In this article
How to use these questions and the exact words
Read the entries in order if you are preparing for an offer, or jump to the group that matches the moment you are in. The wider path is in the complete guide to negotiating salary, and the spoken, story-based side of the same conversations is in the behavioral interview guide.
Two terms recur. Anchoring is the pull that the first number mentioned in a negotiation exerts on every number that follows, first documented by Tversky and Kahneman (Harvard Law School, undated). Salary history is what a candidate was paid in past jobs, as opposed to what the candidate expects in the new one.
The order that most entries assume is: ask for the range, give a researched range, get the offer in writing, counter once with reasons, and confirm the final terms in writing. Treat the order as editorial advice, not a rule: usually ask about the range before you name a number, and counter once, with reasons, before you accept.
Text description of the diagram
- Ask about the range before you name a number.
- Counter once, with reasons, before you accept.
Every script uses X and Y for numbers you fill in from your own research. Use a script only if it is true for you; never claim an offer you do not hold. The legal points are United States and California examples, and the rules vary by country and by state.
Before you name a number
What are your salary expectations?
Give a researched range, not a single figure, and make the bottom of the range a number you would happily accept. In California this question is lawful even though asking about past pay is not, because the statute allows employers to ask about salary expectation (California Legislature, Labor Code section 432.3).
Exact words: "Based on the scope of the role and what similar roles pay, I'm looking at X to Y, and I'd like to understand the full package."
Why it is asked: it shows whether you researched and can state a number calmly. Read the full explanation: how to answer what are your salary expectations.
What is your current salary?
Redirect to the role's value instead of your past pay. California bars employers from seeking salary history, orally or in writing, directly or through an agent, although you may volunteer it without prompting (California Department of Industrial Relations). Volunteering is optional and can set an anchor, so a figure from your last job may shape everything after it.
Exact words: "I'd rather focus on what this role is worth than on what I earn now. Based on my research, I'm looking at X to Y."
Why it is asked: it tests whether you can stay polite and keep control of the number. Read the full explanation: what to say when asked your current salary.
Is it legal for an employer to ask my salary history?
It depends on where the job is. California bars the question and also lets an applicant request the pay scale for a position (California Legislature). For private employers there is no federal salary-history ban; the bans that exist are state and local laws. California makes an exception for salary history that is public under state or federal law (California Department of Industrial Relations). Check your own state's labor department.
Exact words: "I understand the question, but I'd rather discuss the range for this role."
Why it is asked: knowing the rule keeps you from volunteering a number out of surprise. Read the full explanation: what to say when asked your current salary.
Can I ask what the pay range is before I answer?
Yes, and doing it early is sensible: Harvard Law School advises asking whether salary ranges are available before you begin negotiating, and notes that employers who are not required to post ranges may share them anyway or be nudged toward it (Harvard Law School, undated).
Exact words: "Before I give a number, could you share the pay range for this role?"
Why it is asked: a recruiter notices whether you gather information before committing. Read the full explanation: recruiter screen compensation questions.
Should I say a number first?
Prefer to hear the range first, mainly for information: you learn the budget and avoid naming a figure below it. The trade-off is anchoring, because the first number mentioned tends to pull what follows (Harvard Law School, undated). If you are well informed, naming an ambitious, researched range first can anchor the talk in your favour; the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School describes this as a "non-offer offer" (Program on Negotiation, undated). If the employer will not share a range, name your own researched range so that the anchor is a number you chose.
Exact words: "I'd like to learn more about the scope first. Can you share the range you have budgeted for this level?"
Why it is asked: it shows whether you weigh the value of information against the pull of anchoring. Read the full explanation: the complete salary negotiation guide.
How do I find out what the role should pay?
Combine sources. Harvard Law School advises consulting others in your field or reviewing objective industry standards before making any demands (Harvard Law School, undated). The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) notes that earnings in every occupation vary by experience, responsibility, performance, tenure and geographic area (BLS, undated).
Exact words (to a peer): "I'm preparing for an offer for a role like X. What range would you consider reasonable?"
Why it is asked: a number backed by research survives pushback. Read the full explanation: the complete salary negotiation guide.
What if they keep pressing me for a number I'm not ready to give?
Give a range and tie it to the information you still lack, then ask the budget question again. A range with a firm bottom protects you more than a refusal that sounds evasive, and it keeps the conversation moving.
Exact words: "I want to be fair to both of us, and I don't have enough detail on scope to name one figure. Based on my research, X to Y is where I'd expect this to land. What is the budget for this level?"
Why it is asked: it shows how you handle pressure without losing the thread. Read the full explanation: recruiter screen compensation questions.
Knowing it is half the job. Saying it is the other half.
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How do I respond when I first receive the offer?
Thank them, show interest and ask for the details in writing, then take a short time to review. Do not accept or counter on the first call, because you want the full terms in front of you.
Exact words: "Thank you, I'm excited about this. Could you send the details in writing? I'll review them and come back to you by Thursday."
Why it is asked: it shows you can stay composed at the point where candidates most often rush. Read the full explanation: negotiating a tech offer.
Will asking for more get the offer pulled?
There is always some chance, especially if you have no competing offer; the page cautions that without a competing offer there is always a chance bargaining may lead the employer to revoke the offer (Harvard Law School, July 2026). The advice is caution, not silence: a courteous, reasoned question is a different act from an ultimatum.
Exact words: "I'm very interested in this role. Is there flexibility on the base salary?"
Why it is asked: it reveals whether fear or judgement drives your decision. Read the full explanation: the complete salary negotiation guide.
How much does negotiating actually add?
In a 2009 survey of 149 professional employees hired in the previous three years, those who negotiated raised starting pay by an average of about 5,000 dollars. The same page estimates that a 25-year-old who starts at 55,000 rather than 50,000 dollars earns about 634,000 dollars more over a 40-year career with annual 5% raises (Harvard Law School, July 2026). Our own sum of a 5,000 gap with 5% yearly raises over 40 years is about 604,000, so the source's figure depends on its timing assumptions.2 The sample is small and specific, so treat the figures as an illustration.
Exact words: "Is there any flexibility on the starting base salary?"
Why it is asked: it frames why one conversation deserves preparation. Read the full explanation: the complete salary negotiation guide.
How do I ask for more money without sounding demanding?
Start from enthusiasm, ask a question instead of issuing a demand, and give one reason tied to the role. A question such as "is there flexibility" invites a yes or a reason, while "I need" invites a refusal.
Exact words: "I'm excited to join. Based on the scope and my experience with X, I was hoping for Y. Is there room to get closer to that?"
Why it is asked: tone is part of how you would negotiate for the team later. Read the full explanation: negotiating a tech offer.
What do I say if I have a competing offer?
Say so plainly and only if it is true, state that this role is your preference if that is true, and name the number that would make you accept. A real competing offer also reduces the risk of asking, which is the caution Harvard Law School attaches to negotiating without one (Harvard Law School, July 2026).
Exact words: "I have another offer I'm weighing, but this role is my first choice. If we can get to X, I'm ready to accept."
Why it is asked: it tests honesty and clarity under leverage. Read the full explanation: negotiating a tech offer.
What do I say if I have no competing offer?
Lean on research and on specific value, not on a threat. State what you found for the level and what you bring, then ask whether the number can move.
Exact words: "Based on my research for this level and my experience with X, I was expecting closer to Y. Can we get there?"
Why it is asked: it shows you can argue from evidence instead of pressure. Read the full explanation: the complete salary negotiation guide.
How do I counter an offer?
A counteroffer is your reply to an offer that names the terms you want. Thank them, name one number, give one or two reasons and stop speaking. Usually counter once, as editorial advice, and do not reopen items already settled.
Exact words: "Thank you for the offer; I'm excited about it. Given X and Y, I'd like to ask for a base of Z. Is that something we can do?"
Why it is asked: it shows structure and restraint when stakes are high. Read the full explanation: negotiating a tech offer.
How much higher should I counter?
Anchor the counter to the employer's range and to your research. Take an illustrative range of 100,000 to 130,000 and an offer of 105,000: the offer sits about 17 percent of the way up the range. A counter at the midpoint, 115,000, is about 9.5 percent above the offer; a counter of 120,000 is about 14 percent above.3 Pick the number you can justify.
Exact words: "The range I'm seeing for this level goes up to Y, and with my background in X I'd like to be at Z."
Why it is asked: it checks whether your ask is grounded or arbitrary. Read the full explanation: how to answer what are your salary expectations.
Beyond base pay
What other parts of compensation can I negotiate?
Base salary is one lever. Others include a sign-on payment, annual bonus terms, stock grants, vacation, the start date, the title and the review date. Which ones have room depends on the employer, so ask what is flexible instead of assuming.
Exact words: "If the base is fixed, is there flexibility in the sign-on bonus, the review date or the equity?"
Why it is asked: it shows you weigh the whole package, not one figure. Read the full explanation: negotiating a tech offer.
How do I ask about bonus and stock?
Ask how each piece is set and paid before you judge the total. For a bonus, ask what it is based on and how it was paid recently. For stock, ask the grant size, the vesting schedule and what happens if you leave. Get the answers in writing.
Exact words: "Could you walk me through how the bonus is determined, and how the equity vests?"
Why it is asked: it tests whether you understand pay you cannot see in the base figure. Read the full explanation: recruiter screen compensation questions.
Can I negotiate start date, title or remote work?
You can ask, and these items are sometimes easier to move than base pay. Link each request to a reason, such as notice at your current job or the scope you will own, and ask for one or two items, not a long list.
Exact words: "I'd like to start on X to finish my current commitments. Would that work?"
Why it is asked: it shows you can negotiate terms that cost the employer little. Read the full explanation: the complete salary negotiation guide.
How do I ask for time to decide?
Ask for a specific date and give a reason, usually that you want to review the full terms. A clear date is easier to grant than an open request, and it shows seriousness.
Exact words: "Thank you, I'd like to review this carefully. Would it be all right if I get back to you by Friday?"
Why it is asked: it checks that you will not rush a major decision under pressure. Read the full explanation: negotiating a tech offer.
What do I say if they tell me the offer is final?
Accept the statement, then ask about other terms or a later review. Do not argue the point. A final base does not always mean every other term is final.
Exact words: "I understand. Are other terms, such as a sign-on payment, title or an early review date, flexible?"
Why it is asked: it tests whether you stay constructive when told no. Read the full explanation: negotiating a tech offer.
Pushback and hard moments
What if they say this is the budget?
Acknowledge it and move to what can change: the review date, the scope, or other terms. Ask for a written plan for a review instead of a vague promise.
Exact words: "I understand the budget is set. Could we agree on a compensation review after six months, tied to goals we write down?"
Why it is asked: it shows creative problem solving within a limit. Read the full explanation: the complete salary negotiation guide.
What if they ask what it would take for me to sign?
Name one specific number and the terms around it. A clear answer shows you know what you want, and it lets the employer take it away to approve.
Exact words: "A base of X, with the start date we discussed, would make this an easy yes."
Why it is asked: it tests whether you can commit to a figure you can defend. Read the full explanation: negotiating a tech offer.
What if they ask why I deserve more?
Answer with evidence: the scope of the role, a result you produced that matches it, and what your research shows. Avoid personal need, because the employer is pricing the role.
Exact words: "The role needs X, and in my last position I delivered Y. Roles at this level in my research are at Z, so that is my reason for asking."
Why it is asked: it separates a justified ask from a hopeful one. Read the full explanation: the complete salary negotiation guide.
What if they ask whether I'll accept if they match my number?
Say yes only if it is true. If other factors remain, say what they are before the employer works to match you. A promise to accept is a commitment the employer may act on by seeking approval, so a yes that later turns into new requests costs you credibility. Name any open item, such as the start date or equity, in the same breath.
Exact words: "If we can reach X, I'm ready to accept. The only other thing I'd like to confirm is Y."
Why it is asked: it checks that your word can be relied on. Read the full explanation: negotiating a tech offer.
What if they ask which other companies I'm talking to?
You do not have to name them. Describe where you are in the process in true terms, and return to the role you are discussing. Naming other employers adds little to your case, and a true description of your stage, such as final rounds or an offer pending, gives the employer the timing information it needs without a bluff.
Exact words: "I'd rather not name them, but I'm in later stages elsewhere. This role is high on my list, and that's why I'd like to settle the details."
Why it is asked: it tests whether you protect your position without bluffing. Read the full explanation: recruiter screen compensation questions.
Staying credible
Should I be collaborative or competitive?
Aim to be firm and warm. In the 2009 study of 149 professional employees, those who behaved competitively at the table did better than those who focused on collaboration, but collaborators were more satisfied; compromising and accommodating strategies were not linked to salary gains (Harvard Law School, July 2026).
Exact words: "I'd love to find a number that works for both of us. For me, that number is X."
Why it is asked: it shows whether you can hold a position without damaging the relationship. Read the full explanation: the complete salary negotiation guide.
Tell me about a time you negotiated.
Use the situation, task, action and result structure: state what was at stake, the interest on the other side, what you proposed and how it ended. Choose a true example. A salary conversation is not required, since any negotiation with a colleague, client or supplier shows the same skills.
Exact words: "The situation was X. I needed Y, and the other side needed Z, so I proposed W. The result was V."
Why it is asked: it tests how you prepare and trade, not only the outcome. Read the full explanation: behavioral interview questions.
How do I use the median wage for my occupation?
Treat it as a midpoint, not a promise. The BLS defines median pay as the wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more and half earned less (BLS, undated). Look up the median for your own occupation, since an all-worker figure says little about one role. Wage data come from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, which excludes self-employed workers.
Exact words: "Published wage data for this occupation puts the midpoint around X, and with my experience in Y I'm looking at Z."
Why it is asked: it tests whether you read data with its limits. Read the full explanation: the complete salary negotiation guide.
How do I accept gracefully after negotiating?
Say thank you, restate the agreed terms in one sentence and confirm the start date. Accept only after the terms are as you understand them, and keep the tone warm: you will work with these people.
Exact words: "Thank you for working with me on this. I'm happy to accept at X with the start date of Y."
Why it is asked: how you close shows how you will start. Read the full explanation: negotiating a tech offer.
How do I get the final agreement in writing?
Ask for the final terms by message or on the formal offer document before you resign from your current job. Check that base, bonus, grants, start date and title match what was said.
Exact words: "Thanks again. Could you send the final terms in writing so I can confirm and sign?"
Why it is asked: it shows care with commitments that carry real money. Read the full explanation: negotiating a tech offer.
Follow-up questions
When does salary come up in the hiring process?
It can come up as early as the first recruiter conversation, when the recruiter asks for expectations or a range, and again at the offer. Prepare your researched range before the first call, as the recruiter screen guide explains.
What should you avoid saying when negotiating salary?
Avoid inventing a competing offer, giving an ultimatum, volunteering your past pay without a reason, and accepting on the spot. Each removes your leverage or your credibility.
How do you practise the exact words?
Say each script out loud until it sounds like you, with your own numbers, in a practice round with a friend or alone. Adapt the sentence so it fits your voice, because a script read word for word sounds scripted. The salary negotiation guide lays out a preparation order.
- Ask about the range before you name a number, and give a researched range with a bottom you would accept.
- Where salary-history bans apply you need not share past pay, and employers may still ask about expectations.
- Counter once, with one or two reasons tied to the role.
- Look beyond base pay, and ask what is flexible when the base is fixed.
- Be firm and warm, and confirm the final terms in writing.
Sources
- Salary Negotiation: How to Ask for a Higher Salary — Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, 28 Jul 2026
- California Labor Code Section 432.3 — California Legislature (leginfo), 26 Oct 2026
- California Equal Pay Act FAQ — California Department of Industrial Relations, 26 Oct 2026
- Negotiating a Salary When Compensation Is Public — Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, 26 Oct 2026
- Make the Most of Your Salary Negotiations — Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, 26 Oct 2026
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Occupation Finder — United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, 26 Oct 2026
