How to Handle a LOWBALL offer! - Salary negotiation tips, by A Life After Layoff on YouTube. 11 min 17 s.
- Video length
- 11 min 17 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 10
What you need
Steps
Wait for the written offer before you react. Read the full package, including base pay, bonus, benefits and start date, so you respond to the real numbers.
Check your realistic market value using salary data for your job title, experience level and industry. Use several sources, not one job advert.
Adjust that figure for your geographic region. Pay for the same role can differ a lot between cities and between remote and on-site jobs.
List the skills and experience you bring that match the job description. Note any certifications, software or results that make you more valuable than an average candidate.
Set your bottom line salary before the call. Write down the number you will not go below and the reasons behind it.
Say plainly that you are disappointed with the offer, then pause. Keep your tone calm and professional, and avoid accepting on the spot.
Present your value case with facts: market data, your relevant skills and what you would deliver in the role. Ask for a specific higher number.
Include the value of perks such as bonus, holiday, remote work, training or early review. If base pay is fixed, ask for improvements elsewhere.
Be firm but polite. Repeat your number and let the recruiter respond. If the offer stays too low, say you will decline and walk away.
Get the final offer in writing before you resign or accept. Confirm salary, perks, start date and any promised review date.
Tips and common mistakes
Never give a number first if you can avoid it; ask for the budgeted range instead.
Do not negotiate before you have a written offer, because verbal numbers often change.
Keep the conversation friendly: the recruiter is not the decision maker but can argue your case.
If the base salary is capped, ask for a sign-on bonus or an early salary review instead.
Questions
What if the offer is far below my minimum?
If it is too far from your bottom line, say so and decline politely. A lowball offer can signal how the company treats pay, so walking away is a valid choice.
Can I negotiate after accepting?
It is much harder. Ask for changes before you accept in writing, because once you agree the employer has little reason to reopen the salary.
Should I tell the recruiter my current salary?
You do not have to share it in many places, and you can redirect to the budgeted range for the role. Focus on the value you bring and the market rate.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
