How to Negotiate Salary for Your Next Career Move

Posted by Pro Resume Writers Melbourne on 19 Aug 2025

Negotiating your salary is a difficult conversation, as it requires you to balance what you consider your worth and the amount an employer believes they can afford. If done properly it could be positive for both parties, resulting in a higher pay for the employee as well as greater engagement of the employee in their job. Here’s how to negotiate your salary confidently.

Principal Takeaways

  • Before you make a salary offer, research market rates and industry standards to confirm that your salary proposal is realistic.
  • Find out information by networking with colleagues, using online resources such as LinkedIn Salary and Glassdoor, and reaching out to professional networks.
  • Create talking points ahead of time, including education & certifications as well as years of relevant experience, the results and achievements with a unique set of skills and qualifications, industry knowledge and potential for training.
  • During the negotiation, be confident and clear, but be flexible and open. Show tangible results that you have achieved in previous positions.
  • Maintain a positive tone throughout the conversation, and be active in your listening.

Do your research

Before you begin any salary negotiation, you need to do thorough research on market rates and industry standards to ensure that your salary suggestion is realistic. Factors that might impact this include experience levels, the size of your company and geographical location. (?). A great method of gathering data is to connect with colleagues or other professionals who are in the same profession.

Research Online

Utilizing internet-based resources like [LinkedIn SalaryUtilizing some of the online resources, such as [LinkedIn Salary (https: //www. linkedin. https://www.linkedin.com/salary) and [Glassdoorglassdoor (https http://www. glassdoor. com/Salaries/index. http://www.salaries.com/index.html) You can find a more comprehensive information about the salary range that benchmarking that companies offer for the exact job. This will give you an idea of the current market prices and also other factors related to an employment.

Your Network Is Important

Learn more by talking to acquaintances who have had similar positions, or contacting them through the professional networks as well doing brainstorming members within professional organizations.

Make Talking points

Time spent preparing for any meeting is time well spent. You’ll be more confident when the presentation of your case if have a clear outline of your talking points prior to the time.

Here are some ideas of things you may want to consider when negotiating your salary:

  • Education and certification
  • Experience gained through years of relevant work
  • Performances and results
  • A unique set of skills and characteristics (e.g. bilingualism)
  • Know-how in the field
  • Potential for training

A notepad or notebook can also help during conversations so it is not lost important details.

Be confident & concise

In a negotiation for a salary it’s crucial to appear confident and articulate. Talk clearly about your work experience accomplishments, your job goals and achievements. It’s important to maintain a positive attitude throughout this dialogue so that the employer doesn’t feel like you’re seeming aggressive.

Show tangible results

Simply stating that one is committed, hardworking, and goal-oriented may not be enough for an impressive appeal. So put forward clear statistics on how previous roles made an impact in the workplace or what are the most valuable skills that can benefit an organization.

Remain flexible

If the employer cannot agree to your requested salary or compensation plan in full Being flexible and open will allow for discussions. You could ask about alternative incentives like performance-based bonus structures instead of the Base salary(? ).

You must remain professional throughout the negotiation process regardless of how well or not: fighting too much or imposing unreasonable demands is likely to lead to a negative outcome for everyone involved.

Practice active listening

Listening is equally as important as communicating during these types of conversations. Be attentive to the any other participant during negotiations, observing specific requests and resolving doubts as much as you can while maintaining the original request. Ultimately both parties should be able to reach a satisfactory conclusion.

Consider the lessons you’ve learned away from these conversations and incorporate it into the next talks you’re likely to participate in. Applying the advice above goes far in maximizing the chance of achieving positive outcomes that are mutually beneficial.

Your network is important Contact friends and acquaintances who have been in similar positions or reach out via networking networks for professionals as well as brainstorming members of professional associations.
Plan talking points Education & certification, Years of relevant experience, Performance and achievements, Unique skill set and qualities (e.g. the ability to speak two languages) Knowledge of the industry, Potential for training
Be confident & concise Make sure you are clear about your experience your accomplishments and expectations for the job. Focus on tangible results.
Be flexible You can inquire about alternative incentives such as incentive structures based on performance rather than Base salary. (?). Make sure to remain professional during the negotiation.
Practice active listening Listening is as crucial as communicating during these types of conversations. Learn away from these conversations and incorporate them into future negotiations you’ll likely take part in.


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Frequently asked questions

What is salary negotiation?

The process involves negotiating and finalizing the compensation package for a job. Through this process you are able to discuss more than just your salary base, but also benefits like retirement plans, health insurance and many more.

Why is it important to discuss salary?

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

When should I start negotiating the salary?

It is ideal to begin negotiations immediately after receiving an offer so everyone is aware of what is being discussed. So, negotiations are focused on securing ideal terms while avoiding surprises.

What if I am content with the package I was offered without negotiating?

If you accept an offer and you are satisfied with the offer, then there’s no reason to discuss it. But it’s important to communicate clearly what your employer’s expectations regarding things such as performance-based bonuses or career-training reimbursements.

Can I negotiate my salary if switching careers completely?

Salary negotiation when changing career paths may require added preparation due to the fact that your previous experiences may not be directly applicable or relate to the new duties. Research what similar roles in related industries offer to have a clear knowledge of the realistic expectations you can set for yourself, in light of the specific circumstances.

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