How to benchmark your salary and prepare to negotiate

To benchmark your salary, gather pay data from a few places, match it to your level and location, and decide on a target number and a floor before you talk to anyone. Then practice the conversation out loud. A benchmark is context rather than a promise of what an employer will pay, so use it to prepare your case.

Where to find pay data you can trust

Use at least two of these sources, so no single number decides your view:

Posted salary ranges. Some job postings list a pay range. Collect several for roles like yours.
People in similar roles. Ask peers, former colleagues and people in professional communities what they earn or were offered.
Recruiters. When a recruiter contacts you, ask what range the role is budgeted at.
Salary benchmarking tools. Some tools gather this data for you. Compare what two of them say before you trust either.

Match the data to your situation

Two people with the same title can earn different amounts if one runs a team and the other does not. Adjust the data for scope, location and company size. If a figure comes from another city or currency, note that before you use it. A benchmark you can explain in one sentence is stronger than a precise number you cannot defend.

Set a target, a range and a floor

Pick the number you would be delighted with, a realistic range, and a floor below which you would decline. Write all three down before the conversation. Add the non pay items that matter to you, such as a start date or remote days, so you have something to trade if the number is fixed.

Practice what you will say

Say your number out loud before you say it to an employer. Practice with a friend or a coach, and keep your first sentence short. For example, you might say that based on what you are seeing for this role and your experience, you are looking for a certain figure. Jack from Jack & Jill offers salary benchmarking and negotiation practice to help you prepare, and he is free for candidates.

If the benchmark and the offer disagree

Check your data first. Confirm that the level, location and company size match yours, and that the figures are recent. If the gap is real, say so plainly and ask for a conversation about it, for example by saying that the roles you are seeing at this scope pay a certain range and asking whether the offer can move closer to it.

If the company cannot say where in its range the role sits, ask what would move an offer within it. Then compare the answer with your floor. Having decided that number in advance means you can respond calmly rather than reacting to the first figure you hear.

After the offer arrives

Thank them, ask for the offer in writing, and take a day to respond. If the number is below your range, say what you would need and why, and ask what is flexible. If they cannot move on salary, ask about the other items on your list.

Questions about salary talks

Is it rude to negotiate? No. Employers expect a conversation about pay. Be polite, be specific, and keep the discussion on the role and the evidence for your number.

What if the posting lists a range? Treat the range as a starting point. Where you sit in it depends on your experience and the scope of the role, so bring evidence of both.

How do I know if my benchmark is reliable? Compare several sources and check that the role, level and location match yours. If two sources disagree, use the overlap as your range.

Do three things this week

Collect three data points for your role, write down your target, range and floor, and rehearse your opening line out loud once. That preparation is the part you control.