To ask if you always negotiate the salary when receiving a job offer?

[WorthyOrca]

I’ve heard it’s important to always negotiate your salary when receiving a job offer, but I wonder if everyone actually does this? Do you try to negotiate every time, or are there situations where you just accept the offer without pushing back? I’m curious about how common negotiating really is, and whether it’s ever backfired for anyone.

Depends on the role, jobs usually have a salary range, and if I get an offer I'll assess where in that range the offer is and make a call. Jobs usually require financial sign off and budgetting.

Yes I do, even for a CS role where apparently it’s not common, and it has worked every time.

Depends on the role and your current situation. If you are currently in a job and it’s a role that might be hard to fill then obviously you have leverage. If it’s an entry level / more junior position and there are lots of suitable applicants then obviously your ability to negotiate is limited if not totally non existent.

I previously didn’t have the confidence to, but in my current role I asked for more than they were offering and got what I asked for. No harm in asking and I would definitely do so again.

Yes and I hate it when there is a salary range because most employers will offer the lower end so of course I will negotiate.

Every single time and it usually works.

I had a very good first boss after leaving college.

I asked for a salary review and a week later he said, we have reviewed it and we are giving you X.

I did the usually, thank you, delighted etc.

He cut me off and went,

• why didn't use me why I decided that amount?
• why didn't you ask what the budget was?
• why didn't you ask me what you needed to do to get a larger increase next time?
• why didn't you negotiate?

He told me I had left €2k on the table.

He gave me the additional €2k a week layer on condition that I learnt from it & would always negotiate in future.

Best boss I ever had. Absolutely legend.

I think it depends on whether you’re bringing loads of experience and will be able to hit the ground running.

if not and there’s a bit of work or learning curve to get you up to speed then I’d expect you’d be joining at the lower end if there’s a scale for progression.

Well if you don’t ask, you don’t get.

The only time negotiating has backfired for me was when I didn’t do it at the beginning of my career. Eventually I found the confidence.

Yes, always.

If you're nervous, just ask for an extra £1.5k and up that request every time you start somewhere new.

Loyalty doesn't pay and in the last 5 years I have more than doubled my salary from moving jobs.

Good luck OP

Every time. I haven't always been given everything I've asked for, but I've always walked away with more than what was initially offered.

That is great advice, I’ll be using those myself!

Yes, most pay is tagged to inflation or less. They only time you're really guaranteed a rise is when you change jobs so make the most of it. It's always with trying to push for a bit more. I was very glad I did it with the CS as they always try and give you the bottom of the band when they're recruiting from outside. I wanted the top as that was still a pay cut and went back 3 times refusing their offers until I got it. CS pay was frozen at the time so I basically didn't get a rise for the next 5 years.

I hope you don't mind but I've favourited this thread so I can come back to these later, this is a really useful post, thank you.

No chance, I've always worked in non-teaching non-managerial posts in schools or further or higher education. Not a chance they wouldn't start me anywhere but the bottom of the band.