How to Negotiate your Salary in a Recruitment Process

Most people prepare hard for interviews, but almost no one prepares properly for the salary conversation. It’s the part candidates worry about the most, yet it’s also the part that can make the biggest difference to your long-term career and financial trajectory.

At Motion Recruitment, we negotiate offers every day. We see where candidates win, where they lose leverage and where small changes in approach lead to much better outcomes. We hope that by following these simple steps you can put yourself in the strongest position.

1. Know Your Worth and Set Expectations Early

Always start with the basics. Understand the market range for your role and location. Speak with your recruiter and get a realistic view of what good looks like for someone with your experience.
Be upfront about your expectations. It sets a clear framework and helps avoid mismatched assumptions.
When explaining your salary expectations, keep the focus on the value you bring. Employers respond to facts, not pleading. So your experience, proven results, skills and the problems you’ll solve for your new employe will be well recieved. Where as, saying you want more money because you’re saving for a house is unlikely to help your cause, I mean, aren’t we all?

2. Use Your Recruiter to Your Advantage

If you’re working with Motion Recruitment, use us. We handle these conversations daily. We know how clients think, where there’s flexibility and how to present your case without damaging the relationship.
Ideally this stays stable throughout the process, but if the role shifts or your understanding of your value changes during the process, we can reset expectations with clarity and professionalism. It’s easier for us to have the uncomfortable conversations so you don’t have to.

3. Be Clear on Your Non-Negotiables

Before the negotiation starts, decide on your minimum number and the parts of the package that matter most. Things like base salary, bonus, flexibility, development opportunities, benefits should all be considered.
Having a clear walk away point gives you confidence and prevents emotional decision making. It’s also much more professional and sets a good tone for the process.

4. Look Beyond Salary Alone

Not every company has unlimited budget. If the base can’t move, look at the full picture.
Extra leave, flexible hours, hybrid work, training budgets or a clear development plan can add genuine value to your overall package. Sometimes these factors make the role far more attractive than a slightly higher base salary.

5. Keep Perspective

And finally, remember there’s a ceiling to every role. Sometimes the offer can’t be pushed any higher, no matter how strong the negotiation. When that happens, revisit why you were exploring new opportunities in the first place.
If the role brings better work, better growth or better balance, it may still be the right move even if the salary isn’t exactly what you first pictured.

If you’re navigating a job change and want support negotiating the right offer, Motion Recruitment is here to help.
Reach out for a confidential chat and we’ll guide you through the process so you land the role, the package and the future you’re aiming for.