Job Offer Negotiations: Professional Salary and Terms Phrases
5 exercises on salary negotiation language. Choose the most natural and professional option.
0 / 5 completed
1 / 5
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 / 5
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 / 5
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 / 5
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 / 5
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.