A recruiter calls with an offer. "We'd like to offer you the role. What salary did you have in mind?"
The developer has a number in his head. It's in his own language, calculated carefully, based on research he actually did.
Then he opens his mouth in English, and a smaller number comes out.
Not because he doesn't know his worth. Because doing the math and negotiating, living in a second language, and being under pressure is a completely different skill than knowing your worth.
This is the real problem with salary negotiation for a lot of IT professionals. It's rarely about not knowing the market rate.
It's about the gap between what you'd say calmly in an email and what actually comes out of your mouth on a call.
This Isn't a Vocabulary Problem
You already know words like "compensation," "equity," and "benchmark." That was never the issue.
The issue is SPEED. Negotiation happens in real time, with no delete key and no ten seconds to translate a sentence in your head first. Under pressure, most people default to their SAFEST language, not their best language.
The safest thing to say is usually "okay, that works," because it ends the discomfort immediately. Recognizing that pattern in yourself is the first step to actually interrupting it.
Know Your Number Before You Need It
Never do salary math live, in your second language, on the call. Decide your number in advance, in English, out loud, before anyone asks for it. Write it down. Say it in the mirror if you have to. It sounds silly and it works.
Have three numbers ready, not one. Your target number, the one you'd be genuinely happy with. Your walk-away number, the lowest you'd actually accept. And a number slightly above your target, because negotiations rarely end at your first ask.
When the question comes, you're not calculating anymore. You're just RECALLING a sentence you already built.
That difference alone removes most of the panic.
Don't Be the First to Say a Number, If You Can Help It
I know, this isn't always practical, but keep in mind, whoever states a number first sets the anchor for the rest of the conversation. If you can redirect the question back once, do it.
A weak approach would be to blurt out a number just to fill the silence. Better approach is to say: "I'd love to hear the range you have budgeted for this role first, so we can see where that lines up with my expectations."
This isn't a trick. It's a completely normal, professional sentence, and most recruiters expect to hear some version of it.
If they push back and ask for your number anyway, that's fine. Give the number you prepared, calmly, without extra apology attached to it.
Counter an Offer Without Sounding Difficult
An initial offer is rarely the final one, and countering it is normal, not risky. The skill is in HOW you say it, not whether you say it at all.
A weak ask would be, "I guess I was hoping for maybe a bit more, if that's possible?"
Clear: "Thank you for the offer. Based on my experience with [specific skill] and current market rates, I was expecting something closer to $X. Is there room to move on that?"
Whether they agree or not is secondary. What is relevant is you position yourself as they would agree.
The second version states a reason, a number, and a direct question, in that order. Notice it doesn't apologize for asking. It just asks.If you want more language specifically built for pushing back or declining part of an offer without damaging the relationship, these 15 polite ways to say no in business English apply directly to this moment, not just to workplace requests.
When They Say "That's Outside Our Budget"
This is where most negotiations end too early, because the phrase sounds final even when it isn't. It usually isn't final. It's an opening for a different kind of question.
Try: "I understand the budget is fixed on base salary. Is there flexibility on the sign-on bonus, equity, or additional PTO instead?"
This reframes the conversation from a single blocked number into a full package with several movable parts. IT offers especially often have room in equity, remote flexibility, or a signing bonus, even when the base salary genuinely can't move.
If this part of the conversation starts to feel tense rather than just firm, this list of 40 phrases for handling difficult conversations at work covers language for staying calm and direct without the conversation turning into a standoff.
Let the Silence Sit There
After you state your counter, stop talking. This is the hardest part for most non-native speakers, because silence in a second language feels louder than it actually is. The instinct is to fill it with an explanation, a joke, or an immediate concession. Resist that instinct.
A pause after your number is a NORMAL part of negotiation. It gives the other side room to think, and it makes your number sound like a considered decision rather than an opening bid you're already backing away from. Count to five in your head if you have to. It will feel like thirty seconds. It's fine.
Tone: Firm Doesn't Mean Cold
A lot of IT professionals worry that negotiating will make them seem greedy or difficult. This worry usually leads to over-apologizing, which undercuts the actual ask.
Firm and friendly can exist in the same sentence. You can say something along the lines of "I'm genuinely excited about this role, and I want to make sure the offer reflects the value I'll bring" to both jobs at once. It shows enthusiasm. It also shows you're not going to accept a number just to avoid discomfort.
This guide to sounding confident yet polite in business English is worth reading before your next call, specifically for this balance. Tone is the difference between a counter that lands and one that comes across as confrontational, even when the words themselves are nearly identical.
Put the Final Number in Writing
However the call goes, always follow up by email once you've agreed on numbers verbally. This isn't about distrust. It's about making sure nothing gets lost in a fast conversation, in any language.
Brevity is important. You could say, "Thank you for the call today. To confirm, we agreed on a base salary of $X, with [other terms]. Please let me know if I've captured this correctly, and I look forward to the next steps." This single email protects you more than any clever phrase you could say live on the call.
This Conversation Sets a Precedent, Not Just a Number
Here's something worth remembering. This negotiation isn't just about your starting salary. It's a rehearsal for every raise conversation, every promotion ask, and every negotiation you'll have at this company going forward. How you show up here quietly signals how you'll show up later.
There's real data behind this too.Better English communication is linked to faster promotions for non-native professionals specifically, and salary negotiation is one of the clearest, earliest tests of that skill.If you're already thinking ahead to your first review at the new role, this guide on how to ask for a promotion in English picks up exactly where this conversation leaves off.
And if this negotiation is happening at the interview stage itself, not after an offer, these 20 phrases for tech interviews are worth reviewing together with this guide, since the two conversations often happen in the same week.
Five Scripts You Can Use Word-for-Word
Reading advice is one thing. Having the actual sentences ready is another. Here are five scenarios, with a full exchange for each, so you're not building sentences live under pressure.
Script 1: When they ask for your number first, before giving a range.
Recruiter: "What salary are you looking for?"
You: "I'd love to understand the budgeted range for this role first so I can see how it lines up with my expectations."
Recruiter: "We usually ask candidates to share their number first."
You: "That's fair. Based on my experience and current market rates for this role, I'm looking at $X to $Y."
Script 2: When the offer lands below what you expected.
Recruiter: "We're excited to offer you $X."
You: "Thank you, I really appreciate the offer. Based on my experience with [specific skill] and the scope of this role, I was expecting something closer to $Y. Is there room to move closer to that?"
Recruiter: "Let me check with the team."
You: "That works. When do you think you'll have an answer?"
Script 3: When they say the base salary is fixed.
Recruiter: "Unfortunately, the base salary isn't flexible."
You: "I understand. Is there flexibility elsewhere, like a sign-on bonus, additional equity, or extra PTO, that could help close the gap?"
Recruiter: "We might be able to do something on the sign-on bonus."
You: "That would help. Could we look at $X as a starting point there?"
Script 4: When you have a competing offer and want to use it as leverage.
You: "I want to be transparent. I have another offer on the table at $X. This role is genuinely my first choice, so I wanted to see if there's flexibility before I make a decision."
Recruiter: "Can you share more details on that offer?"
You: "I'd rather not share the specifics, but I can confirm the number is firm. I'm hoping we can find a way to close that gap here."
Script 5: When you need time before accepting.
Recruiter: "Would you like to accept the offer today?"
You: "I'm genuinely excited about this. I'd like a couple of days to review everything properly before I confirm. Would Thursday work for a final answer?"
Recruiter: "That should be fine."
You: "Thank you, I'll follow up by Thursday at the latest."
None of these scripts need to be memorized word for word. Read them out loud a few times before your call, so the SHAPE of each sentence feels familiar when the real conversation starts moving fast.
The Bottom Line
You don't need perfect English to negotiate well. You need a number you've already decided on, a few sentences you've already practiced, and the willingness to sit in a silence you didn't cause. Prepare the sentence before you need it. Say it calmly. Let it sit. That's the whole skill, and it gets easier every single time you do it.
