How to Negotiate Salary for Your Next Career Move

Posted by Dunedin Resume on 16 Oct 2025

A salary negotiation is an arduous process because it is about balancing what you believe you’re worth with what the employer thinks they’re able to afford. However, if done correctly it could be positive for both sides that results in a higher pay for the employee, as well as greater employees’ engagement in their jobs. Here’s how you can negotiate your salary with confidence.

Principal Takeaways

  • Before you negotiate your salary study market rates and industry standards to ensure the salary you request is reasonable.
  • Gather information through the networking of colleagues, using online tools like LinkedIn Salary and Glassdoor, as well as reaching out to professional networks.
  • Make a list of talking points ahead time, including education and certification, years of relevant experiences, achievements and results as well as unique skill sets and qualities, industry knowledge, and potential for training.
  • During the negotiation, you must be confident and clear, but be flexible and open. You should highlight tangible results you achieved in your previous roles.
  • Maintain a positive tone throughout the conversation and be active in your listening.

Do your research

Before you enter any negotiations regarding salary, it’s essential to conduct a thorough study of market rates and industry standards to make sure that your salary proposal is reasonable. The factors that could affect the amount you are offered could be your experience level, company size and geographical location. (?). A great method of gathering information is through networking with your colleagues or those in your chosen profession.

Research Online

With the help of online resources, such as [LinkedIn Salary] (https http://www. linkedin. https://www.linkedin.com/salary) and [Glassdoorglassdoor (https http://www. glassdoor. com/Salaries/index. Htm) you will get a more substantial approach towards the range of benchmarking salaries businesses are providing for same role which will gives you an idea of current market rate and a few other aspects related to the position.

Your Network is Important

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

Plan Talking points

Preparing for a negotiations is always a good time spent. You’ll be more confident when giving your argument if you are prepared with a specific set of talking points outlined before the deadline.

Here are a few examples of things that you might want to think about to include in your salary negotiation:

  • Certification and education
  • Years of relevant experience
  • Performances and results
  • Unique skill set and qualities (e.g. the ability to speak two languages)
  • Know-how in the field
  • Potential for training

Also keeping notes/notebook handy can also help during conversations so that you don’t miss any important points.

Be confident & concise

When you negotiate your salary it’s crucial to appear confident and clear. Talk clearly about your work experience, achievements and job expectations. It’s crucial to maintain your tone of voice positive throughout the discussion so that the employer isn’t coming across as unfriendly.

Highlight the tangible results

Simply saying that you are driven, hardworking, and goal-oriented might not be enough to make an impressive appeal. It is important to present clear and precise data about how your previous positions made a difference in companies or how valuable are specific qualities that benefit the organization.

Be flexible

If the employer isn’t able to your salary or compensation package Being flexible and open can allow room for discussions. It is possible to inquire about alternative incentive options such as performance-based bonuses or structures instead of the Base salary(? ).

Make sure to remain professional throughout the negotiation process - regardless of how well or not: being too combative or making unreasonable demands could cause a negative result for everyone affected.

Practice active listening

Listening is equally as important as communicating in these types of conversations. Do listen actively from another party while you negotiate, listening to the specific requests and resolving questions if needed, but remaining in the spirit of your original request. The goal is to be able to reach a satisfactory conclusion.

Use the lessons you’ve learned away from these conversations and incorporate it into any future discussions you’ll probably be involved in. Following the tips above goes an enormous way to increasing the chances of achieving an agreement that is mutually beneficial.

Your Network is Important Speak to friends who have held similar roles or connect with networking networks for professionals and brainstorming with members of professional associations.
Create talking points Education & certification, Years of relevant work experience, results and achievements, Unique skills and characteristics (e.g. multilingualism), Industry knowledge, Training potential
Be confident & concise Talk clearly about your personal experiences accomplishments, job goals and achievements. Use tangible results to highlight your achievements.
Be flexible Find out about other incentives, such as performance-based bonus structures instead of Base salary (?). Be sure remain professional during the negotiation process.
Practice active listening Listening is equally important in these types of conversations. You can take the lessons you’ve 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 negotiating and deciding on the compensation package for a position. During this process you will be able to discuss not only your base salary but also other benefits, such as retirement plans, health insurance and much more.

Why is it so important to negotiate salary?

Negotiating your pay can provide you a greater financial future as well as indicate that you are aware of your worth. It also helps you avoid putting money on the table.

What is the best time to negotiate the salary?

It is recommended to begin negotiations after receiving an offer so everyone is aware of what is being negotiated. This way, the negotiations will focus on securing perfect terms while avoiding unexpected surprise.

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

If you accept an offer and are happy with it, there’s probably no need to negotiate. However, it’s still essential to communicate clearly what the employers are willing to offer in the form of compensation for training or performance-based bonuses.

Do I have the option of negotiating my salary when changing careers?

Salary negotiation when changing careers may require more planning because your prior experiences might not translate or be a part of the new job. Learn about the salaries similar to those in related fields pay, to develop a thorough comprehension of realistic expectations for yourself, in light of your specific circumstances.

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