You asked for a raise. Your manager didn't say yes. Now the real game starts. The "ask" was the opening move — what follows is negotiation, and most people have no idea how to play it. This guide covers anchoring psychology, word-for-word scripts for the 5 most common manager objections, non-salary levers worth $5-20K, and the exact moment to stop negotiating and start job searching.
This article was researched and written by the Careery team — that helps land higher-paying jobs faster than ever! Learn more about Careery →
Quick Answers
How do you negotiate a raise after asking?
Anchor with specific market data (state your number before they state theirs), handle objections with the scripts below, and always leave with one of three things: a number, a date, or measurable criteria. If you leave with none of the three, the conversation failed — regardless of how polite it felt.
What to do when your boss says 'budget is tight'?
Separate 'can't now' from 'won't ever.' Ask: 'If budget opens up, is my raise approved in principle? And can we set a specific date to revisit — say, start of next quarter?' Then explore non-base components: signing bonus, equity, extra PTO. Those often come from different budget pools.
Should I threaten to leave to get a raise?
No. Explicit threats trigger your manager to start planning your replacement. Instead, create implicit leverage: 'I'm committed to this team, and I want my compensation to reflect the market so I can stay focused here long-term.' Same message. Zero adversarial framing.
How to respond to a low raise offer?
Don't accept on the spot. Say: 'I appreciate the adjustment. Based on market data, I was targeting [X%]. Can we discuss what would close the gap — whether through base, a bonus, or a mid-year review?' Treating a low offer as a starting point, not a final answer, often yields 30-50% more.
You built the case. You scheduled the meeting. You said the number. Your manager didn't immediately say yes.
Now you're in unfamiliar territory — and most people panic. They accept whatever comes next. They backpedal. They say "it's fine, whenever you can" and then stew in resentment for 8 months.
Don't be that person. The ask was the door. Negotiation is what happens in the room.
Most people treat these as the same conversation. They're not. They require completely different skills.
The single biggest mistake: treating the manager's first response as the final answer.
"Let me think about it" is not a no. "I need to check with my director" is not a no. "Budget is tight" is not a no. These are opening moves in a negotiation — and if you treat them as endings, you've just left thousands of dollars on the table because you confused the first act for the curtain call.
Anchoring is the most powerful weapon in salary negotiation. And almost nobody uses it.
The principle: The first specific number mentioned in any negotiation becomes the psychological reference point for everything that follows. All subsequent offers orbit around that anchor — not around some abstract "fair market value."
How this plays out in practice
Scenario A — your manager anchors first:
Manager: "I was thinking a 3% adjustment — $2,400."
Now $2,400 is the anchor. You push to $4,000. They "meet in the middle" at $3,200. You feel like you won something.
Scenario B — you anchor first:
You: "Based on market data, I'm targeting $95,000 — a $10,000 adjustment."
Now $10,000 is the anchor. They counter with $7,000. You settle at $8,500.
Same manager. Same budget. Same conversation. The only difference is who said a number first — and it produced a $5,000 gap in outcome.
How to anchor effectively
Start with your own company's job postings
Before you touch BLS or Glassdoor, check your employer's careers page for roles similar to yours. If they're advertising a salary range above what you make — that's not just data, it's a confession. Your company has publicly admitted they'd pay more for the work you're already doing. Screenshot it. This is the one piece of evidence your manager literally cannot argue against — it came from their own HR department.
Then layer external sources: BLS, Glassdoor, Levels.fyi, Payscale, Robert Half. Multiple sources make your anchor look researched, not cherry-picked. But lead with the internal posting — it's inarguable.
Use percentile language
Don't just say "the average is $X." Say: "The market range for this role in [city] is $X to $Y. Based on my experience and performance, I'm targeting the 70th percentile, which is $Z." Percentile language sounds precise and analytical — it's harder to argue with than a flat number.
State YOUR number before they state theirs
In follow-up conversations, restate your target before your manager offers theirs. "As we discussed, I'm targeting $[X] based on [sources]. I'd love to hear what you were able to find out." This re-establishes your anchor before the negotiation begins.
Target $95K? Anchor at $105K. Negotiation gravitates toward the midpoint between anchor and counter. If you anchor at your real target, the midpoint is below it. If you anchor 10-15% above, the midpoint lands right where you want.
Your manager has a playbook. Now you have one too. Each objection below includes what they're actually saying, and the script that moves you forward.
Objection 1: "Budget is tight right now"
What they mean: Either real (company is cost-cutting) or a deflection (they haven't pushed for it). Your job: figure out which.
"I understand the budget pressures — and I'm not asking you to create money that doesn't exist. I have two questions: 1. If budget opens up next quarter — is my adjustment already approved in principle, or would I need to re-make the case from scratch? 2. Can we set a specific date to revisit? I'm thinking [start of Q(X)]. That way neither of us forgets, and I can plan accordingly. One more thing — if base salary is truly frozen, would there be flexibility on a one-time bonus, extra PTO, or an equity adjustment? I know those sometimes come from different budget lines."
What you're doing: Separating "can't now" from "won't ever." A manager who agrees to a date is invested. A manager who deflects ("we'll see") is not.
Objection 2: "You need to demonstrate more"
What they mean: Either there's a genuine gap (best case — fixable), or they're buying time with vague requirements (worst case — treadmill).
"I want to make sure I'm aiming at the right target. Can you name the 2-3 specific, measurable things that would make this a clear yes? I'd like to write them down right now so we're both aligned. Then I'll check in at 30, 60, and 90 days to show you where I am. Fair?" [If they can't name specifics:] "I hear you — but I want to make sure I'm not running toward a finish line that keeps moving. If we can't define what 'more' looks like together, I don't know how to get there. Can we figure that out right now?"
What you're doing: Converting a vague objection into a measurable contract. If they can name it — you have a roadmap. If they can't — you have a diagnosis.
Objection 3: "We'll revisit at review time"
What they mean: They want to postpone. Sometimes legitimate (real review cycles), sometimes a strategy to make you forget.
"Happy to align with the review cycle. Two things to make sure this doesn't fall through the cracks: 1. Can we put a specific calendar invite for [date] — dedicated to compensation, not just performance? 2. Can you define what 'success' looks like between now and then? I want to walk into that conversation with a case so strong that it's a formality, not a debate. I've seen 'we'll revisit' turn into 'we forgot' before — and I respect both of us too much to let that happen."
What you're doing: Pinning a vague promise to a date and criteria. Vague + no date = empty promise. Specific + date = commitment.
Objection 4: "You're at the top of your band"
What they mean: Your pay grade has a ceiling and you've hit it. The real question: are you in the right grade?
"That's actually useful to know — it means I've been recognized within this band. The question I want to explore is whether the band still fits. Over the past [time period], my responsibilities have expanded to include [2-3 things clearly above your job description]. If I'm consistently operating above band — should we be discussing a role reclassification or title adjustment that puts me in the right bracket? I'm not trying to game the system — I'm trying to make sure the system reflects what I'm actually doing."
What you're doing: Reframing from "I want more money for my job" to "my job has outgrown its classification." Title/band adjustments often bypass the salary freeze that blocks base raises.
Objection 5: "Other people make similar amounts"
What they mean: Internal equity. They're afraid that raising your salary creates demands from your peers.
"I respect the need for internal consistency. My question is whether internal equity should override external market reality. If the market rate for my role and experience is $[X], and our team is collectively below that — that might be a broader issue worth looking at. But my ask is based on my individual contributions: [name 2-3 measurable wins]. Can we evaluate my situation on its own data? And if base salary is truly constrained by equity — is there a way to differentiate through a spot bonus, equity grant, or title bump?"
What you're doing: Acknowledging their concern, then redirecting to your data. If internal equity is the real blocker, explore non-base solutions that don't disrupt the band.
When base salary hits a wall, most people give up. The smart ones shift the conversation.
The best negotiators don't fight over one number — they expand the pie. A spot bonus + 5 extra PTO days + a 6-month review commitment can be worth more than the $5K base increase you originally asked for. And it's easier for your manager to approve.
Negotiation only works if you're willing to walk away. Not threaten to walk away — actually be willing. And "walking away" from a raise negotiation doesn't mean quitting on the spot. It means shifting your strategy from internal to external.
Signs it's time to stop negotiating
- You've had 2+ conversations with no concrete outcome — no number, no date, no criteria
- The feedback keeps changing: first it was 'performance,' now it's 'budget,' next it'll be 'timing'
- The company has been in a raise freeze for 12+ months with no end date
- Your manager seems uncomfortable or adversarial about the topic
- You've received a 'final' number that's more than 10% below your market-data target
What walking away actually looks like
- Accept the current reality — stop spending emotional energy fighting it
- Start a strategic job search — update your resume, activate your network, evaluate your options
- Get an external offer — not to bluff with, but to have a real alternative. Here's how to negotiate it
- Make a decision with data — accept the external offer, or use it as honest leverage (only if you'd genuinely take it)
Professionals who've invested in their professional visibility have a structural advantage here: they receive inbound recruiter messages regularly. They don't need to threaten to leave — they just need to respond to one of the 5 messages already sitting in their LinkedIn inbox. That's leverage without confrontation.
Key Takeaways
- 1Asking and negotiating are different skills — the real money is made in the second conversation, not the first
- 2Anchor with market data and state your number first — whoever anchors first controls the range by $3,000-$10,000
- 3Every objection has a counter-move. Leave each conversation with a number, a date, or measurable criteria. Anything else is a deflection.
- 4When base salary is stuck, negotiate the full package: bonus, equity, title, PTO, accelerated review
- 5If 2+ conversations produce zero concrete outcomes — stop negotiating and start job searching
- 6Professional visibility creates implicit leverage — you don't need threats when you have options
Frequently Asked Questions
How many times should I ask for a raise before giving up?
Two genuine, data-backed attempts with documented follow-up. If two cycles pass with no movement, no timeline, and no measurable criteria — the organization has answered. Start exploring externally. Employees who switch companies earn 10-20% more on average than those who wait for internal raises.
Should I negotiate during a recession?
Carefully — but don't automatically surrender. If your role is critical and you're performing well, your leverage may be higher than you think (replacing you during a freeze is painful). Frame it as retention: 'I want to stay long-term, and I want my comp to reflect that commitment.'
My manager agrees but HR blocks it — now what?
Ask your manager to actively advocate: 'Can you escalate to the comp team with a case for an exception or band adjustment?' If your manager won't push upward, their 'agreement' was passive, not active. An ally who won't fight for you isn't much of an ally.
How do I negotiate as a remote worker?
Some companies discount for location. Counter with value: 'My output and impact are location-independent. This role would cost $[X] if you hired someone in [expensive city] for it.' Focus the conversation on value delivered, not cost of living.
What's the difference between negotiating a raise and a counter offer?
A raise negotiation is with your current employer about your current role — the relationship is established and the stakes are ongoing. A counter offer is a response to a new employer's offer — the relationship is new and the leverage is different. Different dynamics, different scripts. For counter offers: How to Counter Offer a Salary.
Researching Job Market & Building AI Tools for careerists since December 2020
Sources & References
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025)
- 2026 Salary Guide — Robert Half (2026)
- Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In — Roger Fisher, William Ury — Harvard Negotiation Project (1981)