Salary Negotiation Email

Name: Textglow
Author: Textglow

GmailConfident ToneMajor Rewrite

Before (Original)

Hi, thank you so much for the offer! I'm really excited about this opportunity and I love everything about the role. I was wondering if there might be any possibility to discuss the salary slightly since based on my research it seems a bit below market. I completely understand if the budget is set and I really don't want to jeopardize the offer.

After (TextGlow Rewrite)Confident

Hi Meredith, thank you for the offer — I'm genuinely excited about this role and the team. Based on my research (Levels.fyi, Glassdoor, and two recent offers in this space), the market rate for this scope in San Francisco is $145–160K. I'd like to ask for $155K. I believe I'll deliver significant value quickly, and I'd prefer to start with alignment on that point. Can we discuss?

What Changed

1Removed the apologetic framing ("I don't want to jeopardize") that signals willingness to accept less
2Cited specific market data sources instead of vague "research" — this is harder to dismiss
3Named a specific number anchored within a researched range, which is how negotiation actually works