How To Write Salary Negotiation Email

A time may come in your professional life when you are going to want to ask for a raise from your boss or negotiate the salary offered for the position you are applying for with your potential employer. When such a time comes, you will need to know how to write a professional salary negotiation email.

Negotiating for salary can be nerve-racking and uncomfortable. So, we thought we would make it a little easier for you by showing you some salary negotiation tips and email samples.

In this blog, you will find tips for writing a salary negotiation email and some salary negotiation email samples for your reference.

Steps To Write Salary Negotiation Email

Following the steps below will help you compose a compelling and professional salary negotiation email –

• Do Your Homework: Let’s say you get selected for the position you applied for, but you are not satisfied with the salary they are offering. You cannot just randomly give them the number you desire without doing homework. So, go to Glassdoor or Salary Expert to check just how many people with the same position with your experience and skills are offered in the job market. This will give you an idea of how much to negotiate, and when you have a realistic number, the chances of your request being accepted increase. Moreover, factoring in your expenses (e.g., your rent or travel expenditure) will help you in estimating how much to ask for.
• Know Whom To Address: Ensure that the salary negotiation email is addressed to the person or people you are in contact with within the company. For instance, let’s say you were interviewed by the HR manager. In this case, the email should be addressed to the person alone. Even if you have the email address of the owner or department manager, do not involve them in this matter. If they need to be informed, the concerned person will do so.

For those of you who are looking for a salary increment, address the concerned person and don’t forget to Cc (Carbon Copy) or Bcc (Blind Carbon Copy) those who should be in the loop, such as your manager or team leader.

• Choose An Appropriate Subject Line: One of the most important email etiquettes is to never skip adding a subject line, which should be short and to the point. It should not be more than nine words. A concise and professional subject line is “[Your name] – Salary negotiation.”
• Maintain Professionalism: Throughout the email, from the way you address the address to the language or font you use, keep it professional. For the salutation, you can never go wrong with “Dear Sir/Ma’am”.
• Be Courteous: When it comes to the body of the email, start by thanking the addresses for offering you the job and express how eager you are to join the company. Showing your gratitude displays your level of professionalism and positive attitude.
• Be Specific: When mentioning the amount of the salary, you need to be specific. Be honest yet reasonable. If you feel that what they offer is not enough yet you do not know how much more to negotiate for, ask them if there is any room for review.
• Show Them Your Worth: To back your negotiation, highlight your unique skills, experience or qualification that makes you the right person for the job and how your contributions will be able to benefit the company. The more they realise what you will be able to bring to the table, the higher your chance of getting your request approved.
• End The Email On A Positive Note: When signing off, thank them again for allowing you to be a part of their organisation and let them know that you are looking forward to hearing back from them. This will show them that you are genuinely interested in the job. Include your full name and contact details.

You need to bear in mind that negotiation may not always be about money. Some companies have limited budgets, so they may be immovable regarding salary. In this case, you can negotiate compensation in other forms. For instance, ask them if they will be willing to provide travel allowance or medical insurance.

Also Read: Email Writing Formats and Samples

Components Of Salary Negotiation Email

A salary negotiation email is a formal email. So, you need to consider every component of the email when you send a to negotiate your salary.

To: Here, you only need to address the concerned person. For instance, it could be the hiring manager or recruiter who called and interviewed you.

Subject Line: The subject of the application should not be misleading or too lengthy. It should be short and to the point. It should not be more than 60 characters.

Salutation: When it comes to salary negotiation email, you could either write the full name of the addressee or go with “Dear Sir” or “Dear Ma’am”.

Body: The email’s body should be written politely and professionally. Ensure that you start by thanking the address for offering you the role, followed by the topic at hand, i.e., salary negotiation.

Conclusion: To conclude your letter, express your keen interest in the job, your gratitude and your eagerness to hear back from them.  If you plan to attach any document, mention it at the end of the email as well. Do not forget to add your name and contact information.

Also Read: Salary Slip Format

Samples Of Salary Negotiation Email

Take a look at the salary negotiation email samples for your reference.

Sample 1

Sample 2

Salary Negotiation Email Writing Tips

For your salary negotiation email to be compelling and accepted, follow the tips below:

1. Be Direct: Do not be afraid to quote a number. However, be reasonable. For instance, you cannot expect to get a 60% hike in your salary. Do your research and ballpark a number accordingly.
2. Follow 7 Cs Of Communication: As a salary negotiation email is a formal email, ensure that it is clear, concise, concrete, correct, coherent, complete and courteous.
3. Ask For A Higher Amount Than You Expect: Asking for more than you actually expect will open room for negotiation. This way, even your fall will be higher.
4. Be Open For Further Negotiation: Chances are high that the amount you quote will not be accepted. So, you must be open to negotiating. Try to meet them somewhere in the middle or higher.
5. Know Your Worth: If you feel that your salary is too low and your request for your increment is denied, know when to look elsewhere. You need to know your worth and be compensated for it fairly.

Conclusion: Although asking for a raise can be scary and awkward, it is something we will eventually have to do in our professional life. Hopefully, when that time comes, the salary negotiation email samples and tips mentioned above will be able to help you draft a convincing one.

We will leave you here with our best wishes.

Good luck!