Salary Negotiation Script - Step-by-Step Template to Get 30% More Money

Summary

John Marty presents a salary-negotiation script for responding to a job offer by email or phone. The approach is to set a clear minimum acceptable package, support the request with evidence, and avoid accepting or rejecting the offer impulsively.

Negotiation playbook

• Set your boundary before negotiating. Decide what minimum offer would make the move worthwhile, considering the risks and trade-offs of leaving your current role. Be prepared to decline if the employer cannot meet that threshold.
• Pause before responding. Thank the employer and ask for 24–48 hours to consider a written offer. If the offer is made by phone, ask for time to review it rather than negotiating under pressure. The presenter notes that some employers make verbal offers first because changing formal offer documents can be difficult.
• Build an evidence-based case. Explain that you researched salary ranges for comparable roles and that the offer falls short given the role’s scope. Use relevant industry or competitor data, and mention added responsibilities—such as managing more direct reports—where applicable.
• Make a specific, conditional request. Express enthusiasm for the role and state that you would be happy to accept by a specified time if the employer can revise the total annual compensation to a stated amount.
• Break down total compensation. Identify the requested changes to whichever components apply: base salary, bonus, sign-on bonus, and equity or RSUs. Ensure the components add up to the total you are requesting. The template is meant to be adapted rather than used with every possible argument.
• Close professionally. State a possible start date and thank the employer for considering the request. If the offer is below your non-negotiable minimum, politely explain that you would have to decline.

Possible supporting arguments

Marty’s template suggests selecting arguments that genuinely fit the candidate’s situation:

• Role fit and experience: Note why you are a strong match, including relevant years of experience.
• Market conditions: Use compensation research and the scope of the work to explain the gap between the offer and your expectation.
• Other offers: A competing offer can strengthen your position by showing that another employer values your skills. Omit this point if you do not have another opportunity.
• Current compensation: The presenter generally prefers not to disclose current salary, but says it may be useful to point out a substantial gap if the new offer is well below what you already earn. He suggests making a clear minimum request—for example, at least 20% above current pay—if that is truly your decision.
• Inflation and equity risk: The video cites inflation figures of 8.6%, a forecast near 8.9% for July 2022, and a hypothetical risk of 16% the following year. These are historical examples from the video, not current figures. Marty suggests using such context to explain a request for compensation protection, including additional equity where appropriate.

Examples and caveats

• Marty recounts receiving his Amazon offer by email in 2017, illustrating that an offer may arrive in writing and that candidates should take time to consider it.
• He describes coaching an intern who declined one company’s offer after receiving a better offer elsewhere. The first company later returned with VP approval to meet her requested compensation, but she still chose the better Oracle offer. His point is that a firm, credible boundary can sometimes prompt an improved offer, but it can also lead to losing the opportunity.
• The presenter cautions that negotiating firmly only makes sense when the candidate is genuinely willing to walk away and has considered the uncertainty of changing jobs.
• The script can be adapted beyond technology roles and to offers with only base salary, though some internship employers may not allow negotiation.

Metrics and timelines mentioned

• 24–48 hours: Suggested time to request for reviewing an offer.
• 20% above current salary: Example of a specific minimum to state when appropriate.
• 8.6%, 8.9%, and 16% inflation figures: Historical, illustrative figures cited in the video.
• The video title references 30% more, but the speaker advises determining an individualized target; no increase is guaranteed.

Presenter and sources

• Presenter: John Marty, who says he worked at Amazon from 2017 to 2021 as a senior product manager and later as a product-management team manager.
• Sources and examples cited: Marty’s own Amazon experience, salary-negotiation coaching clients, compensation research, and the described intern negotiation involving an Oracle offer.
• Marty says a downloadable, editable negotiation template is linked in the video description.