The single most common regret among professionals six months into a new job is not asking for more money. According to a 2025 LinkedIn survey of mid-career workers, fewer than forty percent of candidates negotiated their initial offer, and of those who did not, more than two-thirds wished they had. The fear is almost always the same. Candidates worry that pushing back will look greedy or, worse, that the company will rescind the offer entirely. Both fears are mostly unfounded.

In nearly two decades of corporate hiring, rescinded offers from polite, well-reasoned negotiation are vanishingly rare. Hiring managers expect a counter. They often have a budget range with room to move ten or fifteen percent above their initial number. By not asking, you are leaving money on a table the company already prepared for you.

The mechanics of a strong negotiation start before the offer arrives. Research market rates for your role using Levels.fyi, Glassdoor, and conversations with peers in your field. Aim for a number that sits at the seventy-fifth percentile of the range for someone with your experience. This becomes your anchor.

When the offer comes in, do not respond immediately. Thank the recruiter, express enthusiasm for the role, and ask for twenty-four to forty-eight hours to review. This pause signals seriousness and gives you time to prepare your counter.

When you respond, lead with appreciation and then state your case with a specific number, not a range. Something like, “I am genuinely excited about this opportunity. Based on the scope of the role and the market data I have reviewed, I was hoping we could land closer to one hundred and fifteen thousand. Is there flexibility?” Then stop talking. The silence will work for you.

If the company cannot move on base salary, pivot to other levers. Signing bonus, equity, additional vacation, remote flexibility, professional development budget, and earlier performance review cycles are all legitimate negotiation territory. Many companies have more flexibility on these than on base pay.

Throughout the conversation, stay warm and professional. Negotiation is not adversarial. It is two parties trying to find a number that works for both of them. The recruiter is on your side more than you realize. They want to close the offer and move on to filling their next role. Help them help you, and you will almost always end up better off than the version of yourself that stayed silent.