Salary negotiation: approach and phrases

How to discuss pay and working conditions calmly: researching the market, showing your value, ready-made phrases, the full package and written confirmation.

When they receive a job offer, many people agree to the first terms they hear straight away, worried about “being awkward” or “the offer being withdrawn”. Yet discussing pay and working conditions calmly and with evidence is a professional skill, and employers expect it too. In this article we look at how to approach a negotiation: why it is normal and respectful, how to prepare, where to gather information about market pay levels, how to show your value, when to raise the subject, which phrases to use, how to discuss the whole package rather than just the salary, how to keep the relationship intact after a refusal, and how to confirm the agreement in writing. The article contains no amounts or numerical recommendations: levels differ in every field, city and role, so we offer only the approach and the phrases. At the end you will find a hypothetical dialogue with Jasur, a role-play exercise and a checklist.

Why negotiating is normal and respectful

Many people see talking about pay as embarrassing or even greedy. In fact, a negotiation is simply two parties trying to find terms that suit them both. The employer has chosen you, which means they need your knowledge and experience. You, in turn, give the job your time, energy and skills. Clarifying the terms benefits both sides: when the agreement is transparent, there is less dissatisfaction and fewer surprises later.

A few important points:

A negotiation is a request, not a demand. You are not issuing an ultimatum; you are asking a question and explaining your position with evidence.
HR expects it. First offers are often put together with a little room left for discussion. A politely asked question will not be a reason to withdraw an offer.
It shows your professionalism. Someone who values their work and can negotiate calmly will speak to clients and partners in the same way.
Tone is everything. Gratitude, interest and concrete evidence are the three pillars of a successful negotiation.

A negotiation does not always end with a higher salary: sometimes the employer’s options are limited, but you can still agree on your schedule, learning opportunities or the date of the next review. So the goal is not “to get more” but “to reach the agreement that suits you best”.

Preparation: researching the market and showing your value

Negotiating without preparation is guesswork. Prepare answers to two questions: what pay level is typical for this role on the market, and why you in particular deserve that level.

Gathering information about market pay

Do not rely on a single source; an overall picture from several sources is more reliable.

Similar vacancies. On job sites and Telegram channels, find adverts for exactly this role, in the same city and asking for similar experience. Some adverts state a salary range. Note down around ten of them in a table: role, city, experience required, range (if given) and additional conditions. We explain how to analyse an advert in detail in the article on reading a job advert.
Contacts in the field. Ask acquaintances who work in this area: “What do you think the typical range is for a role like this?” Do not ask about their own salary, as that is uncomfortable. Asking about the market in general, however, is perfectly normal. Connections like these are called networking, and they are very useful throughout your career.
Public surveys and reviews. Some job platforms, professional communities and recruitment agencies publish general reviews of their sectors. Use them as a guide, but pay attention to the year and the city they cover.
The interview itself. Sometimes the HR specialist mentions the range budgeted for the role as early as the first phone call. Write it down.

In the end you will not have an exact figure but a general sense of the typical range, and that is enough.

Writing down your value as evidence

Employers are persuaded not by “I need more” but by “I can deliver these results”. Make a list of your achievements:

Results. What you did and what changed: “I automated report preparation, and the department now saves one working day a week” (a hypothetical example).
Skills. Hard and soft skills that match the role’s requirements: software, languages, leading a team, working with clients.
Level of responsibility. How many people you worked with and which projects you led.
A unique advantage. For example, being able to work in Uzbek, Russian and English, or knowing a particular piece of software in depth.

Shorten each point to one or two sentences, since you will need to say them naturally during the conversation. The STAR method from the article on preparing for an interview works here too.

Your limits and when to talk

Minimum and target level

Before the negotiation, decide on two levels for yourself. You do not have to tell anyone; they are your internal guide.

Minimum acceptable level. If you agree to anything lower, your family budget or professional development will suffer. To set it, take into account your monthly expenses, the cost and time of commuting, and the terms of your current job.
Target level. The level, based on market information and your achievements, at which you would feel fairly valued. It must be realistic: close to the upper part of the market range, but not far outside it.

The distance between these two levels is your negotiating space. If an offer falls below your minimum, consider whether other terms (remote work, training, an earlier review) make up the difference. If they do not, politely declining can also be the right decision.

When to raise the subject

After receiving an offer. This is the best moment: the employer has already chosen you, and reaching an agreement is now in their interest too. Do not start debating pay at the very beginning of the first interview; show your interest and suitability first.
At an annual review. Many organisations assess each employee’s work once a year. Come to that meeting with a list of your results for the year. We cover such conversations in detail in the article on feedback.
When your responsibilities grow. If you have been given a new department, an extra project or a team, that is a natural reason to revisit your terms.
At the end of a probation period. If this was agreed in advance. Read how to prepare for this stage in the article on the probation period.

Have the conversation not in a corridor or in a rush, but at a meeting arranged in advance: “Could we have a short talk about my terms of employment? When would suit you?”

Sample phrases

Ready-made phrases reduce nerves. Adapt them to your own words, but keep the meaning.

Thanking for the offer and asking for time

You do not have to say “yes” or “no” immediately. Asking for a day or two to think it over is perfectly normal.

Thank you very much for the offer; I am really keen to join your team.
Could you give me until tomorrow evening to look through the terms carefully?
I will get back to you by then.

A counter-offer

Start a counter-offer with thanks, give your evidence and finish with a question.

Thank you again for the offer. I am very interested in this role.
I have researched the market for similar roles and, taking into account my results in my previous job, I was hoping for a level slightly above the one offered.
Could we reach an agreement on this, or find a solution through other terms?

”What does this range depend on?”

This question is one of the most useful tools you have: it is not an argument but a request for information.

Thank you for telling me the range. What factors determine where someone falls within it?
Which skills or results help a person reach the upper part of it?

The answer tells you which of your achievements to emphasise.

If you are asked to name a figure first

For me, the tasks and the team come first. If I knew the range you have planned for this role,
I would tell you honestly how well I fit it.

If they still insist, give a range based on your market information rather than a single fixed figure.

Not just the salary: the full package

Salary is only one part of the agreement. Sometimes other terms affect your life even more. Things you can discuss include:

Working hours. Start and finish times, flexible hours. For a parent who takes a child to nursery, for example, starting a little later can matter a great deal.
Remote working days. Working from home a few days a week saves commuting time.
Learning opportunities. Courses, certificates, conferences or permission to study during working hours.
Annual leave. When it can be taken and how it is agreed.
Job title. It will appear on your CV and affect future job searches.
Probation terms. The length, the assessment criteria and what changes afterwards.
Date of the next review. If the employer cannot offer your target level now, agree clearly on when your terms will be reviewed.

A sample phrase:

I understand that your options on the current offer are limited.
In that case, could we agree on one remote working day a week and a date to review the terms after the probation period?

Refusals, written confirmation and confidence

Handling a refusal

If the employer says “no”, it does not mean the conversation is over. Stay calm and do the following:

Say thank you. “Thank you for the honest answer” keeps the relationship intact.
Ask why. “What factors are behind this?” Perhaps the budget has already been approved.
Ask for an alternative. Other terms or a date for the next review.
Think it over. If the offer meets your minimum level, accept it. If not, decline politely: “I am sorry we could not reach an agreement this time; I hope we will have a chance to work together in the future.”

Never slam the door. The professional world is small, and today’s interviewer may give you a reference tomorrow. We have also written about difficult conversations at work in the article on communication at work.

Getting written confirmation

A verbal agreement is easy to forget or misunderstand. After the conversation, write a short email:

Thank you for today’s conversation. I am writing to confirm what we agreed:
salary at the level we agreed; one remote working day a week;
a review of the terms after the probation period. If I have misunderstood anything, please correct me.

Before signing the formal offer or employment contract, check that it includes all the terms you agreed.

Confidence for women and young people

Some people, especially young people at the start of their careers and women returning to work after a long break, feel shy about raising their terms. Thoughts such as “I don’t have much experience”, “I should be modest” or “I should be grateful” push them to accept the first offer straight away. Modesty and knowing your worth do not contradict each other. A few tips:

write down your list of achievements and read it aloud, as seeing your own results builds confidence;
rehearse the phrases with someone you trust;
remind yourself, “I have the right to ask about this”, because asking calmly is not disrespectful;
if an employer asks about your family situation or age, calmly bring the conversation back to the tasks and your skills.

Example: Jasur discusses an offer

Jasur is a developer with three years’ experience (a hypothetical example). He has received an offer from an IT company in Tashkent. The level offered is below his target but above his minimum. Jasur has researched the market and prepared his list of achievements. The next day he talks to Dilnoza from HR:

Jasur: Thank you very much for the offer; I really liked your team and your projects.
Dilnoza: We liked you too. Do you have any questions about the offer?
Jasur: Yes, one question. What does the range you mentioned depend on?
Dilnoza: Mainly on experience and the ability to run a project independently.
Jasur: In my previous job I developed a payment module from start to finish on my own and mentored two new developers.
With that in mind, I was hoping for a level slightly above the one offered. Could we reach an agreement on that?
Dilnoza: The budget for this role is limited, but I will talk to my manager.
Jasur: Thank you. If there is no room on the salary, could we agree on two remote working days a week
and a date to review the terms after the probation period?
Dilnoza: I will pass that option on to my manager as well and give you an answer tomorrow.
Jasur: Thank you, I look forward to hearing from you.

The next day the company agreed to raise the salary slightly and to set a date for the next review. Jasur confirmed the agreement by email. Notice that he threatened no one, did not invent another offer and did not use personal circumstances as an argument; he simply described his results and asked a question.

Common mistakes

Giving in to pressure to name a figure first. If you name an exact figure without knowing the range, it may be far too low or too high. Ask for the employer’s range first, then give your own range based on your market information.
Ultimatums. “Otherwise I’ll leave” shuts the negotiation down. Even if you really are prepared to leave, express it through questions and alternatives.
An invented rival offer. Talking about an offer that does not exist may come to light and destroy trust completely. Stick to real facts.
Personal reasons as arguments. “I have a loan to repay” or “the wedding is coming up” are understandable, but employers set pay according to the value of your work, not your expenses. Talk about results and the market.
Agreeing instantly. Accepting the first offer in the excitement of the moment and regretting it later. Ask for time to think.
Focusing only on the salary. Not seeing the whole package.
Trusting a verbal agreement. Not getting written confirmation.
Apologising too much. Opening with “Sorry, this is really awkward, but…” weakens your position. Speak calmly and briefly.

Practical exercise and checklist

Role-play

Practise with a friend or family member you trust. One person plays the employer, the other the candidate, then swap roles.

Choose a real or made-up vacancy and analyse it using the method from the article on reading a job advert.
Write your market information and your list of achievements on a single page.
Set your own minimum and target levels (do not tell anyone).
The “employer” makes an offer. You thank them and ask for time to think.
In the second round, ask “What does this range depend on?” and make a counter-offer.
The “employer” refuses. You propose at least two alternative terms from the package.
Finish by confirming the agreement in a written email.
Record the conversation on your phone and listen back: where did you apologise, and where did you sound unsure?

Repeat the exercise several times; each time the phrases will come out more naturally.

Pre-negotiation checklist

I have a sense of the market from similar vacancies, contacts in the field and public reviews.
My list of achievements is ready, and each point takes one or two sentences.
I have set my own minimum and target levels.
I have practised the phrases for thanks, asking for time, a counter-offer and the question about the range.
I have chosen at least three terms from the package to discuss.
I have a calm response to a refusal and alternatives ready.
I am ready to talk without ultimatums, invented offers or personal arguments.
I have a plan to confirm the agreement in writing.

Salary negotiation is not a one-off act of courage but a skill that grows with practice. Treat it as a natural part of preparing for a job interview: the better you prepare, the more calmly you will speak.

If you want to master an in-demand profession and feel more confident on the job market, take a look at our association’s free training programmes. When you are ready, submit an application and our specialists will get in touch.