By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
“It is never too late to be what you might have been.” ~ George Elliot
Some of you may remember or have noticed I did nt put out No BS Career Advice last weekend and why. For those of you who don’t recall or don’t know, I had a bone marrow test to see if a non-Hodgkins lymphoma I have had spread. I wound up with one day of discomfort, and after that, I felt fine.
The good news is that it hasn’t. I can begin radiation treatment soon (I’m meeting with a doc that week after next and I am told by people who have gone through radiation, it is much easier than chemo.
So, I’m back this week with a new issue and hope to continue my weekly work to support all of you with your efforts to find your next job.
7 Salary Negotiation Tactics Every Office Pro Should Be Using (But Isn’t)
Let’s be honest—salary negotiations make most professionals uncomfortable. Even smart, capable people walk into these conversations unprepared or avoid them entirely.
But here’s the truth: you don’t get what you deserve—you get what you negotiate. Whether you’re exploring a new job or looking for a raise, these are the seven negotiation strategies every educated professional working in an office environment should be using.
These aren’t gimmicks. They’re grounded in research, practical experience, and common sense.
🎯 1. Know Who You’re Trying to Persuade
Is your salary conversation happening with your boss or through HR? If it’s HR, talk to your manager first. They may not control the budget, but they can influence the outcome behind the scenes.
✅ Managers often have more sway in salary decisions than people realize. 📚 Source: Harvard Business Review
🗣 2. Script Your Ask—Then Practice It
Don’t wing it. Most people know their number but stumble through the ask.
Avoid saying:
“I’m hoping for something in the $60K to $70K range.” You’ll hear: “Let’s go with $60K.”
Instead, say:
“Based on my experience and the market, I’m targeting $68K.”
Write it down. Say it out loud. Rehearse. Role-play. Confidence is a muscle—build it before the conversation.
🧠 3. Anticipate Their Pushback
You’re not negotiating in a vacuum. Think ahead:
What are their budget limitations?
Are there internal pay equity concerns?
Is timing an issue?
Prepare to respond directly:
“I understand timing is tight. But I’ve contributed $40K in savings through process improvements—let’s talk about how we can reflect that.”
📅 4. Show Up Like a Pro—First Impressions Matter
Whether in person or on Zoom, don’t show up sloppy, late, or unprepared. Your professionalism sends a clear message about your value—before salary is even mentioned.
🧠 Research shows people form first impressions in milliseconds, and they’re often hard to change. 📚 Source: Princeton Study, Willis & Todorov (2006)
💬 5. Start with Rapport, Not Demands
Small talk isn’t fluff. It builds trust and softens what can otherwise be a high-stakes conversation.
Smile. Ask a question. Mirror their tone. Show you’re a human being, not a transaction.
🤝 Building rapport increases the likelihood of collaborative negotiation outcomes. 📚 Source: Stanford Graduate School of Business
📈 6. Back Up Your Ask with Real Evidence
Don’t assume they remember your achievements. Bring receipts:
KPIs you hit
Projects you led
Testimonials from clients or peers
Positive reviews or performance data
“In the last 6 months, I’ve led two initiatives that cut operational costs by 18%.”
📊 “Data beats opinion.” — Jeff Weiner, Former LinkedIn CEO
🔄 7. Don’t Just Negotiate Salary
If the base salary can’t budge, expand the discussion. Consider:
More PTO
Remote or hybrid flexibility
Professional development stipends
Signing or retention bonuses
Commuter or childcare benefits
Negotiating multiple items creates space for compromise and increases your chance of walking away with something valuable.
📚 Research shows multi-issue negotiations lead to better outcomes than single-issue talks. Source: Harvard Program on Negotiation
💬 Final Word: Closed Mouths Don’t Get Fed
Being a great employee doesn’t mean being quiet. If you’re waiting to be recognized and rewarded without saying anything, you’re playing the wrong game.
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” — Wayne Gretzky (via Michael Scott)
💵 Bonus: Know What You’re Worth Before You Ask
Use data to anchor your ask. Free tools to benchmark your market value:
Glassdoor Salary Explorer
Payscale Salary Research
Levels.fyi (especially for tech and corporate roles)
Talk to peers, mentors, and former managers
What You Can Do Right Now:
✅ Script your salary pitch
✅ Back it with 3 clear accomplishments
✅ Check your market rate
✅ Practice once out loud before your next conversation
Ⓒ The Big Game Hunter, Inc., Asheville, NC 2025
My coaching and content are designed to help people find their next role more quickly than they might otherwise. Whether it is the information I freely share here or elsewhere, the video courses, books and guides I offer inexpensively, the podcast I continue to deliver (launched in November 2010, No BS Job Search Advice Radio has more than 3000 episodes), my YouTube channel, the courses I’ve created, the books I’ve written (available on Amazon) or the coaching I continue to do, people need help with finding work and succeeding at it.
After all, a lot of layoff notices are still coming through the feed. I encourage you to do something simple. Share their posts in your feed without expectation. Share mine because the information may help someone turn a corner and help them land.
Subscribe if you haven’t already. Click the like button. Comment. Do things to help others who need to find work, like tagging people you know when you see a job that may fit them.
Last week, I released a lot of new content, including:
Branding for Blue Collar and Other Workers https://wp.me/p4aIk1-1O0
8 Things You Do That Scare Hiring Managers and Sabotage Yourself https://wp.me/p4aIk1-nn2
Better Than Applying Through The ATS https://wp.me/p4aIk1-6U3
Tipping Your Hand in a Salary Negotiation https://wp.me/p4aIk1-6TI
Employment Situation Summary: July 3, 2025 https://wp.me/p4aIk1-nns
Tough Interview Questions: You Have 10 Minutes to Impress Me https://youtu.be/OlkTcNjeEVw
If Work-Life Balance Is Important to You https://wp.me/p4aIk1-lTc
Your Next Job Shouldn’t Just Be About a Paycheck https://wp.me/p4aIk1-lM4
Resumes vs LinkedIn https://wp.me/p4aIk1-ftM
They Told Me I Did Well But I Haven’t Heard Back From Them https://wp.me/p4aIk1-1Lp
What Does Leadership Mean? https://wp.me/p4aIk1-j16
How To Keep Top-Performing Employees Satisfied And Engaged https://wp.me/p4aIk1-ixz
Interview Mistakes: Giving Answers That Sound Canned https://wp.me/p4aIk1-lHP
What Employers Want to Hear When You Answer Interview Questions https://youtu.be/jbNhHpw8oKc
A Large Proportion of Jobs Are Not Advertised https://wp.me/p4aIk1-nnk
Mastering Job Interviews: Real-World Tactics https://wp.me/p4aIk1-no7
The Biggest Mistake Job Hunters Make DON’T DO THIS! https://wp.me/p4aIk1-nno
Should I Follow Up With the Recruiter or the Hiring Manager? https://wp.me/p4aIk1-6Tk
The Layoff Journey https://wp.me/p4aIk1-nmX
Walk Me Through a Time You Helped Someone Though a Difficult Problem https://youtu.be/XtAAcDThvd8
Don’t Blow Your Follow-Up After A Long Weekend! https://wp.me/p4aIk1-noc
AI Job Search Secrets Recruiters Don’t Want You to Know! https://wp.me/p4aIk1-not
Stop Practicing with Friends (Do This Instead!) https://wp.me/p4aIk1-noz
What Is The Logic Behind Scripted Interview Questions? https://wp.me/p4aIk1-6RV
Master LinkedIn Networking and Unlock Your Job Search https://wp.me/p4aIk1-mY8
How to Deal With A Job Hunting Rejection https://youtu.be/lB_e3mHfVQc
Maybe … https://wp.me/p4aIk1-fGL
How to Run an Ideal Candidate Profile (ICP) Meeting https://wp.me/p4aIk1-noX
Stuck in a Funk? (It’s Easier Than You Think to Get Out of It) https://wp.me/p4aIk1-noQ
Negotiating The Counteroffer https://wp.me/p4aIk1-6Rp
Finding Your Tribe https://wp.me/p4aIk1-jsZ
Why Don’t Recruiters Contact Me Who Look at My LinkedIn Profile? https://youtu.be/zNbHqspgM3U
Rejected? Quit Wasting Your Time. DO NOT Reapply Immediately! https://wp.me/p4aIk1-nol
Focus Your LinkedIn Profile Around the Job You Want to Get https://wp.me/p4aIk1-np2
The Ultimate Job Interview Confidence Hack https://wp.me/p4aIk1-npo
Tough Interview Questions: You Have 10 Minutes to Impress Me https://wp.me/p4aIk1-6QA
Sometimes Making Comparisons Is Smart https://wp.me/p4aIk1-27v
A Lesson from Sports About the Importance of Preparation Before an Interview https://youtu.be/YPDpI4Q86qk
PLUS: My newest book was released last week: The Over 50 Professional’s Guide to Job Search Success: Proven Techniques to Overcome Age Bias, and Thrive in Today’s Job Market. It is available for Kindle, as a paperback, and as an audiobook. It is the 15 book in my Job Search Essentials series on Amazon.
You aren’t done. Your career isn’t a VHS tape in a streaming world. It may be the missing piece modern teams desperately need. Yet every headline screams that anyone past fifty-something is too expensive, too set in their ways, or a flight risk to retirement. Sound familiar? This book hands you a step-by-step playbook written for professionals like you by someone who has helped thousands prove that experience isn’t an anchor—it’s your proof that you can solve their problem.
Most job-search advice treats you like a blank-slate new graduate without experience. You come with decades of expertise, office politics scar tissue, and hard-won success instincts. Every chapter speaks your language—fast, practical, no fluff. No BS. Think of it as a private coaching session that fits in your carry-on.
This Book Is Perfect For You If:
You’re 50+, degree in hand, and the market suddenly looks like an alien planet that hates you
You suspect your résumé is screaming “dinosaur!” in PDF format
You crave tactics backed by a recruiting and coaching insider, not recycled blog tips
You refuse to settle for “just any job” and still want work that challenges and excites you.
People hire me for No BS job search coaching because I make finding work much easier. I don’t write resumes, although I do critique resumes. I leave it to people who are experts at that. I am someone who has helped tens of thousands of people actually find work.
Schedule a free discovery call with me at www.TheBigGameHunter.us/schedule to discuss my coaching you. I don’t bite . . . at least not too hard.
Subscribe to No BS Job Search Advice Radio in Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Every Monday, I release a new episode.
Become an Insider at JobSearch.Community and have your questions answered, receive coaching from me plus access to all my video courses, books and guides.
#BeGreat
Jeff Altman
The Game Hunter
🔥 No BS Career Advice is where professionals like you get direct, practical guidance without fluff.
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👇 Drop a comment: What’s one thing you wish you’d negotiated harder for?
