express Appreciation
Let the employer know you appreciate the time and effort they invested in interviewing and considering you, and extend well wishes. Taking the high road by avoiding disparaging remarks demonstrates grace under disappointment and preserves your reputation.
Discover: How to Create a Drop Down List in Excel
Learn From the Experience
With every negotiation experience – good or bad – Reflect on what you could do differently next time. If your salary request exceeded reasonable levels, target more aligned numbers in the future. If you could have framed your case better, update your talking points. Adjusting your strategy based on constructive reflection makes you a stronger negotiator long-term.
Approaching negotiations professionally and collaboratively demonstrates your poise under pressure should an offer fall through. While disappointing, don’t let a rescinded offer due to salary talks derail your job search. Grow your skills and maximize future success.
