Salary negotiation
Salary negotiation is the conversation between candidate and employer about compensation before signing. Usually narrow in range; the value at stake over a candidate's tenure is large; the conversation often goes badly because both sides are underprepared.
What’s actually negotiable
Three layers that vary in flexibility:
- Base salary: usually the focus. SMBs typically have 5-15% room above the offered base if the band allows it.
- Variable / bonus structure: occasionally negotiable for senior roles. Less flexible at SMB scale because the structure is usually team-wide.
- Equity, signing bonus, start date, vacation: often more negotiable than base. The total-comp framing matters here.
Strong negotiators play across all three layers. Negotiating only on base leaves money on the table.
What candidates often get wrong
- Negotiating without a number: “what’s the most you can offer?” gives the employer all the leverage. Stating a target (“I’d be very comfortable at €95k”) frames the conversation.
- Threatening to walk away when they wouldn’t: ultimatums that are obvious bluffs damage trust without producing offers.
- Negotiating after accepting: once “yes” has been said, the leverage is gone. Negotiate before accepting, not after.
What employers often get wrong
- Reflexive flat “no”: refusing to negotiate at all on a strong candidate is the easiest way to lose them. Even small movement signals respect.
- Anchoring on the candidate’s prior salary: now illegal to ask in much of the EU and operationally bad practice anyway.
- Counter-offer panic: when a candidate negotiates, the employer assumes another offer exists. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t; assuming inflates the spend.
The honest middle
A reasonable negotiation has both sides showing some flexibility and arriving within the band. A candidate who pushes from €80k to €85k on a band that tops at €92k is being reasonable; one who pushes to €110k is signalling they’re not the right fit.