The background
Patrick was about to change jobs, moving from a large corporate to a digital consultancy. He'd made it through all three interview rounds and was waiting for an offer. He'd mentioned €70,000 as his target salary during the process but wasn't sure what was actually possible at the new company. A friend told him about Nova Salary, and he booked a call, originally just to find out how to hold his ground on that number.
Preparation with Nova Salary
Together we looked at salary ranges for product managers, and specifically in consulting. The picture was clear: the realistic range for the role sat between €68,000 and €75,000. Patrick raised his target to €75,000.
Next, we worked out solid arguments for why his contribution would be valuable to the new employer, drawing on the job description and his track record at his current company. For example, the consultancy's clients often face challenges that Patrick already knew well from his corporate role. That gave him a concrete reason to justify the higher number.
Finally, we went through the most likely objections and rehearsed the negotiation live in a role play, including specific tips on how to handle the conversation.
How the negotiation went
Two people were involved: Patrick's future manager (Head of Product), who made the verbal offer, and his recruiter, with whom he then negotiated the terms.
Offer call with the Head of Product. Patrick got the call: they'd like to make him an offer of €69,000, slightly below the target he'd mentioned. He thanked her, asked for a little time to think, and asked whether there was any flexibility on salary. The Head of Product said the number had come from HR and she had no room to move.
Email to the recruiter. Patrick wrote a short, friendly email thanking them for the offer and the interview process, and asked for a call to discuss the terms.
Call with the recruiter. The next day Patrick had the conversation, thanked her again, and said he was excited about the offer but, given his experience, was thinking of a salary of €77,000 (a deliberately high anchor). When she asked why his target had changed, Patrick answered with the arguments they'd prepared. She agreed to bring it back to the team.
The improved offer. A few days later the recruiter came back with an improved offer of €73,500. Patrick was very happy and accepted it after a day to think it over.
What you can take from this
Don't name your number too early. Patrick's first offer came in close to the target he'd already mentioned in the process. Committing early leaves money on the table. As this case shows, it can be corrected with the right approach, but it's easier not to get into that position in the first place.
"No room to move" is rarely the final word. The first reaction to asking for more was a flat no from his future manager. Ask who actually controls the budget and repeat your ask directly to them.
A good anchor pulls the result up. Patrick set his at €77,000 and landed at €73,500, more than would have been realistic without it.
Want to apply these principles in your own negotiation? We'll prepare you for it, one on one.
Book a free callThe biggest eye-opener wasn't knowing the salary bands or having arguments ready. But in the end, that data and those arguments helped me build the confidence to actually go for the higher salary. It meant I could stay calm and focused in the later conversations.
The result
Patrick landed the job he'd been hoping for and ended up 5% above his original target salary. We're really glad we could play a part in that, and we wish him the best in his new role!