The Exact Words
to Use — Not Just
the Theory.
Most Indian professionals don’t lose salary negotiations because they lack leverage. They lose because nobody ever gave them the actual words to say in the moment.
“Negotiation is not confrontation. It’s a conversation where both sides expect a counter, and the only person who loses is the one who doesn’t show up with a number.” — Sandeep Anand
Rahul had a strong offer in hand — a genuine step up from his current role, at a company he wanted to join. He accepted it within the hour, grateful and relieved.
Three weeks later, a friend on the same team mentioned his own starting number. It was 22% higher than Rahul’s, for a nearly identical role and experience level.
“I didn’t even think to ask,” Rahul told me. “It felt rude, like I’d be pushing my luck.”
This is not a rare story. It’s close to the default outcome for professionals who never learned the actual scripts — the specific sentences to say, in the specific moments where negotiation happens. Salary negotiation isn’t a personality trait some people have and others don’t. It’s a skill with a script, and almost nobody in India’s corporate and tech sectors is ever taught it directly.
Why “Just Ask for More” Isn’t Enough
The advice to “negotiate harder” is directionally correct and practically useless. It tells you what to do without telling you what to say, and in the actual moment — a recruiter on the phone, an offer letter in your inbox, an appraisal conversation with your manager — having no specific words prepared is what causes people to freeze and accept the first number.
The professionals who negotiate well aren’t more aggressive. They’re more prepared, with three specific scripts ready for the three moments where almost all salary conversations actually happen.
The Three Moments That Matter
Never accept or reject on the spot
- Script: “Thank you so much for this offer — I’m genuinely excited about the role. Could I take 24-48 hours to review the full package before confirming?”
- This buys you time to check the number against market data and prepare your counter, without any pressure-driven decision
- No reasonable employer withdraws an offer because you asked for a day to review it
Give a specific number, with a specific reason
- Script: “Based on my research for this role and level in [city], and the [specific skill/experience] I’d bring, I was expecting closer to ₹[X]. Is there flexibility to move toward that?”
- A precise number backed by a reason reads as prepared and confident. A vague “can you do better” reads as unprepared
- If asked for your current salary, redirect: “I’d prefer to focus on the value I’d bring to this role and align on a fair range for it”
Take the free 5-minute Career Diagnostic to identify which CBS™ pillar — clarity, positioning, or negotiation — is actually costing you money.
Build the case before the cycle locks the number
- Script (2-3 weeks before appraisal season): “Before the cycle formally starts, I’d like to walk you through my key contributions this year and align on expectations for my growth.”
- Bring a short, specific document: 3-5 contributions, each tied to a measurable business outcome, not just activity
- Waiting until the number is already decided leaves almost no genuine room to move it — timing matters as much as the ask itself
The India Tech Salary Negotiation Playbook (₹1,199) — word-for-word scripts for the three moments where most people leave money on the table: the offer, the counter, and the appraisal conversation.
Are You About to Leave Money on the Table?
You have an offer or appraisal conversation coming up in the next 4-6 weeks
You’ve never checked your target number against real market data for your specific role and city
You’ve accepted an offer on the same call it was given, more than once
The idea of asking for more still feels uncomfortable or “pushy” to you
You don’t have a specific number in mind — just a general sense of “more”
Frequently Asked Questions
Never accept or reject an initial offer on the spot. Thank the recruiter, ask for 24-48 hours, and respond with a specific counter number backed by market data and your unique value, not a vague request for “more.” A precise, well-reasoned number signals seriousness and is far more likely to be honoured than an open-ended ask.
Redirect to your salary expectation rather than your current number where possible: “I’d prefer to focus on the value I’d bring to this role and align on a fair range for it, rather than anchor to my current compensation.” If pressed, state your current number factually but immediately follow with your expectation range for the new role.
A 20-40% hike is a realistic and commonly achieved range when switching companies in India’s tech and corporate sectors, depending on how scarce your skill set is and how strong the demand is for the specific role. The number should always be anchored to market data for your specific role and city, not a generic industry average.
Prepare a concise, evidence-based case documenting your specific contributions and their business impact over the review period, and request the conversation before the formal appraisal cycle begins so your manager has time to advocate for you internally. Waiting until the number is already decided leaves almost no room for genuine negotiation.
A respectful, well-prepared negotiation almost never costs a candidate an offer that was genuinely intended — companies expect it and budget for it. The risk comes from negotiating without market data or a clear number, which reads as uncertain rather than confident, not from the act of negotiating itself.
Don’t Walk Into Your Next Conversation Unprepared
In one focused session, we’ll build your specific target number, your counter script, and your negotiation plan for whatever conversation is coming up next.
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