Salary Negotiation Checklist

A complete playbook for negotiating your compensation - from market research and calculating your number to handling counteroffers and getting the final offer in writing.

work, finance

by Morris

Market Research

Build a data-backed salary range before any conversation begins.

• Pull salary data from at least 4 sources and record each data point
• Find 5-10 comparable job listings at competing companies and note their posted salary ranges
• Identify your target company's pay bands using Levels.fyi, job postings, or employee connections
• Research the company's financial health, recent funding, and headcount trends
• Identify the total compensation components beyond base salary for this role and company
• Calculate your current total compensation (not just base salary) for accurate comparison

Calculating Your Number

Arrive at a specific, defensible target number before any negotiation starts.

• Define your three numbers: walk-away floor, realistic target, and opening ask
• Justify your opening ask with 3 specific data points (market rate, impact, skills premium)
• Account for cost-of-living change if relocating (use NerdWallet or CNN Money Cost of Living Calculator)
• Calculate the minimum total comp uplift required to make this move worthwhile (aim for at least 15-20% increase)
• Research the cost of unvested equity you are leaving on the table at your current company

Timing the Ask

Negotiate at the moment of maximum leverage.

• Wait for a written offer before negotiating - verbal offers are not negotiable commitments
• Ask for 48-72 hours to review the written offer before responding
• Confirm the company's hiring timeline before negotiating - urgency shifts leverage
• Negotiate after the final round interview, never before or during
• If currently employed, time the negotiation so you have a competing offer or recent performance review as leverage

Deflecting the Current Salary Question

Avoid disclosing your current salary without lying or damaging the relationship.

• Know the law: in California, New York, Illinois, and 17+ other states, employers cannot ask for your salary history
• Prepare and rehearse a deflection script for "What are you currently making?"
• Prepare a deflection for "What's your expected salary?" before you have full information about the role
• Practice both scripts out loud at least 3 times before any recruiter call

Making the Counteroffer

Frame your ask professionally and anchor high.

• Always counter in writing (email) after an initial verbal discussion
• Open with genuine enthusiasm before making your counter - signal that you want the job
• State your counter as a specific number, not a range
• Give one primary justification for your number, then stop talking
• Prepare a response for if they say the offer is already at the top of the band
• Counter only once on each element - do not negotiate against yourself by offering concessions before they push back

Negotiating Beyond Base Pay

Maximize total compensation by negotiating every lever, not just salary.

• Ask about equity separately from base salary - treat it as its own negotiation
• Negotiate a signing bonus if the company cannot move on base
• Negotiate PTO days if the policy is below 20 days (or below your current accrual)
• Negotiate remote work terms in writing, not as a verbal promise
• Ask for an accelerated performance review (90-day or 6-month) with a defined raise opportunity
• Ask about professional development budget (conferences, courses, certifications)
• Confirm 401k match percentage and vesting schedule - a 100% match up to 6% is worth $6k-$12k/year at most salary levels

Handling Pushback and Hard Nos

Stay composed and find the path forward when the initial counter is rejected.

• Prepare a response for "We can't go higher" - this is almost never the final word
• Prepare a response for "This is our best offer, take it or leave it"
• Use a competing offer as leverage if you have one - but only disclose it after the initial offer, not before
• Know your BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement) before any call
• Never give a hard "no" in the moment - always ask for time to consider
• Send a graceful decline if the final offer is below your floor, keeping the relationship intact

Getting It in Writing

Ensure everything agreed to is documented before giving notice or declining other offers.

• Do not give notice at your current job until you have a signed offer letter in hand
• Read the full offer letter carefully - verify every number and term matches what was discussed
• Confirm equity grant details in writing - the offer letter often gives ranges, not exact numbers
• Check the signing bonus clawback clause - standard is 100% clawback if you leave within 12 months, 50% if within 24
• Review the non-compete, non-solicitation, and IP assignment clauses
• Confirm any verbal side agreements are included in writing (remote work, title, review date)

Internal Raise Negotiation

Tactics specific to negotiating a raise with your current employer.

• Build a quantified impact document listing your contributions in dollar or percentage terms for the past 12 months
• Request the meeting explicitly for the purpose of discussing compensation - do not ambush your manager
• Research your company's pay bands and where you fall in your current band
• Use an outside offer as leverage only if you are genuinely willing to take it
• If the raise is denied, ask for a specific, written path to getting there

Post-Negotiation Next Steps

Protect your gains and set up future negotiations.

• Send a confirmation email summarizing the agreed terms within 24 hours of a verbal acceptance
• Decline other offers professionally and promptly once you have signed
• Give notice at your current employer professionally and document the conversation in writing
• Set a calendar reminder to track your 6-month and 12-month review dates from your start date
• Document the negotiation process: what you asked for, what you got, what worked, what did not
• Start building your track record at the new role from day 1 for the next negotiation