Salary Negotiation 101: How to Get the Pay You Deserve (With Scripts)

You’ve navigated the interviews, impressed the hiring manager, and finally received the job offer. The hard part is over, right? Not quite. Now comes the uncomfortable part: talking about money.

For many professionals, salary negotiation is terrifying. We fear that asking for more might make us look greedy, ungrateful, or difficult. We worry the company might rescind the offer entirely (a myth that rarely happens). As a result, a staggering number of candidates simply accept the first number they are given, potentially leaving lakhs of rupees on the table over the course of their career.

Here is the truth: Companies expect you to negotiate. The first offer is rarely their best offer; it is a starting point. Recruiters often build a buffer into their initial numbers specifically for this conversation. If you don't ask, that money stays in their budget, not your pocket.

Negotiating isn't about conflict; it's about collaboration. It’s a business conversation where you work together to find a number that reflects your fair market value. Mastering this skill can boost your lifetime earnings more than almost any other career action. This guide will provide you with the mindset, the data, and the exact words (scripts) you need to negotiate with confidence and success.

The Golden Rule: Wait for Leverage

Timing is everything. You have zero leverage before they want to hire you. You have *

Debojyoti Roy

Creative Content Writer

Debojyoti Roy is a skilled content expert with more than six years of experience in the digital marketing field. He channels this expertise into a subject he is passionate about: the world of careers and job searching. His primary work involves creating clear and helpful content that guides people through the important journey of finding a job. He plays a key role at JobPe, a growing company that ...