You’ve landed a tech job. Congratulations! Now comes the next step: negotiating to ensure you’re getting the maximum salary and all the benefits you can. Even if you’re just starting out in your tech career, you usually have some leverage to negotiate your salary offer. Here are some negotiation tips that can help you with this (often stressful) task.

While we go into some tricks and techniques below, keep in mind that Dice’s recently updated Ultimate Guide to a Successful Technology Career and Optimizing Your Tech Career e-books offer an even more in-depth look into optimizing your starting salaries, benefits packages, and more. With that, let’s jump in!

The Benefits of Negotiation

Here are just a few of the upsides of negotiating with a future or current employer for the things you want:

• Higher Salary: Research suggests that negotiated salaries are higher than initial offers. Depending on your base salary, that translates to thousands more in your pocket each year.
• Enhanced Benefits: Beyond base pay, you can potentially secure great benefits such as additional vacation days, flexible work arrangements, and more.

• Increased Value Recognition: Negotiating helps you establish your ambition and worth, building your internal reputation.

• Future Earning Potential: It’s not just about what you can make right now: a higher starting salary sets a stronger baseline for future raises and promotions.

Overcoming Potential Negotiation Roadblocks

Potential Roadblocks and How to Navigate Them:
 

• Getting Rejected: Yes, rejection is always a potential outcome. However, if you adequately prepare before engaging in negotiations, you have a higher likelihood of getting at least some of what you want. Be prepared to compromise.

• Not Having the Right Information: Before heading into any salary negotiation, research what people with your experience and role tend to get paid. Use that as a baseline for your negotiations. You may also want to research the company’s current financials; if they’re going through a budget crunch, for example, you may want to hold off on asking for a substantial raise until the overall fortunes improve.  

• Not Practicing Beforehand: Rehearse what you’ll say, and work through what your manager might say in return. That way, you’ll be less surprised and more likely to achieve a beneficial outcome.

• Failing to Keep It Positive: No matter what happens, stay positive. Thank your manager for the discussion.

• Getting Too Demanding: Avoid ultimatums. Instead, back up your requests with research on market rates and your unique skillset. If you’ve been working the job for some time, quantify your contributions with tangible achievements.

Salary Negotiation Strategies

As you enter your negotiation, keep these pointers in mind, as well:

Aim High: Start your salary request slightly above your ideal target, leaving room for compromise.

Highlight Your Value: Remind the hiring manager of how your specific tech skills and experience translate into tactical and strategic gains for the company (especially if those gains can be quantified financially).

Sample Salary Negotiation Email:

New to a job? Here’s a template to consider if you want to negotiate the company’s starting offer:

Dear [Hiring Manager Name],

Thank you again for offering me the [Job Title] position at [Company Name]. I'm excited about the opportunity to contribute my skills and experience to your team.

I've carefully reviewed the offer and would like to discuss the possibility of [state your specific request, e.g., adjusting the starting salary]. My research suggests that the average salary for this position with my qualifications in [city/region] is closer to [your target salary]. Given my [highlight specific skills and experience], I believe that [explain how your contribution adds value to the company].

I'm very interested in joining [Company Name] and am confident I can make a significant impact. I'm open to discussing alternative options like [benefits].

Conclusion

Remember: negotiating for salary and other benefits isn’t just about the money: it’s also about getting what you deserve vis-à-vis your skills and overall contributions. As your career advances, you’ll want to periodically negotiate to ensure your financial package stays commensurate with what the industry is paying out. Your skills are valuable—and your paychecks should reflect that.