How to Negotiate Your Salary (First Job / New Offer)

Most first-time job seekers accept the first salary they are offered, because it feels rude — or risky — to ask for more. That instinct is understandable, but it costs real money. Starting salaries anchor everything that follows: future raises, future job offers, and sometimes pension contributions are all calculated from that first number. A modest negotiation at the start, done well, is worth doing. And contrary to what many people fear, employers expect it. A polite, evidence-based request almost never costs you the offer.

The key word is evidence. Negotiation is not about asking nicely or about what you need to pay your rent. It is a short business conversation about the scope of the role, the market rate, and what you bring. This guide shows how to prepare for it and what to actually say.

Prepare before anyone mentions a number

Do your research before the offer arrives, so you are not guessing under pressure. Look up the typical pay range for the role, the level, and the location, using two or three sources — salary sites, job adverts for similar roles, and, if you can, people who do similar work. Write down three figures: the target you would be pleased with, a range you would accept, and the lowest figure you could live with given your costs and alternatives. Knowing your floor in advance stops you accepting something you will regret in a month.

Then list the evidence for your case. Relevant results, a skill that is hard to find, a bigger scope than the advert suggested, or a faster path to being useful. Keep it to three or four points. “I have a year of weekend retail experience, I already know your till system from my part-time job, and I can start immediately” is evidence. “I really need the money” is not — employers respond to value, not to personal circumstances.

Do not name a number too early

If the employer asks about salary expectations early in the process, try not to be the first to name a figure. A polite deflection works: “I would rather focus on whether the role is right first — could you share the range you have budgeted for it?” If they press, give a range based on your research, not a single number, and put your target near the top of it. A range gives both sides room to move; a single number becomes an anchor that is hard to shift.

If the application form demands a number, enter a range or the market rate you found, and add a note that you are open to discussing the full package. Never invent a previous salary or exaggerate what you earned before — it is easy to check, and being caught ends the conversation.

What to say when the offer comes

When the offer arrives, thank them first — genuinely. Then, if the number is below your target, make a clear, calm request. Here is a script you can adapt:

The pause matters. Most people ruin a negotiation by filling the silence with justifications and apologies. Say the sentence, then wait. The employer will either move, explain why they cannot, or offer something else. All three are useful answers.

Judge the whole offer, not just the salary

Pay is only one part of what you are accepting. Before you decide, look at the full package: pension contributions, holiday allowance, sick pay, training, working hours, flexibility, travel costs, and when your pay will be reviewed. A job that pays slightly less but offers real training and a pay review after six months can be worth more than a higher number with no progression. Ask what is flexible and whether a review date can be put in writing.

Also check the practical details: is overtime paid or expected unpaid, is there a probation period and what does it change, and are there any deductions you did not expect? Get the final terms in writing before you accept. A verbal offer is not an offer until the details are confirmed.

If they say no

Sometimes the answer is no, and that is useful information too. Ask what is flexible — a signing-on payment, an earlier review, extra holiday — and decide whether the original offer is still acceptable against your alternatives. If it is, accept it graciously and move on; a good negotiation does not have to end with a higher number to have been worth doing. If it is not, and you have a better option, it is fine to decline politely and promptly. Never bluff about another offer you do not have, and never accept under pressure when you need time to think. A reasonable employer will give you a day or two.

Mistakes to avoid

• Negotiating before you have the offer. Salary talk belongs after the employer has decided they want you. Negotiating too early makes you look more interested in pay than in the work.
• Apologising for asking. “Sorry to ask, I know this is cheeky, but…” weakens your position before you have made it. Ask plainly and politely.
• Making it personal. Your rent, your debts, and your lifestyle are not the employer's problem. Frame everything around the role, the market, and the value you bring.
• Issuing ultimatums. “Match this or I walk away” only works if you genuinely will walk away — and it burns goodwill either way. Keep the tone collaborative.
• Accepting verbally and then continuing to negotiate. Once you have accepted, the negotiation is over. Reopening it damages trust before you have even started.

Questions people ask

Can negotiating cost me the offer? Almost never, if you are polite and reasonable. Employers expect some discussion, and withdrawing an offer because a candidate asked about pay would be unusual and a bad sign about the employer.

What if the salary is fixed and non-negotiable? Some roles, especially in the public sector or large graduate schemes, have fixed pay bands. In that case, ask about the other parts of the package — start date, training, review timing — and decide on the whole offer.

Should I negotiate a part-time or internship role? The same principles apply on a smaller scale. Even a small increase, or an agreed review date, is worth asking for politely.

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