How to Negotiate Salary for Your Next Career Move

Posted by New Plymouth Resume on 12 Nov 2025

A salary negotiation is a difficult conversation, as it involves balancing what you believe you’re worth with what the employer thinks they’ll be able to afford. If it’s done right, it can be an enjoyable experience for both the employer and employee, which results in a higher pay for the employee, as well as greater engagement of the employee in their job. Here’s how you can negotiate your salary confidently.

The most important takeaways

  • Before you negotiate your salary, research market rates and industry standards to ensure your salary proposal is realistic.
  • Gather information through connecting with colleagues through online resources like LinkedIn Salary and Glassdoor, as well as reaching out to professional networks.
  • Make a list of talking points ahead time, including education & certificates, years of relevant experience, the results and achievements as well as unique skill sets and qualifications, industry knowledge and the potential for further training.
  • During negotiations, be assertive and confident, yet flexible and open-minded. Show tangible results that you achieved in your previous roles.
  • Keep a positive and upbeat tone throughout the conversation, and make sure you are listening actively.

Do your research

Before you enter any pay negotiation, it’s crucial to do thorough research on the market and standards in the industry to make sure that your salary proposal is realistic. Some factors that can affect this may include the level of experience, levels, the size of your company, and location (?). One great way to gather data is to connect with your colleagues or those within your field of work.

Research Online

With the help of internet-based resources like [LinkedIn Salary] (https: //www. linkedin. https://www.linkedin.com/salary) and [Glassdoorglassdoor (https: //www. glassdoor. com/Salaries/index. http://www.salaries.com/index.html) you will get a more substantial approach towards the benchmarking range of salary that companies offer for the exact job. It will provide you with an idea about current market rate plus few other factors related to the job.

Your Network is Important

Learn more by talking to acquaintances who have had similar positions or reaching out through professionals networks as well doing brainstorming professionals in professional organizations.

Make Talk points

Preparing for any negotiation is always time well spent. You’ll be much more confident in presenting your case if you have a clearly defined list of points to discuss before the deadline.

Here are a few suggestions of things that you might consider to include in your salary negotiation:

  • Training and certification
  • Years of relevant experience
  • Achievements and results
  • A unique set of skills and characteristics (e.g., bilingualism)
  • Knowledge of the industry
  • Potential for training

Also keeping notes/notebook handy can aid in conversations, so that one doesn’t miss any crucial points.

Be confident & concise

In a negotiation for a salary It is important to be confident and clear. Speak clearly about your experiences, achievements and job expectations. It is important to keep a positive attitude throughout this conversation to ensure that your employer isn’t being insecure.

Highlight Tangible Results

Simply saying that you are driven, hardworking, and aspire-driven person may not be enough to generate an appealing appeal. It is important to present clear and precise data regarding how prior roles have made a difference in companies or how important are certain qualities that help an organisation.

Be flexible

If the employer cannot agree to your salary or compensation arrangement, remaining flexible and open-minded can help create space for discussion. It is possible to inquire about alternative incentive options such as performance-based bonuses or models instead of the Base salary(? ).

You must remain professional throughout the negotiation process - regardless of how well or poorly it’s going Being too aggressive or imposing unreasonable demands can result in an unfavourable outcome for all parties that is.

Practice active listening

Listening is equally as important as communicating during these types of conversations. Listen attentively from the any other participant during negotiations, observing specific requests and resolving doubts as much as you can while remaining in the spirit of your initial request. The goal is to achieve satisfactory results.

Consider the lessons you’ve learned from these conversations and apply it to future discussions you’ll probably be involved in. Applying the advice above goes an enormous way to increasing your chances of achieving positive, mutually beneficial results.

Your Network is Important Talk to your friends who’ve held similar roles or connect with networking networks for professionals as well as brainstorming members within professional organizations.
Plan talking points Qualifications and training, Years of relevant experience and achievements, Unique skills and characteristics (e.g. multilingualism), Industry knowledge, the potential for training
Be confident & concise Talk clearly about your personal experiences accomplishments, job goals and achievements. Make sure you highlight tangible results.
Stay flexible Consider alternative incentives such as incentive structures based on performance rather than Base salary (?). Be sure remain professional during the negotiation process.
Practice active listening Listening is equally as important as communicating during these types of conversations. Take what you have learned away from these conversations and incorporate them into the future negotiations that you’re likely to take part in.


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Frequently asked questions

What is salary negotiation?

Negotiating salary is discussing and finalizing the compensation package for a position. When you negotiate this you are able to discuss more than just your salary base, but also benefits like health insurance, retirement plans and much more.

Why is it necessary to negotiate a salary?

Negotiating your salary could give you a better financial future as well as show that you are aware of your worth. This can help you avoid putting money on the table.

What is the best time to negotiate the salary?

It is ideal to begin negotiations after you have received an offer, so that all parties are informed of what’s being discussed. So, negotiations will focus on securing the best terms, while avoiding any surprises.

What if I am happy with the package I was offered without any negotiation?

If you receive an offer and you are satisfied with it, then there’s probably no need to bargain. However, it’s essential to be clear about what the employers are willing to offer in terms of things like the performance-based bonus or career-training reimbursements.

Do I have the option of negotiating my salary when changing career paths entirely?

Negotiating your salary after changing career paths can require extra preparation due to the fact that your previous experience might not directly translate or encapsulate new responsibilities. Find out what similar jobs in related fields pay in order to get a solid knowledge of the realistic expectations you can set for you, based on your particular situation.

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