5 exercises — practice the English phrases and strategies for salary negotiation: responding to "What are your salary expectations?", making counter-offers, negotiating non-salary benefits, and handling a firm offer.
Salary negotiation principles for IT professionals
Anchor in data, not need: "Based on market rates for Senior Go engineers in London, I'm targeting £85–90k" — not "I need more because…"
Give a range, not a single number: the bottom of your range should be your acceptable minimum
Counter-offer formula: warm acknowledgement → name the number → anchor in data + achievement → ask for flexibility
When salary is fixed: negotiate non-salary items one or two at a time (remote days, extra leave, signing bonus, training budget)
Never accept under pressure: "Could I have 24 hours to consider the full package?" is always appropriate
0 / 10 completed
1 / 10
The recruiter asks: "What are your salary expectations?" — early in the first screening call. Which response is most strategically effective?
Option C is the strongest for three reasons: ① It grounds the number in research and experience — not personal need ("I need X to cover my rent") or arbitrary desire, which signals market awareness and professionalism; ② It gives a range (£85–95k) rather than a single number, which preserves negotiation space without being evasive; ③ "Open to discussing the full compensation package" signals flexibility and invites a broader conversation (equity, bonus, remote, PTO). Why not B? "I'd rather hear your budget first" can work but risks sounding evasive or adversarial in a first call where the recruiter genuinely needs a ballpark to assess fit. In early-stage screening, being transparent about your range is usually more effective. Why not A? A single number anchors too low — if the budget was £95k, you left £5k on the table. Salary negotiation phrase bank:"Based on my research into market rates and my [X] years of experience with [technology], I'm targeting…" · "I'm looking for something in the range of…" · "I'm open to discussing the full compensation package" · "Could you share the budgeted range for this role?"
2 / 10
You receive a written offer: base salary of £78,000. Based on your market research, you were targeting £85,000. Which counter-offer email is most professionally effective?
Option B follows the four-step counter-offer formula that consistently gets the best outcome: ① Warm acknowledgement — thank them and reaffirm enthusiasm. This is not sycophancy; it reassures them that their offer is not being rejected, only negotiated. ② Name the specific number — "£85,000" is more credible than "more money." Vague requests ("can you do better?") signal that you haven't done research. ③ Anchor in market data + a specific achievement — "based on market rate for senior Go/Kubernetes engineers" + concrete value you've delivered. This frames the number as fair rather than greedy. ④ Invite flexibility without ultimatum — "Is there flexibility to move closer to that figure?" is collaborative, not confrontational. Option A is too aggressive — ultimatums early in negotiation damage the relationship before it starts. Options C and D are vague and unprofessional. Counter-offer structure: Acknowledge warmly → State the number → Anchor it in data → Ask for flexibility.
3 / 10
The employer says salary is firm at £78,000. You'd like to negotiate other aspects of the package. Which message best opens that conversation?
Option A succeeds because it negotiates one or two specific non-salary items rather than listing everything at once. This is the bundling vs. sequencing principle in negotiation: asking for five things simultaneously signals desperation and dilutes each request. Choosing one or two high-priority items and framing them as reasonable asks ("would it be possible to revisit those?") is far more likely to result in a concession. Negotiable non-salary items in IT roles: Remote work days (1–5 per week), Annual leave beyond the standard (25 → 28 days), Signing bonus (lump sum, one-time), Annual bonus target (% of base), Share options / equity (especially at startups), Learning & development budget (conferences, training, certifications), Home office stipend, Start date flexibility. How to frame it: "I completely understand that base salary is fixed. If there is any flexibility on [item A] and [item B], that would go a long way toward bridging the gap." Option B lists too many items — counter-productive. Option D accepts without negotiating — leaves value uncaptured. Option C is unprofessional.
4 / 10
The hiring manager says: "I appreciate your position, but this truly is our best offer — we don't have headroom to go higher." How should you respond?
Option B is the most professionally intelligent response. Here's why: ① It doesn't burn the relationship — accepting or rejecting immediately under pressure leads to poor decisions in both directions. ② It requests a specific, limited time window (24 hours) — not "a few days" or "some time." This signals decisiveness while buying you time to think clearly. ③ It communicates seriousness — "before giving you a definitive answer" tells them you are treating this professionally, not stringing them along. What to do during those 24 hours: Evaluate the total compensation (base + bonus + equity + benefits + growth), Consider the role's non-financial value (learning, team, product), If you have competing offers, this is the right time to disclose them professionally ("I have a competing offer I'm considering — would it be possible to check whether there is any flexibility?"). Phrases for gracefully buying time:"Could I have until [specific date] to consider the full package?" · "I want to give this the careful consideration it deserves — would 24 hours be acceptable?" · "I'm very close to a decision and just want to review one more time."
5 / 10
Which of these salary negotiation phrases is most effective for anchoring your request in professional data rather than personal need?
Option C uses the gold-standard salary anchoring technique: ① Named data sources (Levels.fyi, LinkedIn Salary) — these are credible, verifiable, industry-standard references. Compare to "I heard the market rate is…" which has no credibility anchor. ② Specific segmentation (Senior iOS Engineer, 5 years, fintech) — market data is only meaningful if it's segmented to the right role, level, location, and industry. Generic "developer salaries" are not useful. ③ Percentile framing (60th percentile) — this is more precise and less confrontational than "I should be paid more." It positions you as a market-aware professional, not someone making an emotional demand. ④ Tied to demonstrated value (30% reduction in onboarding drop-off) — every salary discussion is ultimately about ROI. Connecting your number to a business outcome you delivered is the strongest justification. Salary research sources for IT roles: Levels.fyi (Tech, especially US/UK), LinkedIn Salary, Glassdoor, Payscale, StackOverflow Developer Survey, local tech guild salary surveys. Option A uses personal financial need — never an effective negotiation anchor. Option B is vague and emotionally-framed. Option D anchors to past salary — somewhat useful but less powerful than market data.
6 / 10
During a code review comment on a pull request, another developer asks: 'This function is quite complex. What's your rationale for this approach?' How do you respond to politely push back on the perceived complexity while still demonstrating understanding?
This scenario tests your ability to frame technical decisions. Option 1 is too blunt and doesn't explain *why* it's efficient. Option 2 focuses on readability, a key developer value. Option 3 uses jargon without justification. Option 4 is polite but doesn't offer a constructive explanation; the best approach is to clearly articulate your reasoning.
7 / 10
You receive an API response from a server during salary negotiation: `{"status": "error", "message": "Salary range unavailable for this role."}`. What's the most appropriate Slack message to send to the recruiter?
This tests your response to a negative API interaction (the Slack message). Option 1 is demanding and unproductive. Option 3 sidesteps the issue. Option 4 suggests an unnecessary escalation. Option 2 politely seeks clarification – essential when data is missing; it's crucial to understand *why* the range isn't available.
8 / 10
You are writing a PR description for a feature that includes a significant salary increase. The description should be concise and professional. Which sentence is the MOST effective to include?
The question tests your ability to frame a request effectively. Option 1 is subjective and potentially confrontational. Option 3 focuses on personal goals rather than value. Option 4 lacks specifics. Option 2 clearly links performance to the compensation adjustment - demonstrating a professional justification.
9 / 10
During a standup update, your manager says: 'We've agreed on £78,000 for this role. It's our absolute maximum.' You want to discuss benefits and other perks. What's the best follow-up question to ask?
This assesses your ability to strategically shift the conversation. Option 1 directly seeks clarification on the constraints – crucial for negotiation. Options 2 and 3 are premature requests. Option 4 is too general; understanding *why* the salary is fixed is paramount.
10 / 10
You're negotiating a salary and want to emphasize your value. Which statement best uses data to anchor your request?
This tests your understanding of anchoring techniques. Option 1 is generic and lacks supporting evidence. Option 3 expresses enthusiasm but doesn't provide justification. Option 4 focuses on personal desires. Option 2 directly uses market data – a powerful tool for negotiation; it demonstrates you've done your research.
What does "Salary Negotiation English — IT Job Offer Practice" cover?
Practice salary negotiation phrases in English: answering 'What are your salary expectations?', counter-offers, negotiating non-salary benefits, and responding when the offer is firm. 5 exercises for IT professionals.
How many questions are in this interview set?
This set has 10 exercises, each with a full explanation.
Is this exercise free to use?
Yes. Every exercise on CoderSlingo, including this one, is free to use with no account, sign-up, or paywall.
Do these exercises include model answers?
Yes. Each interview question gives you several possible responses and asks you to pick the one that communicates most clearly and completely — the explanation then breaks down exactly why that answer works, including the specific vocabulary a strong candidate would use.
What if I choose an answer that isn't the strongest one?
You'll see which option was correct and read a full explanation of why it's stronger than the alternatives, plus the key vocabulary and phrasing worth reusing in a real interview.
Can I retry the questions?
Yes — use the "Try again" button on the results screen to reset and go through the set again.
Is this the same as a real technical or behavioural interview?
No — it's focused practice for the language side of interviewing: recognising which phrasing sounds precise and confident versus vague, and knowing the vocabulary interviewers expect for this role. It won't replace mock interviews, but it builds the vocabulary you'll need in one.
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