Here is the uncomfortable truth nobody tells you: the company already has a number in mind, and it is almost never their best number. They open lower because they expect you to push back. Most people don't. They say thank you, accept, and quietly leave money on the table every single payday for the next two or three years.
I've sat on the hiring side of hundreds of offers. The candidates who negotiate well aren't louder, smarter, or more senior. They just say the right thing at the right four moments — and they don't flinch. That's the whole game.
Below is the actual language. Word for word. Steal it, adapt it to your voice, and use it the next time someone asks the question that decides your number.
Why scripts beat confidence
You don't choke in a negotiation because you're not brave. You choke because you're improvising under pressure with money on the line, and your brain hands you the easiest sentence available — which is almost always a sentence that gives ground.
A script removes the improvising. When the recruiter asks what you're looking for, you're not deciding in real time whether to name a number, dodge, or apologize. You already know your line. You deliver it, then you go quiet. The silence is doing half the work.
There are exactly four moments that move your number: the recruiter screen, the offer call, the counter, and the close. Win those four and you've won. Let's take them one at a time.
Moment one: the recruiter screen — deflect the number
The first call almost always includes some version of: "So, what are your salary expectations?" This is a trap, and it comes early on purpose. Whoever names a real number first sets the ceiling — and at this stage, you have the least information you'll ever have.
Your job here is not to win. It's to not lose. You want to bounce the question back without sounding evasive. Friendly, easy, no hesitation.
I want to make sure this is the right fit on both sides before we get into numbers. Do you have a budgeted range for the role? I'm happy to tell you if that works for me.
The deflection — say it word for word on the recruiter screen
Nine times out of ten they give you a range, because they have one and it's easier to share it than to fight you for yours. Now they've anchored, and you reply: "Great, the top of that range works for me — let's keep talking." You just moved yourself to the top of their band without naming a single figure.
If they push and insist you go first, don't panic and don't lie. Give a researched, slightly-high range with a reason attached, then immediately pivot back to fit.
- Name a band, not a point: "Based on the market for this role, I'm targeting 75 to 85."
- Anchor at the TOP — your stated floor becomes their starting point, so set it high.
- Attach a reason: scope, your current comp, or comparable roles you've seen.
- End by pivoting back to fit, so it never sounds like money is your only driver.
- Never apologize for the number or soften it with 'but I'm flexible' in the same breath.
Moment two: the offer call — say almost nothing
The offer lands. Your heart rate spikes, and every instinct screams to fill the air with gratitude. Resist it. The single most expensive sentence in any negotiation is "Yes, that sounds great!" said within four seconds of hearing the number.
You are allowed to be thrilled. You are not allowed to accept on the spot. Receive the offer warmly, make it clear you're excited about the role, and buy yourself time to respond to the number on your terms.
Thank you — I'm genuinely excited about this and the team. I want to give the full offer the attention it deserves, so I'll review the details and come back to you by Thursday. Does that work?
The offer-call holding line — never accept live on the call
That's it. You hang up. You did not negotiate on the call, you did not react to the figure, and you did not say yes. You created a window — and a written counter beats a panicked verbal one every time.
One more thing before you hang up: get it in writing. "Could you send the full breakdown by email — base, bonus, equity, and start date — so I'm reviewing the complete picture?" Now you have something concrete to push against.
Moment three: the counter — ask for more than you'll take
This is where money actually changes hands, and where most people whisper a number when they should state one. A good counter is specific, justified, and a little higher than your real target — because they will negotiate you down, and you want the landing spot to be the number you actually wanted.
Send it in writing. Email gives the recruiter something to forward to the hiring manager and finance without having to defend it themselves. Make their internal sell easy.
Hi [Name],
Thank you again — I'm excited to join and ready to commit.
Based on the scope of the role and the market for this work,
I'd like to get the base to 92,000. With my experience in
[specific skill] and the [specific impact] I can deliver early,
I'm confident that reflects the value I'll bring.
If we can align there, I'm ready to sign.
Best,
[You]Read that last line again: "If we can align there, I'm ready to sign." That's the part that gets you the yes. You're not haggling for sport — you're telling them exactly what closes the deal. Recruiters fight much harder for a number that ends the process than for one that just opens round two.
And if base truly won't move, that's not a dead end — it's a redirect. Money lives in more places than the base salary line, and most of those places have looser rules.
- Signing bonus — easiest 'yes' because it's one-time, not recurring payroll.
- Equity or extra stock — often a separate budget the recruiter can tap.
- Guaranteed first-year bonus or an early salary review at 6 months.
- Extra vacation days, remote flexibility, or a defined promotion timeline.
- Title bump — costs them nothing today and compounds your next negotiation.
Holding the line when they push back
They'll come back with friction. "That's above our band." "This is already a strong offer." "We don't have room." None of these are a no. They're the standard opening move, and your job is to stay warm, stay still, and not start bargaining against yourself.
The deadliest mistake here is the unprompted concession — the moment you hear silence and blurt out, "but I could do 88..." before they've said a word. Don't. Make your ask, then let them respond to it. Whoever speaks next after a clear ask usually loses ground.
When you do reply to a pushback, acknowledge it, restate your reasoning once, and hold. Something like: "I hear you, and I really want to make this work. Given the scope we discussed, 92 is the number that gets me to yes today — can we find a way there, even if part of it is a signing bonus?" Calm. Specific. Solution-shaped.
I never lowered my number because they sounded uncomfortable. Discomfort is the sound of a negotiation working.
Tomáš Novák, Senior Recruiter
Moment four: the close — lock it in writing
You got the number, or close enough that you're happy. Do not celebrate yet. A verbal "yes, we can do 92" is not a job. Deals quietly shrink between the phone call and the contract, and the cost of confirming is one polite email.
Confirm enthusiastically, restate every number, and ask for the updated written offer. This isn't distrust — it's how professionals close. It also flushes out any "oh, the bonus was actually target not guaranteed" surprises while you still have leverage.
This is fantastic — thank you for working it through with me. Just to confirm: base of 92,000, 10% target bonus, and a 1 June start. Once I have that in the updated written offer, I'm ready to sign right away.
The close — confirm the numbers, then sign
Notice you're still giving them the easy yes at the end. "I'm ready to sign right away." You stay collaborative all the way through the door. The goal was never to win a fight — it was to get paid what you're worth and start the job with goodwill intact.
Your next ten minutes
You don't need to become a different person to negotiate well. You need four sentences and the nerve to stop talking after you say them. Pick the moment you're closest to right now, write your version of the line, and say it out loud until it stops feeling scary.
The next offer that lands in your inbox is worth thousands more than the one before it — but only if you ask. So grab the script pack, rehearse the deflection once tonight, and go get the number you actually came for.