PLAYBOOK

Negotiation Counter-Playbook

Salary negotiation tools tell you what number to ask for. Nobody tells you what to say when they push back. Ten tactics employers use — and the exact counter-response for each one.

10 tactics — flip to see your counter, filter by type

1 / 10Click card to see counter →

Base SalaryTHEY SAID

The tactic:

“We don't have flexibility on base salary.”

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Base SalaryWHAT IT MEANS

What they are actually saying:

Base is the hardest budget line to move. But this does not mean total compensation is fixed. It means they are telling you where not to push — which tells you exactly where to push instead.

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YOUR COUNTER-RESPONSE

"I understand. Can we look at the rest of the package? I am particularly interested in the sign-on, equity, and whether there is any flexibility on the review timeline."

THE RED LINE

If they say there is no flexibility on base AND nothing else either — the constraint is not the band. It is the budget or the intent. Either way, you now know where you stand.