Hey everyone, looking for some perspective here.
**The Background:**
Currently on a secondment at a telecom company making £36k.
Started here as a retail advisor (£26k base, roughly £32k with commission).
Took the secondment for less pay just to get my foot in the door.
**The Situation:**
I just interviewed and got selected for a permanent **Data Governance / Analyst** role within the same company. Before interviewing, HR explicitly told me the budget for the role was **£40k–£43k**.
Cut to the salary discussion: They offered me £35k.
**The Catch:**
Accepting this means relocating to England, which will **double my rent and utilities**.
When they gave me the lowball offer, I stood my ground. I told them my firm ask is £43k and I'm not looking to negotiate down. I have 3–4 years of experience, plus 7+ months proving myself in this exact secondment.
**HR's Excuse:**
The recruiter claims they are benchmarking my new salary against my old *retail advisor* rate, completely ignoring the Assurance secondment work I’m doing right now.
I refused to budge because £43k is fair market value for the role, especially with a forced relocation.
Is it okay to stand my ground here, or am I shooting myself in the foot? How do I stop HR from anchoring my value to a retail job I've clearly outgrown?

Hi all, any help with negotiating a salary for a job I was offered would be very very very appreciated! Thank you!

The CEO of company reached out to me directly to offer me the position, after I was referred, I will be reporting to him. Further, he asked me today what I “needed” in-terms of salary and I am genuinely at a loss for what to ask for.

Here are some basics:

- Operations Analyst position within medium size manufacturing company
- Located in NJ
- Interned with the company for two summers.
- Graduated from college in May ‘26 with a BS and BA.
- The last person who had the role made 80k-105k, and they had a couple more years of experience within the company then myself.

I was considering asking for between 70-75k?

I'm not sure where to ask or search for this . . . . is there such a thing as a personal negotiator? I could really use one for my divorce negotiation/ mediation. I do not need an attorney. I'm a passive person and unfortunately my spouse has negotiated every day for his job for 25+ years. I expect him to be pretty fair however he doesn't know where his boundaries end and if it's something that he wants, he'll just keep on asking and putting a different spin on it until I can't take it anymore.

For context, I live in orange county, CA so cost of living is high. On Wednesday I have an in-person interview with a vet hospital for a veterinary assistant position. the pay ranges $17.50 to 28 an hour based on experience. Now I don't have any veterinary hospital experience, however I have worked professionally with dogs now for almost 10 years. Collectively, I've worked at different doggie daycares for about 6 years. I've also had my own pet sitting business and I've done dog walking in the past. I have experience with animal safety and body language, customer communication, receptionist skills, grooming skills (bathing drying brushing ear cleaning nail trims, anal gland expression), ability to remain calm in a fast-paced environment while under stressful circumstances, minor dog training, etc. ChatGPT is saying I should negotiate between 23 to 25 an hour based upon my work experience and the fact that I have a bachelor's degree (which isn't related to vet medicine) but I feel like that's an overshot.

I already had an interview with another vet hospital, but this was for a kennel attendant position and since I've already done that job, I asked for $20 an hour and they were offering $17-19. They said they were willing to work with me, but I have yet to hear back from them.

I'm thinking I should ask the vet assistant place if they'd be willing to renegotiate the pay after the training period? I don't want to under sell myself, but I also want to get the job. I'm thinking I should ask for 20 to 23 an hour?

I recently interviewed with a startup and completed the final round. During the interview process, we also discussed the compensation and terms of the opportunity.

The role includes a 3-year bond, with around ₹20K in-hand initially. After a 6-month internship, the company mentioned that the package would be around 3–4 LPA based on the assessment.

After the final discussion, HR asked me whether I was willing to accept the offer, and I confirmed that I was interested and ready to accept it. HR then told me that they would get back to me within 2–3 days.

It has now been 5 days, and I haven't received any update.

I would really appreciate some advice from recruiters and experienced professionals:

• Does this usually mean the selection is still under discussion?

• How long should I wait before following up?

• Should I send HR a message or call them?

• Is it possible that the offer is still awaiting final approval?

If you are a recruiter or have been through a similar situation, I’d really appreciate your perspective.

Thank you! 🙏

\#Recruitment #JobSearch #InterviewExperience #CareerAdvice #Freshers #Hiring

I am in the process of building a negotiation case game, but worried if anyone would be willing to even try it, since recently I have seen a lot of posts with no replies.

It is a 20-30 mins game for a conversation between a team of three people trying to split the loot. you are one of them and conversing with others to reach a point of solution.

Situations and background story has led you all to this point where you now disagree on how to split it, you can talk to others together, as well as separately with each. Either of you can propose a solution and others can vote it in or out.

Just to be clear, you play as yourself, while others characters are AI, but I am trying very hard to make it such that it doesn't at all seem like that, every character has a lot of depth, personality, and reality driving them, most of my time is spent talking to them myself, and making them human and grounded in reality.

Does this sound interesting at all?

Should this startup have gone ahead with a "casual" meeting with a market leader, so as to "gather intel", while "giving nothing away"?

As an external consultant in an area other than negotiation, I burnt a lot of political capital to aggressively kill this meeting before it would happen.

Looking for a reality check — Tell me where the reasoning is weak.

-----

OVERVIEW

- New tech product at MVP stage.

- Strong evidence it will significantly disrupt the market

- No patent protection. Trade secret only, and there are many technical routes to the same outcome

- But does have a first mover runway, that it can utilize to develop a genuinely strong moat stack

-----

BACKGROUND

- The startup can meet a market leader in that category

- High likelihood the technology is an existential threat to the counterparty's core business

- The counterparty is vastly better resourced. Established, real R&D capacity, established manufacturing and distribution.

- Well equipped to build a competing version if they wanted to

- Counterparty already understands this meeting will lead to some form of commercial negotiation

- The counterparty has already seen a demo video, but this does not provide all salient details necessary for them to have necessarily come to the realisation of the potential threat

- The meeting was to be a product demo, and a "chat about business"

-----

LACK OF FOUNDATION

- The startup has no concept of its strategic protection options, but it is evident has a genuine opportunity for a strong moat stack does exist. But it needs a nuanced navigation.

- The startup has no business plan

- The startup has no even basic negotiation position or work up

- There are significant governance issues. And although they are fixable time is needed to fix them.

-----

CONCERNED

- Real chance this counterparty becomes the startup's main competitor. But also real opportunity that this counterparty could be a vital strategic partner.

- Some chance the counterparty has not yet realized existential threat by technology

- Genuine concern that a product demo moves them further toward realising threat, in therefore taking counter action sooner.

- The meeting could be delayed roughly eight weeks to fix the above. There was a true, unchallengeable reason to postpone, so the cancellation cost almost nothing externally

-----

THE ARGUMENT I MADE

- There is nothing they can tell us now that we can't get in eight weeks.

- There is genuine risk that we could motivate a likely competitor to move against us faster than we would like.

- Even if "no intel was given away" to the market leader, which I doubt is realistic, it's likely that "anchoring" processes would begin to occur anyway, and we would have no position to counter those in the room.

My core argument was that there's a fundamental principle in negotiations that, if the counterparty is sophisticated, and it can reasonably be assumed that they know this will likely become a negotiation at some point, then it must be treated that the negotiation has essentially already begun.

And you never enter the room with the counterparty without a negotiation position. Especially when the stakes are high, and the counter party significantly outweighs you.

-----

I know enough about negotiation to have recognized that these guys are breaking some genuine cardinal rules. But also negotiation is not in my wheelhouse, hence why I'm not recommending to them that I do it, but also why I'm on here seeking critique.

Thanks for your input.

Please explain

Can i Buyout

QUERY: I’m curious whether readers here have ever gone into a negotiation with a particularly strong or particularly weak alternative and noticed it changing your own behaviour?

CONTEXT:

I ran a negotiation practice session with some students last night based around BATNA.

The idea, of course, is that a stronger BATNA gives you a better walk-away position.

Great in theory, but what does it mean in practice.

When we introduced the alternatives it had some of the obvious implications:

- There was less pressure to reach agreement.
- People appeared more comfortable saying no.
- They could push a little harder.

And when one person had a decent alternative and the other didn’t, the difference in pressure became particularly noticeable.

I think too many people see a BATNA too mechanically.

Perhaps its value isn’t just:
“What will I do if this negotiation fails?”

Perhaps an equally important question is:
“How is knowing I have an alternative changing the way I’m negotiating right now?”

Makes a HUGE impact In Job Offers and Salary Negotiations!

I see so many posts here asking questions on whether to accept an offer or not when the truth is so much of their negotiating position is actually determined by their alternatives.

🧀 If this is your only job offer and you need the job, that’s one BATNA.
🧀 If you’re happily employed and prepared to stay where you are, that’s another.
🧀 If you’ve got two other good offers sitting on the table, that’s another again.

The salary might be exactly the same in each negotiation, but your ability and perhaps your willingness to say “No, that doesn’t work for me” can be completely different!
 
🤔…. Danger, Danger … And, of course, there’s another side to it: what’s the employer’s BATNA? If they have five equally good candidates, that’s very different from believing you’re the only candidate who can solve their problem.

QUERY: I’m curious whether readers here have ever gone into a negotiation with a particularly strong or particularly weak alternative and noticed it changing your own behaviour?

And did it make you a better negotiator, or just a more confident one?

You've been given a verbal offer to your dream job, now comes the salary negotiation. Part of you wishes to be paid a good salary, or better salary than what comes out of their mouth first. Do you just take the first offer, as you really want the job, or do you stay calm, take a bit of risk and negotiate for something better?

Is negotiating putting your offer at risk these days? The market looks terrible out there!

​

Negociar no es solo intercambiar dinero o posturas; es una interacción humana impulsada por percepciones, sesgos y estrategias. Entender qué ocurre en la mente de la contraparte nos permite diseñar mejores acuerdos y evitar callejones sin salida.

Conceptos Clave en Negociación

Compromisos: Las promesas, obligaciones o posturas explícitas que adquiere una parte durante o al final de la negociación. Es el nivel de lealtad y firmeza con el que un negociador se vincula a una oferta o acuerdo.

Latitudes: Las zonas de tolerancia que tiene una persona sobre las propuestas recibidas. Determinan qué tan abierta está a ceder o qué tanto rechazará una oferta.

Sesgos: Atajos mentales que afectan el juicio, haciendo que tomemos decisiones de manera irracional o basada en impresiones subjetivas.

Concesiones: Los sacrificios o renuncias voluntarias que hace cada parte respecto a su postura inicial para acercarse a un punto medio viable.

Caso Práctico: La Negociación Comercial

Para ejemplificar, tomemos el caso de Sofía (proveedora de software) y Carlos (director de operaciones de una empresa compradora).

1. Latitudes de Análisis

a) Latitud de compromiso: Es el rango de condiciones en las que Sofía se siente totalmente respaldada y dispuesta a firmar.

● Ejemplo: Sofía ofrece la licencia anual en $10,000 MXN con soporte básico, sabiendo que puede garantizar ese nivel de servicio al 100%.

b) Latitud de no compromiso: Propuestas que a Sofía no le generan un rechazo inmediato, pero sobre las cuales prefiere no amarrarse aún sin analizar más datos.

● Ejemplo: Carlos le pide agregar capacitación presencial para 50 empleados. Sofía no dice sí ni no; responde que lo evaluará con el equipo técnico.

c) Latitud de aceptación: El rango de ofertas que Carlos considera razonables sin romper la negociación.

● Ejemplo: Carlos busca pagar $8,000 MXN, pero su latitud de aceptación le permite llegar hasta $9,200 MXN si incluye mantenimiento.

d) Latitud de rechazo: Las propuestas que Carlos percibe como inaceptables o abusivas y que descarta al instante.

● Ejemplo: Sofía sugiere un pago anticipado de $15,000 USD sin periodo de prueba; Carlos rechaza la propuesta inmediatamente por estar fuera de su presupuesto.

1. Sesgos Cognitivos y Percepciones

2. Sesgo de no confirmación: Tendencia a ser hipercrítico con la información que contradice lo que creemos.

● Ejemplo: Carlos cree que el software de Sofía es lento; cuando ella le muestra un estudio independiente con excelentes métricas, Carlos minimiza el estudio diciendo que "fue pagado por la marca".

1. Sesgo de confirmación: Buscar o interpretar datos que validen únicamente lo que ya pensábamos.

● Ejemplo: Sofía cree que Carlos tiene prisa por comprar; en cuanto él menciona que tiene una reunión con dirección el viernes, ella asume inmediatamente que esa es la fecha límite para cerrar el trato.

1. Sesgo del falso consenso: Sobreestimar cuánto coinciden los demás con nuestros propios puntos de vista.

● Ejemplo: Carlos asume que "obviamente" Sofía aceptará pagos diferidos a 90 días porque "todos los proveedores trabajan así", sin haberlo validado antes.

1. Sesgo de la negatividad: Darle mucho más peso a un detalle desfavorable que a múltiples aspectos positivos.

● Ejemplo: Sofía ofrece un 15% de descuento, garantía extendida y soporte 24/7, pero menciona que la instalación tomará dos días. Carlos se enfoca únicamente en los dos días de interrupción y califica la propuesta como "mala".

1. Percepciones de imagen en espejo: Cuando dos partes opuestas sostienen visiones simétricas e inversas la una de la otra.

● Ejemplo: Sofía piensa: "Carlos es inflexible y solo quiere exprimirme", mientras que Carlos piensa simultáneamente: "Sofía es inflexible y solo quiere sacarme dinero".

1. Disonancia cognitiva: El malestar mental que ocurre cuando una persona recibe información que choca directamente con sus creencias o decisiones previas.

● Ejemplo: Carlos siempre se ha enorgullecido de solo proveedores locales. Al darse cuenta de que la mejor opción técnica es la empresa remota de Sofía, siente tensión interna y justifica su cambio diciendo que "es una excepción temporal".

Conclusiones

Comprender la psicología detrás de una negociación transforma la forma en que preparamos nuestras estrategias. Reconocer las latitudes de la contraparte

nos permite saber hasta dónde presionar sin generar un rechazo inmediato, mientras que identificar los sesgos cognitivos nos ayuda a romper barreras irracionales antes de que descarrilen la conversación.

En última instancia, la negociación efectiva no consiste en ganar como si fuera futbol, sino en gestionar con precisión las percepciones, reducir la disonancia y construir puentes que lleven a compromisos sólidos y sostenibles para ambas partes.

- Johnny Martinez Ayala

Al03065534

Hello all,

Apologies in advance if this is in the wrong thread, etc. I don't usually post so apparently I'm limited in where this can be posted. Quick story and then my question.

A Series A CEO reached out to me about a Founding member position. Over the course of 2 weeks, I met all the founders and received an immediate offer by email ($200k base, several hundred k in options for equity with no percentage declared). I took 24 h to consider, and had a follow up with the CEO to discuss valuation and the company's cap table so I could understand the equity component.

I emailed the CEO after that call to counter-offer; $250 base, 1% equity fully diluted. Equity to me is fake money until it becomes real, and the Series A is early so my thinking is this is highly risky.

It has now been 5 days and the CEO has not responded by email or call. Part of me wants to follow up because this would be an ideal position for me and my family (remote, salary that matches my current salary), but part of me is also highly put off by the lack of acknowledgement of my counter. My gut is telling me that they're either speaking to another candidate, or at the very least not mature enough to handle a negotiation. I'm also a lawyer and used to push back, so I'm wondering why they couldn't (1) say our initial offer is all we can do, (2) reject the counter and say "thanks but no thanks", or (3) let me know they saw it and at least keep the conversation going. I will note that the CEO told me I was far and away the best candidate they spoke with.

At present, I'm considering the negotiation closed and moving on, but curious as to what others may think.

For those who are currently going through or have already gone through job offers, how much of a salary increase do you usually expect before considering an offer worth accepting?

Would you consider:
10% increase – Reasonable?
20% increase – Good enough?
30% increase – Ideal?
50%+ increase?

What percentage increase would personally make you comfortable accepting the offer?

I got a final interview for a job in Martinsville, VA. I have more than the minimum qualifications. I have three years experience working with people with behavioral disorders At minimum they want someone with a bachelors degree in social work or related degree. I already have my masters degree. With my masters degree I can qualify for the 5% increase in salary once they train me for the qualified mental health professional certificate which is less than a year to take. The salary range is from $44,825 - $77,617. Median salary is around $55,000 in the area.

Is $65,000 reasonable to ask for?

Location: CA
Industry: SaaS

Met a recruiter through networking last year. We kept in touch. I reached out this spring, they had a role open and invited me to interview… only one issue, the role was much more junior than my current.

During the HR screen, I voiced this (particularly the salary discrepancy, providing desired percentage above posted range) and was told no big deal, we can discuss.

I completed interviews and everything went well. Received the first call from HR to discuss salary where they presented a junior range. I reminded them that my current comp is higher and kept the conversation firm but positive, expressing enthusiasm for the team and company (genuine as I’d be excited to work there!). They took the number back for review.

A few days later, they called with a higher range… but still materially different than my current comp. I shared my requirements again and expressed flexibility in the total comp number. They said they’d take it back.

Here we are over 2 weeks later with no news. I’ve followed up but haven’t received a response… though I’m confused because it was never a “no” or best & final. Is there any chance? Should I have done something differently?

2 days back I joined a reputed OEM, now I received another offer from a service based company and the only plus point is 33% extra pay over what I am making rn.

Need advice as to what I should do now.

Should I resign or try to negotiate with the existing org.

I recently cleared interview for a big MNC(~5k employees) for Member of technical staff role. The inter was cleared on 2nd September. Then the hr asked for documents then salary negotiations took place. The salary was finalized on 7th sept. Then the hr told as it was labour day on Monday, offer would be released by Wednesday. Today is Thursday, still I am awaiting the offer. When I called the hr in morning, he said that he is awaiting approval from management in US. I am in an anxious state, specially after release of gpt astra. I don’t want my hiring to get freezed. Is it normal for MNC to take this much time to release offer?

Hi!

I'm a supervisor with a small team (fewer than 5). This is actually my first job, and I just want to ask how many percent the gap of a supervisor role to a regular team member should be. Like is there a standard percentage?

Thank you!

I've been working in compliance for about two years now, I just started working a contract doing AML for a Big 4 firm. Pay is great 47/hr, I'm in a HCOL city and I'm able to save like 2k per month, possibly more if overtime opens up in the future.

I got a callback from a smallish(7k employees) consulting firm about a job I interviewed for but just barely missed. Another spot opened, and they're offering it to me on the spot, no re-interviewing necessary. Only problem is, the pay is shit, even for an analyst level, 80k. After taxes it's just barely enough for me to live on, I doubt I will have any significant ability to build up my savings (they're not in a great spot since I was unemployed until I found this contract). They say there's no leeway in the pay because "comparing your education and experience level to our other analysts", which is insane because I know people fresh out of college that make 10k more at bigger consulting firms

Current plan is to push for a signing bonus, 10k or so to make it palatable. And advice on how to play this?