When Not to Negotiate Your Salary Raise (2024)

FAQs

When Not to Negotiate Your Salary Raise? ›

If you've done your homework, and you know that the salary being offered is right in line with your industry, your experience, and your geography, don't negotiate just for the heck of it. If you've got no justification for your request for more, think long and hard before you push for more.

Avoid bringing up salary negotiations in the hiring process until you have a firm offer. Don't try to get one company to match another company's offer. You can turn to a salary website for information, but don't rely only on the estimates for salary negotiations.

Avoid asking for a raise during company transition

If your company is going through tough times or a lot of changes, it may not be the best time to ask for a raise. Wait until things have settled down before making your request so that you don't add any additional stress to the situation.

Most employers actually expect you to negotiate—and they are willing to have the conversation. In fact, 75% of employers are willing to negotiate. The odds are in your favor—a 75% chance that your negotiation conversation will result in a higher salary for you.

Whether it's due to contradicting market value for the role or misalignment based on your past experience, you may believe a salary increase is warranted. This is where a salary counter offer can be useful, and it can help create a negotiable middle ground and higher salary offer in return.

If you've done your homework, and you know that the salary being offered is right in line with your industry, your experience, and your geography, don't negotiate just for the heck of it. If you've got no justification for your request for more, think long and hard before you push for more.

Overall, we recommend that you start with a figure that's no more than 10-20% above the initial salary. If the pay is in-line with average pay, but you believe you can negotiate based on your skills and experience, consider a range between 5-7% above.

While employers are anticipating that you'll negotiate salary, there are mistakes that could cost you. “Be mindful of your tone. If you come across as entitled, demanding, or adversarial, the employer may reject your counteroffer, or worse, rescind their original offer and move on to someone else,” warned Cole.

A good range for a counter is between 10% and 20% above their initial offer. On the low end, 10% is enough to make a counter worthwhile, but not enough to cause anyone any heartburn.

Entry-level base salaries are usually subject to no more than 10 percent of the original salary offered. Note that many top employers have set, non-negotiable salaries at this level. Mid-level positions typically have a negotiation range of between 10 and 20 percent.

What not to say when negotiating a raise? ›

So to avoid this potential pitfall, prepare ahead of the meeting. One, ask for a specific dollar amount or percentage. A common adjustment is in the 3% to 5% range. Now, that doesn't always mean you shouldn't ask for more, but it's important to keep it reasonable.

When you communicate your counteroffer, avoid sounding greedy, demanding, or confrontational. Instead, express your gratitude for the offer and your enthusiasm for the job. Explain why you deserve a higher salary based on your qualifications, achievements, and contributions.

Just as experts often advise job candidates to never accept an employer's first offer for a salary, an employer may counter your desired salary with a new number. You can choose to accept the employer's counter offer or negotiate further.

Negotiating Salaries

In most cases employers expect you to do so. It may be appropriate to ask at that point: Can you tell me the salary range for this position? By asking the salary range upfront you are letting the hiring manager know you're interested in the position and you have a salary figure in mind.