Somewhere right now, someone is accepting a job offer that's £4,000 less than they wanted because they didn't want to seem difficult.

The hiring manager has already moved on with their day.

This is the most common and most avoidable way people leave money on the table. Not through bad performance, not through poor timing; just through a thirty second conversation they decided not to have.

Let's fix that.

Why Most People Don't Negotiate

The fear is always the same. What if they withdraw the offer? What if they think I'm greedy? What if it gets awkward?

Here is what actually happens in almost every case: nothing bad. Hiring managers expect negotiation. Recruiters are briefed for it. There is nearly always a salary band with room at the top, and the first offer is rarely the final one.

The data backs this up. A study by Fidelity found that 85% of people who negotiated their salary got at least some of what they asked for. The ones who didn't negotiate got exactly what they were first offered, which was the number someone decided to start with, not finish with.

One conversation. That's the difference.

The Script That Actually Works

You don't need to be aggressive. You don't need to play games. You just need one clear, confident sentence followed by a number.

When the offer comes, say this:

"Thank you so much, I'm genuinely excited about this role. Based on my research and experience, I was hoping we could get closer to £X. Is there any flexibility there?"

That's it. Then stop talking. The silence after that sentence is doing the work. Don't fill it.

A few things make this work. You've expressed enthusiasm so they know you want the role. You've referenced research so it doesn't sound arbitrary. You've asked a question rather than made a demand. And you've given them a number to work with.

What number should you say? Higher than you actually want, but not so high it's embarrassing. If you want £40,000, ask for £43,000. It gives them room to meet you in the middle and feel like they've won something, which people enjoy.

How to Prepare Using AI

Before the conversation, open ChatGPT or Claude and try this prompt:

"I've been offered a salary of £X for a [job title] role in [city/industry]. I have [X years] of experience and I want to negotiate up to £Y. Can you help me research whether this is reasonable and give me a script for the negotiation conversation?"

It'll pull together market context, suggest a realistic counter, and give you something to practise with. You can even ask it to roleplay as a hiring manager so you can rehearse the actual conversation out loud before it matters.

Feeling prepared is half the battle. The other half is just making the call.

When You Have Two Offers at the Same Time

This is the best problem to have, and most people still manage to handle it badly.

Here's the situation: Company A has offered you £42,000. Company B is the one you actually want but hasn't quite got there yet. What do you do?

You tell Company B; honestly, professionally, and without drama.

Call or email your contact at Company B and say something like this:

"I wanted to be transparent with you because I'm genuinely interested in this role. I've received another offer at £42,000 and I need to make a decision by [date]. I'd love to make this work. Is there any room to move on the salary or package?"

A few things to note here. You don't need to name the other company. You do need a real deadline; don't invent one, as it tends to unravel. And you're not being disloyal or playing games. You're giving them information they need to make a competitive offer, which is entirely reasonable.

Most companies will either match it, get close, or tell you honestly they can't. All three outcomes are useful. What you've done is turned a gut-feel decision into one with actual information behind it.

Use AI to help here too. Try this prompt:

"I have a job offer from Company A for £42,000 and I'm waiting on Company B who I prefer. Help me write a professional, warm email to Company B letting them know about the competing offer and asking if they can match it."

It'll draft something in seconds that sounds measured and professional rather than like you're running an auction, which is the tone you're going for.

One Last Thing

Salary is not the only thing worth negotiating. If they genuinely can't move on the number, ask about something else. An extra day of annual leave. A six month salary review rather than annual. A remote working arrangement. A training budget.

Companies that can't flex on salary can often flex on other things, and over the course of a year those things add up to real money and real quality of life.

The worst they can say is no. And no, it turns out, is nowhere near as bad as everyone thinks it is.

Have a great week everyone 🙂

Jamie

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