# Salary Negotiation Scripts That Actually Work (With Real Numbers) The literature on salary negotiation is large, specific, and largely ignored by people in the middle of their own negotiations. Linda Babcocks work at Carnegie Mellon, documented in *Women Dont Ask* (2003) and subsequent research, quantified what most career coaches had observed anecdotally: the difference between people who negotiate well and people who do not is measured in hundreds of thousands of dollars over a career. Deepak Malhotra and Max Bazermans Harvard Business School research gave the mechanics. Chris Vosss FBI-derived tactical approach added the emotional register. None of this is hidden. It is merely unpracticed. This piece collects the scripts that show up repeatedly in recorded negotiations, coaching transcripts, and the peer-reviewed literature. The scripts are not magic. They produce reliable improvements because they reflect the underlying psychology of how offers are constructed, defended, and adjusted. Expert-written and research-backed, it is aimed at the reader walking into a real conversation, not the reader collecting theory. > "The single largest predictor of negotiation outcome is not tactics. It is preparation. People who walk in with market data, a target number, a walk-away number, and a BATNA outperform people with better delivery and no preparation. Preparation is the compounding variable." -- Deepak Malhotra, *Negotiation Genius* (2007) --- ## Before Any Script: The Four Numbers Every real negotiation runs on four numbers, explicitly or implicitly. Before any script works, you need all four written down. **Target number**: The salary you want, based on market research for the specific role, level, and geography. This is the ambitious but defensible number, typically the 70th to 80th percentile of the market range. **Anchor number**: The first number you say out loud, usually 5 to 15 percent above your target. The anchor pulls the final agreement toward it, so anchoring above target leaves room for concessions that still land on target. **Walk-away number**: The minimum you will accept. Below this, you refuse and pursue your alternative. The walk-away is informed by your financial runway, alternative offers, and cost of time. **BATNA**: Your Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement, the concept from Fisher and Ury at the Harvard Negotiation Project. What you will do if this conversation produces no agreement. Strong BATNA produces patience. Weak BATNA produces concessions. | Research Finding | Source | Practical Implication | |---|---|---| | First offer anchors final agreement significantly | Galinsky and Mussweiler (2001) | Give the first number when well-prepared; anchor above target | | Negotiating adds 7-15% to initial offer on average | Babcock and Laschever (2003) | Almost always attempt negotiation; expected value is strongly positive | | Women negotiate 4x less often than men | Babcock research at Carnegie Mellon | Encourage negotiation regardless of social discomfort; cumulative cost is high | | Salary history bans raise outcomes for underpaid | Hansen and McNichols (2020) | Refuse to disclose prior salary where legally permitted | | Written agreement reduces later disputes | Bazerman research on ratification | Request offer in writing before verbal acceptance | | Package flexibility exceeds base salary flexibility | Malhotra case reports | Negotiate signing bonus, equity, start date when base is fixed | --- ## Doing the Research: Real Numbers, Not Vibes Market research is the first real work. Every other step depends on it. Primary sources worth the time: **Levels.fyi** for tech roles with total compensation including equity. **Glassdoor** and **Payscale** with caveats about self-reported data. **BLS Occupational Employment Statistics** for baseline US ranges. **Government transparency data** where it exists. **LinkedIns salary insights** for broader roles. Industry-specific surveys from professional associations. For regulated industries, public company proxy filings and the DOL H-1B disclosure database, which publishes specific salaries by company and role for visa sponsorships. Secondary method: conversations with recruiters. Three recruiter calls focused on the specific role at the target level yield actionable ranges because recruiters negotiate these numbers daily and have recent market data. The script is: "I am exploring a role at [target level] in [location]. Im not actively job searching right now, but Im trying to calibrate on compensation. What are you seeing for base and total comp for this role?" Third method: peer networks. Ask three to five people in the role, at your level, at comparable companies. Anonymous salary surveys within professional communities work when available. For certification-driven roles where compensation is closely tied to credentials, our coverage at [pass4-sure.us](https://pass4-sure.us/) on certification-linked salary premiums provides current data on which credentials produce measurable compensation gains. The output of research is not a single number. It is a defensible range with evidence for each boundary. When the recruiter asks where you got your number, you need an answer that survives scrutiny. --- ## The Initial Call: The Money Question Before You Have Leverage The first question about money usually comes early, often in the recruiter screen. The traditional advice to deflect it entirely no longer matches how hiring processes run. Recruiters use compensation fit as a screening step and do not want to waste either sides time on misaligned candidates. Total refusal can end the conversation. The move is to give a defensible range anchored high enough to preserve upside while signaling seriousness. **Script for the first call**: "Based on my research for this role at [target level] in [location], and given my experience in [specific relevant domain], I am targeting a base salary in the range of [anchor] to [anchor plus 20 percent], with total compensation appropriate to the equity and bonus structure. I want to make sure we are in the same ballpark before investing more time on both sides. Is that range within what you are working with?" The script does three things. It gives a number, which anchors the conversation. It provides the reasoning, which makes the number harder to negotiate down. It explicitly checks alignment, which respects the recruiters need to screen. **If they ask for your current salary**, depending on jurisdiction: "My current compensation reflects a prior role and market conditions from when I joined. What I care about is the fit and compensation for this specific role. Based on market research, I am targeting [range]." In US states and cities with salary history bans (California, New York, Massachusetts, Colorado, Washington, and roughly a dozen others plus many municipalities), you can decline more firmly: "My understanding is that salary history is not something we need to discuss. Im happy to share my expectations based on the role." **If they push back on the range**, the move is to gather information, not capitulate: "Help me understand the budget for this role. What is the range you are working with?" If they share a range below your target, you have data for the negotiation. If they refuse, that itself is information. --- ## The Offer: Do Not Accept Immediately, Ever The single highest-leverage moment in any negotiation is the first 48 hours after the offer. Acceptance closes the window. Extending the window is what produces the negotiation. **Script when the offer arrives verbally**: "Thank you so much. This is exciting. Can you put the full offer in writing including base, bonus, equity vest schedule, sign-on, start date, and benefits? I want to review everything carefully before responding. Is end of week reasonable?" This is not stalling. Every word is doing work. "Exciting" signals genuine interest without committing. "In writing" creates the reference document. "Everything" signals you will evaluate the package as a whole, not just base. "End of week" sets a concrete, reasonable timeline that gives you real working hours. **Once the written offer arrives**, read it slowly. The first pass is to confirm it matches the verbal discussion. The second pass is to identify negotiable components. The third pass is to calibrate where your research supports your ask. > "In my experience, the strongest move is not arguing hard for a number. It is calibrated questions that make the other side solve your problem. How am I supposed to do that? can move more money than an aggressive counter-offer, because it recruits the negotiator into advocating for you internally." -- Chris Voss, *Never Split the Difference* (2016) --- ## The Counter-Offer: The Full Script The counter is the core move. It arrives within the stated timeline, typically by email, and covers everything you want to change in one message. Piecemeal negotiation weakens your position because each round gives the employer a new chance to lock you in. **Full counter script**, adapt by situation: "Hi [name], Thank you again for the offer. I am very excited about the role and the opportunity to work with [team/manager]. I have reviewed the full package carefully, and I wanted to share a few points where I would like to discuss adjustments before finalizing. Based on my research into market compensation for [role] at [level] in [location], and considering my specific experience with [one or two distinctive qualifications], I was hoping we could align on the following: 1. Base salary of $[target], which reflects the market range for this role and level. 2. Sign-on bonus of $[amount], which would help offset [specific reason: unvested equity at current role, relocation, transition costs]. 3. Start date of [date], which would give me time to [reasonable justification]. I am excited about this role and want to make the math work for both of us. I am confident we can land on something that reflects the value I will bring and the scope of the role. Can we set up a call to discuss? Best, [name]" The structure is specific. Enthusiasm first, specific asks with specific justifications, then a direct request for the next conversation. Notice it does not apologize, does not hedge the asks, and does not offer fallbacks. Offering your own fallback is a classic error that gives the employer a cheaper option than your ask. **On the follow-up call**, the script is different. You are no longer presenting. You are negotiating live. **When they come back with partial movement**: "Thank you for that. That is meaningful. Can we also look at [second ask]? Here is what is on my mind: [reason]. I want to make sure we get this right because I am going to be all in once I sign." This acknowledges the concession, returns to the remaining asks, and reframes the remaining conversation as a shared problem. **When they ask what number would make you sign**: Be careful. This is a commitment elicitation. The strongest answer is a specific number at or above your target with a clean condition: "If we can agree on [target base] with [additional element], I am ready to accept today." Do not offer this number until you are genuinely ready to sign at it. **When they say the budget is fixed at base**: "I understand base is constrained. Can we look at sign-on, equity, or start date? Those sometimes have more flexibility." This is the Malhotra move: when one dimension is fixed, expand the dimensions under discussion. --- ## Handling the Pushbacks Negotiators defend offers with a small number of standard moves. Recognizing them lets you respond rather than react. **"Our bands do not allow that."** Often true for base, often false for total comp. Response: "I hear the band constraint. Where does the flexibility usually live for this level? Sign-on, equity refresh, review timeline?" **"That is well above what we pay for this level."** Data check. Response: "Thank you for the context. My research showed [specific sources and numbers]. Can you help me understand the gap? Is the role leveled differently than I assumed?" This invites a correction on leveling, which sometimes results in a level bump and a higher band. **"We cannot match your other offer."** Not the point. Response: "I understand. This is not really about that offer. I am genuinely most excited about this role. The question is whether we can land on a number that reflects the role and my scope. What can you do within your constraints?" **"We will revisit at six months."** Soft deferral. Response: "Appreciate that. Can we document that commitment in the offer letter with specific criteria? If we hit [specific milestones], the adjustment to [specific amount] triggers automatically." If they will not put it in writing, the future raise is not a real offer. **"If you do not accept by [date], we move on."** Timeline pressure. Response: "I understand the urgency. I want to make sure I give this the decision it deserves. What is driving the deadline? Is there flexibility to [specific extension]?" Legitimate deadlines have specific reasons. Manufactured deadlines often soften when probed. | Employer Move | Underlying Signal | Recommended Response | |---|---|---| | Asks current salary early | Trying to anchor offer to your old pay | Pivot to market-based expectations; invoke salary history bans where applicable | | Gives range that starts at your anchor | Your anchor was too low | Re-anchor higher with new justification | | Gives one number as offer | Signaling flexibility exists above it | Counter with specific asks and reasoning | | Says "this is our final offer" on first response | Face-saving, not genuine endpoint | Probe which elements have flexibility | | Offers verbal agreement without writing | Creating commitment before you review | Request written offer before any acceptance | | Pressures for acceptance within hours | Reducing your time for alternatives | Request reasonable review window; probe deadline reason | --- ## Equity and Total Compensation For roles with equity, base salary is often the least important component of the long-term package. A 10 percent increase in base is worth roughly the same as the tax-adjusted value of perhaps 5 to 15 percent more in equity at typical valuation and vest assumptions. At senior levels, equity negotiation often produces larger dollar outcomes than base salary negotiation. The components worth negotiating explicitly: number of shares or units, vest schedule (4-year with 1-year cliff is standard; faster vest is negotiable at senior levels), refresh grant cadence, exercise window if it is a stock option package, and acceleration triggers in acquisition scenarios. For private companies, the key question is strike price and 409A valuation context. Early-stage equity is high variance. Late-stage equity has more transparent valuation but less upside. The Malhotra principle applies: if base is fixed, expand to the adjacent dimensions. For readers evaluating offers across multiple companies with different equity structures, the math gets complicated enough that spreadsheet modeling is warranted. The [timestamp and date calculators at file-converter-free.com](https://file-converter-free.com/timestamp-converter) are useful for modeling vest schedules across date ranges. Our coverage at [whats-your-iq.com](https://whats-your-iq.com/) on probabilistic thinking and [evolang.info](https://evolang.info/) on clear written communication help with both the math and the written counter-proposals. --- ## The Internal Raise: A Different Script Internal raises follow different dynamics than external offers. The scripts above are for negotiating a new job. The raise conversation is a separate genre with its own script. The preparation is documentation of specific outcomes. Not activity. Outcomes. Revenue influenced. Costs saved. Efficiency gains measurable. Strategic initiatives led. Hiring or mentorship impact. The write-up is one page, bulleted, with numbers. This is the artifact you bring to the conversation. The meeting is not a performance review. It is a separate conversation, preferably scheduled 60 to 90 days before budget cycle decisions land, so that your manager has time to advocate for the adjustment before numbers get locked. **Script for the opener**: "I wanted to have a dedicated conversation about my compensation and role trajectory. Over the past [period], here is the scope I have grown into and the impact I have had. [Brief summary with numbers.] Based on the expanded scope and my research on market compensation for this role, I am targeting [specific number or percentage]. I wanted to discuss how we get there." The manager rarely has unilateral authority. The real question is whether they will advocate. Their advocacy depends on whether they agree with your framing and whether you have made their case easy. **When they say they will take it to HR**: "Thank you. Can you share the timing and what you plan to advocate for? I want to make sure we are aligned on the target before you take it up the chain." **When they offer a smaller increase**: "I appreciate that movement. Where is the gap coming from? Is it scope, market data, band constraints, or something else? I want to understand so we can work on the remaining piece together." This converts it from an adversarial moment to a collaborative one. **When the answer is not now**: "I hear that. What specific outcomes or milestones would make this possible by [date]? I want to make sure we have a concrete path so I am not back in this same conversation in a year." For the harder case where internal negotiation stalls and external offers become the realistic path, note that the leverage of an external offer is maximum at the moment you receive it and decays as soon as you disclose it. The decision to use an external offer is effectively a decision to leave, because the trust cost is high even when the counter works. Most people who use external offers for raises leave within 18 months regardless of outcome. > "The best time to negotiate your next role is while you are still exceeding expectations in the current one. The worst time is when you are resentful about being underpaid. The market values the momentum of your current performance, not your past complaint." -- Linda Babcock, *Women Dont Ask* (2003) --- ## Walking Away: The Most Underused Move The ability to walk away credibly is what distinguishes strong negotiators from weak ones. It is also the move most people will not exercise. The research on reservation prices shows that stated walk-away numbers are routinely violated once the conversation is in motion, particularly when the target is emotionally invested in the role or company. The protection is writing the walk-away number down before the first conversation, and reviewing it before each subsequent conversation. When a final offer lands below the walk-away, the decision has already been made. You do not need to decide again in the moment. **Script for walking away gracefully**: "Thank you for the conversation and the offer. I have thought about this carefully. The package does not work for me at this level given [specific reason: alternatives, financial needs, scope of role]. I really appreciate the time and consideration, and I would be open to staying in touch about future roles that might align. Please let me know if anything changes on your end, and I will do the same." Walking away gracefully preserves the relationship. Many offers that were declined respectfully turn into better offers a few weeks later or future roles a year later. Aggressive exits close doors that do not need to close. For business-formation contexts where the negotiation is about equity, partnership splits, or contractual terms rather than employment compensation, the framework adapts but the structure holds. Our coverage at [corpy.xyz](https://corpy.xyz/) on partnership agreements and business formation walks through the equivalent analysis for founder and co-founder negotiations. ## A Note on Non-Negotiation as a Choice The research suggests negotiation is almost always positive expected value. The research also notes that individual preferences around negotiation energy, conflict tolerance, and relationship optimization vary. A reader who genuinely evaluates the upside and decides it is not worth the effort has made a coherent choice. A reader who does not negotiate because they are afraid to has made a choice that typically costs five to six figures over the life of the role. The distinction is whether the calculation was done. Doing the calculation is the point. See also: [Career Capital Explained](/articles/work-skills/career-growth/career-capital-explained) | [Career Decision Making](/articles/work-skills/career-growth/career-decision-making) --- ## References 1. Babcock, L., & Laschever, S. (2003). *Women Dont Ask: Negotiation and the Gender Divide*. Princeton University Press. 2. Malhotra, D., & Bazerman, M. H. (2007). *Negotiation Genius: How to Overcome Obstacles and Achieve Brilliant Results at the Bargaining Table and Beyond*. Bantam. 3. Galinsky, A. D., & Mussweiler, T. (2001). "First Offers as Anchors: The Role of Perspective-Taking and Negotiator Focus." *Journal of Personality and Social Psychology*, 81(4), 657-669. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.81.4.657 4. Voss, C. (2016). *Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as If Your Life Depended on It*. Harper Business. 5. Fisher, R., Ury, W., & Patton, B. (2011). *Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In* (3rd ed.). Penguin. 6. Hansen, B., & McNichols, D. (2020). "Information and the Persistence of the Gender Wage Gap: Early Evidence from Californias Salary History Ban." NBER Working Paper 27054. https://doi.org/10.3386/w27054 7. Cappelli, P., & Conyon, M. J. (2018). "What Do Performance Appraisals Do?" *Industrial and Labor Relations Review*, 71(1), 88-116. https://doi.org/10.1177/0019793917698649 8. Bowles, H. R., Babcock, L., & Lai, L. (2007). "Social Incentives for Gender Differences in the Propensity to Initiate Negotiations." *Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes*, 103(1), 84-103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2006.09.001

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it true that you should never give the first number?

The advice is outdated. Research by Adam Galinsky at Columbia and Thomas Mussweiler at London Business School on first-offer effects shows the first number acts as a powerful anchor that pulls the final agreement in its direction. When you have market data supporting your number, giving it first is usually advantageous. When you lack information, asking first makes sense. The modern guidance from Deepak Malhotra and Max Bazermans Harvard Business School research is to give the first number if you are well-prepared, and to give it as a range anchored on your target.

How much more can I realistically get by negotiating?

Meta-analyses of compensation outcomes suggest typical gains of 7 to 15 percent above the initial offer for external hires, with larger gains for senior roles and negotiable equity packages. Linda Babcocks research at Carnegie Mellon found that men negotiate starting salary about four times more often than women and that the cumulative lifetime cost of not negotiating a first job by age 60, assuming annual raises, exceeds $500,000. For internal promotions, the range is narrower, typically 3 to 8 percent, because internal pay bands constrain movement.

What should I say when they ask my current salary?

In jurisdictions where the question is legal, the strongest response is to pivot to expected compensation based on market research rather than disclosing current pay, which anchors the offer below market for underpaid candidates. A clean script: My current total compensation reflects a prior role and market conditions. Based on the scope of this role and current market data for similar positions, I am targeting [range]. In California, New York, Colorado, and several other US states and cities, employers are prohibited by law from asking or using current salary history for new offers.

Should I negotiate over email or on a call?

The research suggests mode matters less than preparation. Email gives time to consider wording, reduces emotional pressure, and creates a written record, which favors less experienced negotiators. Phone calls allow faster iteration and relationship-building, which experienced negotiators can leverage. Deepak Malhotras guidance is to match the mode the employer prefers for the initial discussion, then shift to whichever mode serves you in later rounds. Written follow-ups after phone conversations are standard practice and create the record even if the negotiation happens verbally.

What do I do if they say the offer is final?

Final is rarely final on a first statement. The research on negotiation endpoints shows genuine endpoints are communicated with specific reasons tied to policy or budget authority, while face-saving final statements are defended with general language. A useful test script: I understand. Can you help me understand what is fixed versus what has flexibility? Signing bonus, start date, equity vest, relocation, and title are often moveable when base salary is not. When all elements are genuinely fixed, accepting gracefully or walking with respect are the two remaining moves.

How do I negotiate a raise when Im already employed?

Internal negotiations follow a different script than external offers. The research by Peter Cappelli at Wharton on internal pay dynamics shows internal raises correlate more with documented impact and role scope change than with market alternatives. The effective sequence is: document specific outcomes tied to revenue, cost savings, or strategic initiatives; research the market rate for your expanded scope; schedule the conversation separate from performance review; and request a specific number based on scope rather than market generally. External offers as leverage work but damage trust and typically produce one-time gains at the cost of longer-term standing.

What is BATNA and why does it matter for salary?

BATNA stands for Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement, a term from Roger Fisher and William Ury of the Harvard Negotiation Project. In salary terms, your BATNA is what you will do if this negotiation ends without agreement. A strong BATNA (another offer, your current job, freelance income, runway) gives you patience and the credible ability to walk away. Weak BATNA (no alternative, immediate financial pressure) reduces leverage. Strengthening BATNA before negotiating produces better outcomes than improving tactics at the table. Starting a job search while employed is the classic BATNA improvement for raise conversations.