Salary negotiation scripts

Updated 2023-11-25. Originally published 2023-03-11 on VocationVillage.com

A reader wrote and asked for help with salary negotiation. Here are scripts for different salary negotiation situations:

Situation: You’ve received a job offer, and based on your research and background, you feel justified in asking for more.

Script: “Based on my research, the market value for this position for someone with my level of experience and skill is $X to $Y. Is there flexibility to explore getting my offer to this range?”

Tips:
- Use Payscale to research salaries.
- Look at job ads from states with mandated salary transparency laws.

Situation: Your employer gave you a performance review, and your annual raise was disappointing.

Script: “I'm motivated to contribute at a level that warrants additional compensation. Can we discuss a plan about the performance metrics I would need to achieve to earn the top of the range for my position?"

Tips:
- This script presumes you want to stay in the same job. If you want to up level to a new role, then focus the conversation instead of your career development plan for a promotion.
- This approach is effective with companies that have determined ranges for specific roles.

Situation: You have accepted more responsibility without a promotion and without additional pay.

Script: “I’ve been happy to contribute to our team by expanding the scope of my job in significant ways. Would now be a good time to discuss an appropriate change of title and compensation to align the pay with the work I've been doing?"

Tips:
- Consider the best timing to make a request. Strike when the iron is hot, meaning you have achieved a win for the company and the decision-maker is happy. Don’t ask for a raise soon after the company announces disappointing business results.
- If the employer says no to your request, ask them if you can meet again to re-evaluate in 3-6 months.

Notes

Salary negotiations don't have to be adversarial or uncomfortable. Assume your employer wants to be fair. Keep the tone light, conversational, and non-threatening.

If you know you are too anxious to negotiate in a conversation, it is acceptable to email or communicate 1-1 via the company’s tech platform (such as Slack).

If you have additional questions, please contact me and I may address your questions in a future blog post.