How to Respond to Pushback During Salary Negotiation (2024)

“Women don’t ask” is often cited as partial justification for the gender pay gap. But when women (or men, for that matter) do ask, the answer isn’t always going to be “Yes.”

Sometimes, despite negotiating strongly and confidently stating your value to an employer, your manager or a prospective employer may push back on your request for the salary that you know you’re worth, holding firm to their initial figure.

Here’s what to do and say if you find yourself getting pushback during salary negotiations.

If you hear: “The salary on this position is set by HR—I really can’t go up at all.”

What to Say:

“I understand exactly where you’re coming from, and what you’re saying makes perfect sense. I’ve spent a considerable amount of time researching the standard salary range for this position. From my perspective, based on my experience level, I do believe that the figure should be a bit higher. Would it be possible for you to share these thoughts with HR and get back to me?”

Keep In Mind:

To use this approach, it’s essential to have actually done your research first; you need to have hard data to back up your assertions. You might even show copies of your findings to your boss or the manager or offer to share your information with HR.

Also, if you’re negotiating for a new position, be aware that you should only use this approach if you’re willing to risk losing the current offer. If you feel strongly that you won’t take the job unless the salary comes up to the level that you want, then this is a great strategy. But if you will be devastated if the hiring team offers the position to someone else, then don’t use it.

If you hear: “My hands are tied on the salary—it’s based on the corporate band for this level of employee.”

What to Say:

“I definitely understand, and I’m wondering if we might be able to make a case together to HR about my unique credentials and experience. I’ve done quite a bit in my previous roles that I feel justifies my move into the next salary band.”

Keep In Mind:

If you try this, be sure that you’re prepared to spell out precisely what you’ve achieved that makes you rise above other candidates. Hard data is critical here—your goal is to quantify your achievements and prove your value through specific accomplishments. For example, if your fundraising efforts grew your department’s contributions by 30% last year, be sure that’s on your resume, and be ready to talk about it in detail.

If you hear: “I can’t bump up the salary offer, but we may be able to add a little more vacation time instead.”

What to Say:

“I really appreciate that, and benefits are an important part of the package. But I would be more comfortable if we could find a way to meet in the middle about the salary. Is there any way to find flexibility in that number, given my experience level and strong credentials?”

Keep In Mind:

As above, if you refer to your credentials as a bargaining chip, be prepared to showcase specific, quantifiable achievements. If you don’t win with this salary negotiation and still want the job, all is not lost—you can shift gears to negotiating for more benefits.

Know Your Worth

There’s no guarantee that any specific salary negotiation efforts will prove fruitful since the outcome depends on several factors that are not in your control (like the department budget). But by continuing to push back against salary negotiation pushback, you just might talk your way into the number you want.