Navigating Salary Negotiations: How to Ask for More Money in a Job Offer

Receiving a job offer for a position you really want is a thrilling moment in your career.

However, before rushing into accepting it, you need to carefully consider if it fits your expectations, especially financially.

Fact is, most employers would probably try to offer you less money than they are willing to give you, as they expect some kind of negotiation on your side.

And if you believe that the salary you are offered does not fit your expertise, you should absolutely ask for more money.

It might seem uncomfortable, or even scary, at first, but you can get through it in just a few easy steps.

To help you out, we are going to explore the following questions:

• Why should you ask for more money in a job offer?
• How to ask for more money in a job offer?

And we are going to wrap things up with an example to show you how to ask for more money in a job offer.

So, if you are ready to get the salary you deserve, let’s dive in.

Why should you ask for more money in a job offer?

Negotiating your salary might feel awkward at first, but you will soon realize that it is absolutely normal in the hiring process.

In most cases, you can only win in this kind of situations, as you have already received an offer, and it is clear that the company wants you.

Furthermore, there are far fewer risks that you think in negotiating a salary. It is highly unlikely that a company would withdraw their job offer because of your negotiation.

However, there are good times to ask for more money, and bad ones. Remember:

• Don’t negotiate your salary before you have received a job offer
• Don’t negotiate your salary during your first interview
• Don’t try to re-negotiate your salary after already accepting the job offer

How to ask for more money in a job offer – tips and strategies?

Now that you understand that there rarely is a downside to negotiating a higher salary, when you believe that your expertise deserves more, it is time to figure out how to do it right.

To get the best result, you need to follow just a few simple steps.

Evaluate what you have to offer

Before asking for more money in a job offer, you need to make sure you are prepared with some hard proof that you deserve more.

Make a list, and point out everything relevant to the position that you can contribute to the team.

To make it easier on yourself, you can follow these important factors:

• Your location – you need to consider the cost of living in your location, as you would need to keep up with the standard around you
• Years of experience in the industry – every position requires some range of years of experience in the field, and if you match the higher requirement, that works well for you
• Education level – any relevant education you have behind you should work in your favor (the higher, the better)
• Career level – generally, it is normal for you to expect a higher salary as you progress in your career
• Skills – any relevant skills you have can help show the employer that you are both a great asset, and that you would require less training before you jump into the job
• Licenses and certifications – just like your education level is important for your negotiation, any additional relevant licenses and certifications can only help you out

Know your value in the market

To estimate your value even better, it is not enough to only take into account your expertise, but also the surrounding market.

Take the time to look into similar companies around your geographical location, and look into the average salaries offered by them for similar positions.

That way, you can ensure that your negotiations don’t exceed the market value for your position, or on the contrary – fall below average.

Consider the whole compensation package

The last thing you need to consider before entering the negotiations is the whole compensation package.

On the one hand, you should not forget that it is an addition to your salary, and sometimes it might turn out to be worth a lot.

Furthermore, if it turns out that the company is unwilling to negotiate your salary, you can try to enrich your compensation package instead.

There are lots of possibilities that can be included in your compensation package, including:

• Stock options
• Extra vacation days
• Flexible working hours
• A higher job title
• Health insurance
• Maternity leave
• Free lunch
• Free courses
• Sport programs
• Signing bonus
• Growth opportunities
• Remote work opportunities

Prepare and practice how to communicate your value

Once you are ready with all preparations, it is time to structure your message for your potential employer and ask for more money in your job offer.

Try to answer for yourself the following question beforehand, as you would likely have to answer it – Why do you believe you deserve a higher salary than the one in the job offer?

Furthermore, use all the information you have already gathered in your preparation:

• Your location
• Your years of experience in the industry
• Your education level
• Your career level
• Your skill set
• Your licenses and certifications
• The average value in the market

After you think you are ready with what you would like to say, be sure to run it by someone who can give you their unbiased opinion, and help you improve it.

Don’t be afraid to decline the offer

Once you receive a counter-offer, you need to reconsider if what you are offered is enough for you.

Keep in mind both the salary, and the whole compensation package to take the best decision for yourself.

However, if you still feel like it is not enough, don’t be afraid to turn down the offer, and continue with your job search.

Example of asking for more money in a job offer

And now, as promised, let’s wrap things up with an email example for asking for more money in a job offer.

Takeaways

We are all done, now you know how to ask for more money in a job offer.

Let’s go through all the important steps you need to take one more time:

• Evaluate what you have to offer – make a list of all your relevant expertise that you can use in your negotiation
• Know your value in the market – research similar companies and positions around your geographical location to have a better idea of the salary you can negotiate
• Consider the whole compensation package – don’t forget that it is an extra asset on top of your salary
• Prepare and practice how to communicate your value – structure your answer using all the information you have gathered, and don’t forget to run it by someone unbiased in order to fix any issues beforehand
• Don’t be afraid to decline the offer – if even after the negotiations you feel like you deserve more, it is okay for you to turn down the offer and continue your job search

Check out our example one last time, and get the salary you deserve.