Background        1

Confirm Salary, Location (Remote/Flex, etc.), and Benefits        1

Respond to questions about your salary/pay expectations        1

Speed up the offer/compare offers        2

Responding to unpaid assignments        2

Negotiation Checklist        4

Negotiation Tips & Templates        4

Step 1 - Learn when to negotiate        4

Step 2 - Learn what to negotiate for        5

Step 3 - Start formal negotiation when you get an offer        7

Resources/Research Tools        8

Background

This is part of a series of open source materials from the 8 Weeks To Employed Bootcamp, hosted by Albert’s List Jobs and Careers Community.

The below scripts and templates are designed to help you comfortably navigate/negotiate throughout the interview and offer stage of your job search. Please use/edit/ignore any of the content here as needed to fit your own voice & style.

Confirm Salary, Location (Remote/Flex, etc.), and Benefits

Hi [Name],

Thanks for reaching out regarding my application for the [job title] role on the [XYZ] team.

Would you be able to share a bit more information? It would be helpful to know:

Salary/pay - can you share the budget range for this role? I will be happy to confirm if we are aligned so that both my time and yours are respected.

Location/remote work - is this a 100% remote role? If not, what is the organization’s policy on flex/hybrid work, and how many days per week would the person in this role be expected to be in-office?

Benefits - is there a quick overview of the benefits for [xyz company] that you can share?

Many thanks,

X

Respond to questions about your salary/pay expectations

Hi [Name], thanks for asking,

I don't typically disclose or negotiate salary until I am further in the interview process, if you can share the range you're working with, I'd be happy to confirm if it is aligned with what I'm looking for so that both my time and yours are respected.

Thank you,

X

OR

“I’d like to learn more about the role, duties, and team, before discussing pay. But may I ask what salary range you’re considering for this position?”

Speed up the offer/compare offers

Hi [Name],

Thanks again for taking the time to speak with me last week, it was great to learn more about the role and team.

A quick update from this end - a couple of other opportunities have moved to the offer stage, so I’m wondering if you are able to provide an update on the timeline and next steps for this role?

[XYZ company name] is definitely at the top of my list, so I’d like to look at all options at the same time.

Thank you again, and let me know if I can provide any other information to help you move forward in the process.

Many thanks,

x

Responding to unpaid assignments

In most cases, asking candidates to do free work during the interview process is unethical and ineffective.

While it is understandable for a hiring manager/team to want to see an example of how a candidate works, there are better ways to do this, including:

  • Asking for a brief overview of how a candidate would solve a specific problem or opportunity
  • Asking candidates to share a portfolio or work samples
  • Offering a paid assignment to a small group of interview finalists
  • Speaking with 2-3 references who can speak to how the candidate works

Everyone’s situation is unique, but we recommend maintaining a boundary around these requests because if a hiring manager or company isn’t willing to negotiate or be responsive in this type of situation, it sets the stage for how you will be treated if/when you are hired.

 

If asked to do an unpaid assignment, here are a couple of ways you can respond:

  1. You can offer to provide a brief overview of how you would solve or approach the assignment, along with a limited sample
  2. You can mention that you don’t typically take on unpaid assignments during the interview process, but value getting to see how people work in both directions and would be happy to work on a limited paid project

Here is a template that you are welcome to use/edit as appropriate:

Hi XX,

Thanks for sending over the assignment/exercise – would the team be open to revising it slightly or structuring a limited paid project?

I would recommend:

  1. Keeping the assignment to a brief overview of how I would solve or approach the assignment, along with a limited work sample
  2. Moving forward with a paid project if you’d like the full assignment completed (I can send a quick scope and quote)

I’m a fan of getting to see how people work in both directions, but the assignment as-is would likely take X to Y hours to complete properly.

For example, I understand you may have candidates who dash out an assignment like this with ChatGPT or a similar tool, but with this type of work, I would normally look at existing data, research competitors and market positioning, and get quick feedback by sending a draft to the intended end audience to ensure that what I’m creating is effective and useful.

That said, if you prefer the current process, I understand and wish you luck in selecting a candidate as you look for someone who can deliver great work.

Cheers,

XX

Negotiation Checklist

This checklist is designed to help you prepare as you move into the negotiation stage of your job search. Negotiation is 90% about researching, deciding what’s important to you, and practicing your answers.

Research market data, outline your needs & requirements, and consider your negotiating points.

  • What are the most critical healthcare & wellness benefits for me (need to have, nice to have)
  • What is the base salary/pay that will support my life?
  • What is the average salary/pay for this role nationally? Is there any differentiation by region?
  • What are my remote/flex work needs? Standard hours/scheduling, flexibility to attend medical appointments, ability to set own hours, etc.  
  • Are there bonuses and growth opportunities?

Position yourself as a solution to the company’s challenges and opportunities

  • What problems (opportunities) has the hiring manager and interview team mentioned that I could solve with my skills & experience?
  • What has worked (or not) in the past?
  • What does the market competition look like for the company/team?

Describe how you will add value

  • Are there unique experiences, knowledge, or tools I can leverage from my background to add value?
  • What are some examples of how I would use my expertise to solve them?

Negotiation Tips & Templates

Step 1 - Learn when to negotiate  

                                                                                           

First and foremost, although embarking on a job search is when it’s most common to negotiate, there are other times you may need to negotiate:

  • New offer
            
  • Performance evaluation
            
  • Major achievement (you have added value)
            
  • Offer from the competition         

Because employers vary in the benefits they offer, it’s also important to get information early in your job search — for example, ask your recruiter or HR contact on an initial phone screen if there is a benefits overview or benefits handbook they can share with you.

That said, up until you receive a written offer, you are mostly in the information-gathering & preparation phase, and you are under no obligation to say yes or no to a job. Once you do receive the formal offer, then it’s time to negotiate.

We should also mention that you are not obligated to share salary/pay information from your current/past jobs at any time during the interview and offer stages. In some states, it’s illegal for an employer to ask. You also do not have to share the salary/pay that you are seeking

Step 2 - Learn what to negotiate for

                                 

Although salary/pay is often the primary focus there are other things you can negotiate for, including:

  • Insurance (e.g. healthcare premiums)
            
  • Retirement (401k match)
            
  • Equity and stock options
            
  • Paid time off
            
  • Lunch/Wellness/Commuting benefits
            
  • Professional development stipend (e.g. conferences, training, online courses, coaching, etc.)
            
  • Education benefits or student loan debt forgiveness

  • Flexibility (in office, hybrid, remote, remote for specific days or work types etc.)
            

Would you be willing to trade $5K/year in salary for monthly healthcare premiums covered at a 75% rate? You might be if the math adds up.

                        

Source: Demisha Jennings on LinkedIn

Another thing to remember is that companies sometimes have more flexibility in specific budget areas (training, for example) and less in others (personnel/salaries).

In rare cases, an employer may offer set benefits with no room for negotiation. However, it is generally a good practice to get as much information as possible early on and negotiate on multiple elements.

Step 3 - Start formal negotiation when you get an offer

Sometimes this comes by phone — once final interviews are complete, the recruiter or hiring manager may call or send a quick email asking if you have a minute for an update.

Usually, a verbal offer will contain basic details, they may tell you their proposed salary/pay and highlight specific benefits. Or, they may simply say that a formal offer is coming and they are excited to have you on board.

Either way, it’s a good practice to thank them for the offer, express your excitement, and share that you are looking forward to seeing the formal offer. Once you receive the formal offer, you can respond similarly, and let them know you’re excited about the opportunity and are considering it carefully.

You may also want to come up with a template like the below:

Confirming I received this offer! Thank you for getting everything together and sending it over, and I’ve really enjoyed learning more about the entire team during the interview process. Can I get back to you in the next 1-2 days? I’m excited about this role and considering it carefully.

Consider lining up friends, peers, and mentors to help you review & consider any offers you receive. This will ensure you get feedback and have time to think through the opportunity in detail.

We almost always recommend countering the initial offer. You can do this by expressing excitement, describing how you will add value and help the team move forward, and proposing additional compensation or benefits.

*NOTE: If you have a strong feeling that countering the initial offer will lead to its rescinding, we suggest talking with at least 2-3 people, including a coach, mentor, and friend/family member. There may be signals you are picking up, and while the decision to counter or not counter belongs to you, it is best to make it knowing whether you can live with the outcome either way….e.g. working at a company that won’t negotiate with you on salary/benefits may be a non-negotiable for you because it could mean they are inflexible, unfair, or biased in working conditions OR you may just accept the offer because you need the financial stability, but keep looking for a new job.

Here is an example:

Hi X,

Thank you for following up with additional information and this offer. I'm excited by the opportunity to join such a fantastic team and contribute to the company's growth.

Since I have substantial experience running end-to-end research studies with little to no supervision and aligning stakeholders in complex organizations, my goal is for my next role to start at $xxx,xxx/year in annual base compensation.

That being said, I see the potential for [company name] as a great product in an uncrowded vertical, so I would be open to balancing the base salary with [equity/stock options, additional PTO, gym/wellness benefits, professional development stipend etc.] if you are able to meet me there.

 If that works for you, I'm excited to be on board and ready to join the team! Let me know your thoughts, and I'd be happy to talk through it on a quick call if helpful.  

Many thanks,

Ayanna

Resources/Research Tools

To warm up your negotiation skills, we recommend reviewing the following resources:

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