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·7 min read·The Joblio Team

Salary Negotiation Tips: Scripts and Counter-Offer Math

Exact scripts for the four most common negotiation moments, plus how to calculate a counter-offer that's aggressive but credible.

salary negotiationcareer advice

Most candidates lose money in the offer stage not because they negotiated poorly, but because they didn't negotiate at all. The expected value of asking is huge — recruiters and hiring managers expect you to push back; almost nobody walks away because of a polite counter.

Here's the playbook.

When does negotiation start?

It starts the moment compensation comes up — which is usually in the recruiter screen. The first script to memorize:

When asked "What are your salary expectations?"

I'd rather understand the role and team better before discussing comp.
What range does your company budget for this position?

Don't anchor first. The number you say is the ceiling of what they'll offer. The number they say is the floor of where you can negotiate from.

If they push back ("we need a range to move forward"), give a wide range that starts above what you'd accept:

Based on my research and the level of the role, I'd be looking
at something in the $X to $Y range, but I'm flexible depending
on the full package.

Where X is 10-15% above your target and Y is 30-40% above.

When the offer arrives

Don't accept on the spot — even if it's great. Buy yourself 24-48 hours to think.

Thanks so much, this is exciting. Could I take a day or two
to look it over and come back with any questions?

Then come back with a counter, every time.

The four counter-offer scripts

Script 1: "I have competing offers"

Use when it's true.

Thanks for the offer of $X. I'm genuinely interested in joining,
and I want to be transparent: I have another offer at $X + 20%.
Your role would be my first choice if we can get closer to that
number — could you flex on base salary?

Script 2: "I have no other offers but I know the market"

The most common case. Use Levels.fyi, Glassdoor, and Blind to ground your number in market data.

Thanks for the offer of $X. Based on market data for this role
and level (Levels.fyi shows median at $X + 12% in this region),
plus my [specific experience that justifies a premium], I'd
like to counter at $Y. Is there flexibility on base?

Script 3: "If base is fixed, here's what else I want"

If they say base is locked, pivot to other levers:

Understood that base is fixed. In that case, could we increase
the signing bonus to $X, add 10 RSUs to the equity grant, or
look at a 6-month performance review for a base adjustment?

Almost every comp package has flexibility somewhere. Levers:

  • Signing bonus (usually most flexible)
  • Equity grant size (often fixed at band but worth asking)
  • Bonus target % (sometimes flexible)
  • Start date / PTO carryover
  • Remote work flexibility
  • Equipment budget
  • Performance review timing (early review = early raise)

Script 4: The "lowball" counter

When the offer comes in 20%+ below your expectation:

Thank you for the offer. I want to be direct — $X is materially
below the range we discussed and below the market data for this
level. I'd like to understand the gap. If your range tops out
at $Y, that gives me clarity. If you have flexibility, my
target is $Z based on [reason].

The math: how much to counter

The aggressive-but-credible counter is 8-15% above the offer. Less than 5% and you've left money on the table; more than 20% and they may pull the offer.

If the offer is below market, counter at market median + a small premium for your specific edge. Anchor your number to data ("Levels.fyi shows median $X for L5 at companies this size") not to feelings.

When to walk away

Some companies test candidates by lowballing. Some are genuinely budget-constrained. Some are bad-faith negotiators.

Walk away if:

  • They withdraw the offer because you tried to negotiate (rare but happens — and you've dodged a bullet)
  • The "best they can do" is below what you can live on
  • The conversation feels disrespectful or coercive

Don't walk away over:

  • A 5-10% gap from your ideal number
  • A signing bonus delta of $5-10k
  • A polite "no, but we can do X instead"

Doing the math + drafting the script

Joblio's Salary Negotiation tool (Premium) takes your role, current compensation, and the offer details, then generates a tailored counter-offer script with the math worked out for your specific situation. Free to try if you're on the Premium plan.

Most candidates leave $5k-$25k on the table in the first job offer. Five minutes of negotiation pays for years of any AI tool.

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