How to write a salary negotiation email

Congrats! You just got a job offer. You’ve made it to the negotiation phase of the hiring process. Now it’s time to negotiate. 

But first—a few words of advice: when you receive your job offer, don’t show too much of a reaction. Say thank you, be excited about the opportunity, and then ask for the offer in writing with a few days to review. 

Remember—75% of employers are willing to discuss salary after a job offer has been sent even though only 45% of U.S. workers try to negotiate. When you negotiate, it’s important to follow these best practices. Don’t fall into traps that can get your offer rescinded. 

How to Negotiate a Job Offer Through Email

After receiving your job offer in writing via email, responding in the same email thread can be beneficial to keep everything documented. A phone call negotiation or a phone call follow up can be more impactful—be aware of what will work best for your situation. 

If you are using email as the follow up documentation to a phone call conversation (this is a best practice), reiterate what you discuss verbally, but remember these tips.

How to negotiate a job offer through email:

1. Be timely. 

Communicate clearly how much time you are asking for to review the offer. Do not take more than 1 - 2 days. If you can, keep your response window to under 24 hours. If you take more time to respond to the initial job offer, an employer can grow impatient, believe you are juggling multiple offers, or assess that you’ll be slow to respond in your new role. Be timely and follow through on your response to the initial job offer. 

Pro tip: Write the email the day you receive the offer and then sleep on it to review in the morning. 

2. Make a case for yourself. 

Be clear about why you believe you deserve a higher salary. In your email, explain why you are negotiating the current offer and why you want to see a different number. You can make the case for a higher salary in a few ways: 

Showcase how you exceed the requirements for the role. 

Highlight your experience and how it aligns with the requirements of the position. If your potential employer is looking for 4 years of experience and you have 6, you’re qualified to earn a higher salary. Suppose the position requires experience with specific software, a project-type, or results that you can prove you delivered elsewhere. In that case, this is the place to remind the employer that you’re the right pick for the job and you are qualified or overqualified for the role. Consider all of the possible ways you can show you bring more experience than the “median” candidate for this role.

Ways to show you you meet or exceed the requirements of the role: 

• Years of experience 
• Metrics for projects or results delivered 
• Education 
• Software experience/competency 

Use verified salary data to see what others at your level earn.

Gather information about your peers’ earnings by using verified salary data. Most salary websites use unverified data (you can read more about why these sites aren’t helpful here). But with verified salary numbers, you can point to data that employers can verify. Verified salary data can help you show that employees at similar companies in similar locations and job roles make a specific number, helping your case for the counteroffer. (For verified tech salaries, join the FairComp’s closed beta.)

Pro tip: Before you get to the negotiation, ask the right questions about salary in the interview process. These questions should include information about the company’s compensation philosophy to see if the company pays at a specific percentile and the tier or level your role is categorized as today. These two answers can help you assess what type of offer you might receive and whether or not your desired salary aligns with the company’s budget and strategy. 

3. Pick your negotiation tactic.

There are two negotiation tactics that produce good results for a counteroffer discussion: 

Anchor high 

Ask for 10 - 20% above the number you want to see in the final job offer. The recruiter will likely counter with a lower number after you send your email or negotiate over the phone. If you aim for 10 - 20% higher than the number you want, your chances of getting the number you desire are higher. For example, if your initial offer is for $90k, but you want to see a final number at $100k, ask for $110k/$115k in your negotiation email. The employer will typically come back at $100k in this scenario, setting you up for the number you wanted. 

Best and final 

Ask for a specific number and politely make it clear that you will take nothing less. Don’t be rude—remember that your negotiation style and behavior, especially after you’ve received a job offer, can cause an employer to rescind the offer. Kindly state your case for the specific number and let the recruiter or hiring manager know you can sign today if they can agree to that figure. 

Pro tip: If you are negotiating via email, the best and final tactic is the best approach. Clearly state your specific number and let your contact know you want to sign today if they can adjust the offer. This approach can help create urgency, but remember to be  polite, excited for the job, and firm on your conditions.

4. Be ready for next steps.

Manage your expectations for the next steps in the negotiation. The employer will likely come back with a lower number if you’ve asked for a figure that is too high or outside of the salary range for the role. If the negotiation continues, ask for a phone conversation and choose the best and final negotiation tactic.

Using AI to write a Salary Negotiation Email

Before we provide our own advice, we can't miss an opportunity to recommend our AI negotiation coach to get custom, tailored advice to help you write a salary negotiation email.

Give it a try here and let us know what you think:

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How to Write a Salary Negotiation Email

As you write your negotiation email, follow these steps to ensure you don’t miss anything critical: 

1. Share gratitude for the job offer.

2. Restate your excitement for the job and the company.

3. Communicate your qualifications for the role.

4. Outline your counter offer—include a deadline if using the best and final tactic. 

5. Thank the recruiter/hiring manager again.

6. Offer to get on a phone call if you use the anchor high tactic.

Salary Negotiation Email Examples

Here are several example emails to help you get started: 

Initial email asking for a few days to review the offer - example 1: 

Hi, (name),

Thank you for sending over the job offer via email. I am very excited about the role and the (company name)! I will review the offer and get back to you by 2:00 p.m. tomorrow.

Thank you!

‍(your name)
(phone number)
(email address)

Initial email asking for a few days to review the offer - example 2: 

Hi, (name),

Thank you for sending the job offer in writing! I am very excited about this opportunity and I know I can make a great impact at (company name). I’d love a little time to review the offer and get back to you. I can get an answer to you by 2:00 p.m. tomorrow via email.

Thank you
‍
‍(your name)
(phone number
(email address)

Negotiation email using best and final tactic - example 1:

Hi, (name),

I’ve had a day to review the job offer and I am so excited about this role! I don’t want to go back and forth with a long negotiation because I want to work at (company name). Given my experience, the requirements for the role, and what other companies are talking to me about, I can sign the job offer today if we can get the number to $100,000. 

I’d love to sign today and start as soon as it works best for (hiring manager’s name).

Thank you

‍(your name)
(phone number
(email address)

Negotiation email using best and final tactic - example 2:

Hi, (name),

I’ve had the time I needed to review the job offer in detail and I’m very excited about the role and (company name). Based on my (number) years of experience, the results I delivered at (previous company name) that I shared during my interviews, and the quick wins I know I will bring to the team, I need the salary to be adjusted to $100,000. If we can get a job offer at that number, I can sign today.

Again, I’m really looking forward to working with the team and getting started as soon as possible. Let me know if we can get the salary to $100k and I can sign before the end of business today. 

Thank you!

(your name)
(phone number)
(email address)

Negotiation email using anchor high tactic - example 1:

Hi, (name),

Thank you for the time to review the offer. I am very excited about this role and would love to accept if we can see a little movement in the salary. Based on my years of related experience and the average salary for this role, I’m looking for 10% more, putting the salary at $110k.

Let me know if you want to get on the phone to talk through the specifics.

Thank you!

(your name)
(phone number)
(email address)

Need more help negotiating your salary? Check out our Definitive Guide to Negotiating Your Pay. Get tips and best practices for negotiating job offers and your current salary when it’s performance review time. Get the guide here.
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Need More Resources? Check out these links:

• ‍How to Negotiate your Salary: The Definitive Guide
• ‍How to Get a Raise or Promotion in the Next 6 Months
• ‍How to Make Your Job Application Stand Out