Job Offer Negotiations: Professional Salary and Terms Phrases
5 exercises on salary negotiation language. Choose the most natural and professional option.
0 / 10 completed
1 / 10
You've received an offer and want to negotiate salary without seeming ungrateful. What do you say?
ENTHUSIASTIC NEGOTIATION OPENER: "I'm very excited about the role — is there any flexibility on..." pairs genuine enthusiasm with a professional ask. It preserves the relationship while opening the negotiation. Examples: "I'm really excited about this opportunity — is there flexibility on the base? I was hoping for 85,000." / "I'd love to join the team — is there room to move on the salary figure?" / "I'm very excited about the role — could we revisit the compensation package?" Starting with your excitement makes the negotiation collaborative rather than adversarial. Options A/C/D are blunt or aggressive, which damages rapport and reduces your chances of success.
2 / 10
You want to anchor your salary request with market data and experience. Which is most effective?
ANCHORING WITH RESEARCH AND EXPERIENCE: "Based on my research and experience..." is the professional standard for salary anchoring. It signals preparation and grounds your number in market data, not personal feeling. Examples: "Based on my research into senior engineer salaries in London and my background in ML infrastructure, I was expecting closer to 110,000." / "Based on Glassdoor and my 5 years at a FAANG, I'd put fair market value at 95,000." / "My research shows the band for this role in this market is 90-100k — I'm targeting the upper end given my specialisation." Options A/B/C lack grounding and come across as emotional rather than reasoned.
3 / 10
You need time to evaluate the offer. What is the most professional way to ask?
REQUESTING TIME PROFESSIONALLY: "Could you give me a few days to consider? I want to give this the careful thought it deserves." is warm, professional, and frames deliberation as respect for the opportunity. Examples: "Thank you for the offer — could I have until Friday to give you my answer?" / "I'd like to take a few days to review the full package carefully. Is that possible?" / "Could you give me 48 hours? I want to make sure I'm fully committed before I say yes." Options B/C/D are either too casual, unreasonable, or shift focus to personal factors the employer shouldn't need to know about.
4 / 10
You want to ask about a signing bonus. How do you raise it professionally?
ASKING ABOUT SIGNING BONUSES: "Is there a signing bonus included, or is that something we could explore?" is open, non-demanding, and invites a conversation rather than creating confrontation. Examples: "Is a signing bonus part of the offer, or something we could discuss?" / "I noticed the base is slightly below my target — is there a signing bonus that could bridge the gap?" / "Could we explore a one-time sign-on payment given the equity vesting cliff?" Signing bonuses often compensate for unvested equity or relocation costs — framing the ask in that context (as option C implies) strengthens it. Options A/B/D are blunt or entitled.
5 / 10
You've decided to decline the offer. What is the most professional way to do so?
PROFESSIONAL DECLINE: "After careful consideration, I've decided to pursue a different opportunity. I hope our paths cross again." is the gold standard for declining an offer. It expresses gratitude, avoids burning bridges, and leaves the door open. Examples: "Thank you for the offer — after reflection, I've accepted a role that's a closer fit for where I'm heading. I'd love to stay in touch." / "I'm grateful for the opportunity — I've decided to go in a different direction, but I have a lot of respect for the team." / "After much deliberation, I'm declining — I hope we have the chance to work together in the future." Options A/C/D are curt and could permanently damage the professional relationship.
6 / 10
During a code review discussion about a new feature, your manager suggests a salary of $130,000. You believe you're worth more based on your experience and the current market rate for similar roles. Which response is most professional to convey this while maintaining a positive working relationship?
Option 1 directly addresses the salary suggestion with a reasonable counter-offer, framing it as your expectation rather than a demand. Options 2 and 3 are too confrontational or vague. Option 4 delays the conversation unnecessarily; providing a preliminary figure demonstrates you've considered the situation – crucial for a professional code review discussion.
7 / 10
You're drafting a pull request description and want to justify requesting a slightly higher salary than initially offered. You've identified several areas where you significantly exceeded expectations during your initial onboarding period. Which of the following phrases best conveys this information effectively?
Option 2 is too blunt and lacks justification. Option 1 is unprofessional. Option 3 directly links your achievements to a desired salary increase, providing concrete examples of added value. Option 4 focuses solely on the code review task, neglecting the core negotiation point.
8 / 10
You receive a Slack message from your hiring manager asking if you have any questions about the offer. You want to politely inquire about potential stock options. Which of the following messages is most appropriate?
Option 1 is a polite and open-ended question that invites further discussion about stock options. Options 2 and 3 are too direct or shift the focus away from the key topic. Option 4 delays the conversation without addressing your specific interest.
9 / 10
During a standup meeting, your team lead asks about your progress on a new project. You've been offered a job with a slightly lower base salary than you were expecting and want to subtly bring it up during the conversation without disrupting the flow. Which of the following responses is most effective?
Option 1 avoids mentioning the offer entirely. Option 2 introduces the topic of the salary without demanding anything and proposes a follow-up discussion. Options 3 and 4 are irrelevant to the negotiation process.
10 / 10
You've received a job offer and want to negotiate for additional vacation time. You're confident in your ability to manage your workload effectively. Which of the following statements is the most professional way to approach this discussion?
Option 2 clearly states your desired outcome (additional vacation days) while justifying it with your performance. Options 1 and 3 are demanding and lack justification. Option 4 is vague and unprofessional.
What will I practise in "Job Offer Negotiations: Professional Salary and Terms Phrases"?
This module focuses on Phrasebook — real workplace phrasing you'll use on the job. It contains 10 scenario-based multiple-choice questions with instant feedback.
Is this exercise free to use?
Yes. Every exercise on CoderSlingo, including this one, is free to use with no account or sign-up required.
How many questions does this exercise have?
This module includes 10 questions. Each one gives an immediate right/wrong result plus a full explanation of the correct phrasing.
What happens if I answer a question incorrectly?
You'll see the correct answer highlighted straight away, along with a plain-English explanation of why it's right and why the other options don't fit — mistakes are part of the learning here.
Can I retry the exercise if I want a better score?
Yes — use the 'Try again' button on the results screen to reset your score and go through the questions again. There's no limit on attempts.
Who is this Phrasebook exercise for?
It's aimed at IT professionals with working English who want to sound more natural and precise around phrasebook — useful whether you're preparing for real conversations at work or just building confidence with the vocabulary.
Do I need an account to track my progress?
No account is needed. Your progress through the exercise is tracked locally in your browser for the current session, and you can replay the module at any time.
How is this different from reading a blog article?
This exercise is an interactive drill that tests and reinforces specific phrasing through multiple-choice questions with instant feedback, while blog articles explain concepts and vocabulary in prose. The two work well together.
Where can I find more Phrasebook exercises?
See the Phrasebook hub for more modules like this one, or browse the full Exercises page for other IT-English topics.
Can I complete this exercise on my phone?
Yes — every exercise on CoderSlingo is fully responsive and works on phones and tablets, so you can practise anywhere.