Salary Negotiation Template
Prepare to negotiate your salary with confidence and data
Starting idea
This template starts your interview with the idea below, so you can skip the blank page
Got a job offer for $95k but was hoping for $110k based on my research. They seem excited about me but I've never negotiated before and don't want to screw it up. Start date is in 3 weeks.
Questions the interview asks
A sample of what the AI covers for this topic — the full interview adapts to your answers
- Evidence
What's your $110k number based on — posted ranges for this exact role and level, or general market data? The strength of your source decides how hard you can anchor.
- Full package
Beyond base: what are the bonus, equity, and benefits worth? A $95k base with a 10% bonus and strong 401k match may already be near $110k total.
- Leverage
Do you have another active process, a current job you're happy staying in, or neither? Your walk-away position shapes the entire script.
- Their constraints
Did the recruiter mention a band, or is this a small company where the number came from the founder's gut? Bands flex differently than gut numbers.
- The ask
If they can't move base, what's your priority order for alternatives — signing bonus, extra equity, a 6-month review with defined criteria, title, PTO?
- Risk comfort
What outcome would make you decline this offer entirely — and are you at peace with the small chance a negotiation ends there?
What your plan covers
The finished plan is organized into sections like these
- Market case
Your $110k ask backed by the three strongest data points for this role and level, and how to present them without ultimatums.
- Total compensation map
The full offer valued line by line — base, bonus, equity, benefits — so you negotiate the real gap, not just the headline number.
- The counter script
The exact wording for your counter, delivered with enthusiasm for the role, plus responses to 'that's above our band,' 'we need an answer today,' and silence.
- Fallback ladder
Your priority-ordered alternatives if base won't move — signing bonus, equity, early review — and the minimum package you'll accept, decided in advance.
- Timeline and channel
When to send the counter within your 3-week window, why email-then-call works for first-time negotiators, and how to close warmly once terms land.
How it works
Three steps from template to complete plan
- 1 Start with the template
Click the button below to load this template into your session with the idea pre-filled.
- 2 Answer AI questions
Our AI interviewer asks targeted follow-up questions to understand your specific situation and needs.
- 3 Get your plan
Receive a clear, detailed, and actionable plan tailored to exactly what you described.
Frequently asked questions
Can negotiating a job offer get it rescinded?
It's rare — well under 1 in 100 for a respectful, evidence-based counter. Offers get pulled over ultimatums, repeated re-negotiation after agreement, or hostile tone, not over a counter itself. Companies expect negotiation; recruiters build room into first offers. Pair your counter with genuine enthusiasm and a specific number, and the realistic worst case is 'no, the offer stands.'
How much should I counter above a job offer?
10-20% above the offered base is the normal range when you have market data — your $95k to $110k ask is 16%, squarely reasonable. Counter with a specific number, not a range (ranges get answered at the bottom), and lead with your strongest evidence. Most negotiations settle near the middle, so expect $100-105k plus possible non-base sweeteners.
Should I negotiate salary by email or phone?
For a first-time negotiator: email first, then be ready to talk. Email lets you state your case precisely with data, gives them room to check with finance, and creates a record. Send it 2-3 days after the offer — quickly enough to show seriousness, slow enough to have built your case. If they call to discuss, that's a good sign; have your fallback ladder in front of you.
Ready to plan your salary negotiation?
Start with this template. AI handles the questions from here.
Free — no sign-up needed to start.
Use this template