Will negotiating my first salary make me seem ungrateful or difficult?

No — professional negotiation is expected at every level including entry level. A direct, warm, brief counter grounded in market data signals professionalism, not ingratitude. The vast majority of hiring managers respond positively or neutrally to a professional counter. Those who respond negatively are revealing something important about the organisation's culture.

How much should I ask for above the initial offer?

10–15% above the initial offer is a reasonable starting range for entry-level negotiation, calibrated against your market research. More important than the percentage is having a specific number grounded in data rather than a vague sense that you deserve more. The number should be defensible if they ask how you arrived at it.

What if I genuinely have no results or experience to cite?

You negotiate on market data, not personal experience. Research what the role pays at entry level in your geography and industry — that is your entire case. You do not need results yet. You need a number and a reason, and "based on market research for this role in this city" is a complete and professional reason.

Is it better to negotiate by email or on the phone?

Both work. Email gives you time to phrase things precisely, removes real-time pressure, and creates a written record. Phone allows for a more natural conversation and can feel more human. For a first negotiation, many people find email easier because it removes the pressure of reacting in the moment. Either is completely acceptable.

What if I'm on a graduate scheme with a fixed salary?

Graduate schemes often have fixed base salaries — but not always fixed everything. Ask about signing bonuses, review timelines, non-salary benefits, start date flexibility, and development budget. Even in fixed-salary schemes, the conversation is worth having. At minimum you confirm the terms clearly and demonstrate that you are someone who thinks about their career deliberately.

Should I tell them I have other offers?

Only if you actually do and would genuinely consider them. A competing offer from a company you would not actually join is not leverage — it is a bluff that can backfire. If you do have a real competing offer, you can mention it: "I'm in conversation with another organisation and would like to make a decision by [date] — I'm very interested in this role and want to give it every opportunity." Use it to create timeline, not to threaten.

What if the counter goes badly and they seem annoyed?

A professional counter does not justify annoyance. If a hiring manager is genuinely annoyed by a calm, brief, market-grounded counter from an entry-level candidate, you have learned something important about the organisation before you joined. Proceed with eyes open. In most cases what reads as annoyance is simply surprise — it passes quickly.

How do I know if the initial offer is already fair?

Research. LinkedIn Salary, Glassdoor, and industry salary surveys will tell you what the role pays at your level in your city. If the offer lands at or above the 75th percentile for those sources, it is a strong offer. If it lands below the median, there is almost certainly room to negotiate. The research is not optional — it is the foundation of the entire conversation.

FIRST JOB

How to negotiate your first salary — and why you absolutely should

Nobody taught you this. Here's exactly what to do.

4 min de lecture26 avril 2026

A pristine cream envelope sealed with a circular gold wax seal on a deep navy surface

You got the offer.

You are thrilled. They chose you. After the applications, the interviews, the waiting — the answer is yes.

Your first instinct is to say yes immediately. To close the loop. To stop the anxiety of uncertainty.

Don't.

Not because the offer is bad — it might be perfectly reasonable. But because you don't know yet. And because the difference between accepting immediately and negotiating thoughtfully could be €3,000–8,000 per year.

Every year. For the rest of your career.

Here is the number most people don't think about: the salary you accept in your first professional role becomes the baseline everything else is calculated from. Future raises are percentages of it. Future offers at other companies are anchored to it. The negotiation you skip today follows you for a decade.

Should you actually negotiate your first offer?

Yes. Almost always.

The fear — the reason most people don't — is that negotiating will cost them the offer. This fear is understandable. It is also almost never justified.

A 2019 survey by Jobvite found that 84% of employers expect candidates to negotiate. Hiring managers who are surprised by a professional, calm counter-offer from an entry-level candidate are rare. Companies that rescind offers because a new graduate asked a reasonable question about compensation are companies that would have been unpleasant to work for.

The risk of negotiating professionally is much lower than you think. The cost of not negotiating is much higher than you think.

Before you respond — do this first

Research the market rate for the role

Spend 30 minutes on LinkedIn Salary, Glassdoor, and any industry-specific salary surveys for your field. Search for the exact role, entry level, in your city. This gives you a number that is external and defensible — not a feeling, not a guess.

Decide on your counter

Add 10–15% to the initial offer, cross-reference with your market research, and land on one specific number. Not a range. A number.

Write down your reason

One sentence: "Based on my research into entry-level market rates for this role in [city], I was hoping we could get to [X]." That is your entire case. You do not need 10 years of results. You need a number and a reason.

What to say

By email or phone, within the time you've asked for:

“Thank you so much for the offer — I'm genuinely excited about the role and the team, and I'd love to join. I've had a chance to review everything. I'd like to discuss the base salary. Based on my research into market rates for this role at entry level in [city], I was hoping we could get to [your number]. Is there any flexibility there?”

That is the entire counter. Direct, warm, grounded in data. Nothing else is needed.

If they say the salary is fixed

"I understand — are there other elements we could discuss? A signing bonus, an earlier performance review, additional holiday, or remote flexibility would all be meaningful to me."

Entry-level roles sometimes have genuinely fixed salary bands. Non-salary elements rarely have the same rigidity. A 3-month earlier review with a salary conversation attached, or one extra week of holiday, has real value even if the base cannot move.

If they push back on your number

"I appreciate you looking into it. [Their number] is closer — would it be possible to get to [your number]? That's the figure I need to make this work."

"Make this work" signals that you want to accept. You are not threatening to walk away. You are asking them to meet you at a reasonable point.

The salary you accept in your first role follows you for a decade. The negotiation you skip today is not a one-time cost — it compounds.

What if you have no experience or results to cite

You negotiate on market data, not personal results. You do not have results yet — that is what entry level means. What you have is research:

“Based on market data for this role at this level in [city], I was targeting [X].”

That is sufficient. You are not claiming to be worth more than the market — you are asking to be paid at it.

After the conversation

If they say yes: confirm in writing. Reply to the offer email: "Thank you — I'm delighted. To confirm I've understood correctly: the base salary is [agreed number], with a start date of [date]." Do not assume a verbal yes translates automatically into the written offer.

If they hold their position: you now have complete information. Is the offer at or close to market rate? Is the role, the team, the opportunity worth accepting at this number? Make the decision with full information rather than under pressure.

If they decline your counter entirely and the gap is significant: that is also information. A company that cannot close a reasonable gap on a candidate they have already chosen to hire is showing you something about how they operate.

What to do right now

Research the market rate for the role — 30 minutes, LinkedIn Salary and Glassdoor
Choose your number — one number, 10–15% above the offer, grounded in research
Write your counter sentence — it is one sentence
Send or say it, then wait

The conversation is shorter and less dramatic than you are imagining. And the outcome is almost always better than accepting the first number.

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