Beginner · Negotiation
How to Negotiate Your Salary and Ask for a Raise
Find out what your work is worth, and use short, polite words to negotiate a job offer or ask for a raise. Short lessons, plain words.
Course complete. You have finished every lesson.
What you’ll learn
- Why many people never negotiate, and how to ask safely and politely
- How to find your market value and set a target and a walk-away point
- What to say when pay comes up in hiring, and how to reply to a job offer
- How to negotiate the whole package, with simple scripts
- How to ask for a raise in your current job, handle a no and get it in writing
This course is for complete beginners anywhere in the world: people about to get a job offer, and people who feel underpaid in the job they have. Each lesson takes about two and a half minutes and teaches one step, with simple pictures and plain words.
Lessons
Chapter 1: Get ready
Why people don't negotiate, your market value, and your target and walk-away point.
- Lesson 1 Why Most People Don't Negotiate Their Salary See why many people accept the first pay offer, what holds them back, and how a polite, reasoned ask keeps goodwill. 3 min Completed.
- Lesson 2 Find Your Market Value: Build a Salary Range Learn where to find real pay figures, compare them fairly and turn them into a low, typical and high range you can explain. 3 min Completed.
- Lesson 3 Set Your Salary Target and Walk-Away Point Set a bold target you can explain and a private walk-away point, starting from your best alternative. 3 min Completed.
Chapter 2: A new job
When money comes up in hiring, replying to an offer, and the whole package.
- Lesson 4 How to Answer 'What Are Your Salary Expectations?' Learn to ask for the pay range first, give a researched range with a reason, and handle questions about your current pay. 3 min Completed.
- Lesson 5 How to Respond to a Low Job Offer Calmly Reply to a low job offer with thanks, a polite no to their figure, and your own number with a reason, without meeting in the middle. 3 min Completed.
- Lesson 6 Negotiate the Whole Package, Not Just the Salary See every part of a job offer you can negotiate, and trade what you value less for what you value more. 3 min Completed.
Chapter 3: The conversation
Simple scripts, asking for a raise, and handling a no.
- Lesson 7 Simple Scripts for Pay Conversations You Can Practise Learn a handful of short, polite sentences for pay talks, and rehearse them so the words are ready when you feel nervous. 3 min Completed.
- Lesson 8 Asking for a Raise in Your Current Job Learn when to ask for a raise, how to build a case your manager can check, and what to say in a meeting just for pay. 3 min Completed.
- Lesson 9 Handling a No When You Ask for More Pay Learn how to respond when the answer is no: find out which kind of no it is, what would change it, and agree a date. 2 min Completed.
Chapter 4: Your plan
Get it in writing, and your negotiation plan.
Videos coming soonAbout this course
Each lesson is a written page with pictures, a “Try it” step and the full script. A short video of each lesson is coming soon. Follow the lessons in order, or jump to the one you need.
What you need: a notebook or your phone’s notes, a few real pay figures for your kind of job, and one friend to rehearse with.
The lessons draw on our negotiation articles, especially How to Ask for a Raise and Your Walk-Away Point. Pay rules differ by country, so where the law matters the lessons say “check your local rules”. This course is general information, not legal or financial advice. Most negotiation research is short role-plays, often with students, and the lessons say so where it matters.
Good questions
Answers, plainly
How long does the course take?
10 lessons, about 27 minutes in all. Most lessons take about 3 minutes, so one fits into a short break. Take them in order, or jump to the one you need.
Do I need to sign up or pay?
No. Every lesson is free and open, with no account and no email address. Your progress ticks are saved in your own browser only.
Can I watch it instead of reading?
Not yet. Every lesson is a written page with pictures and the full script. Short videos of each lesson are coming.
Who is it for?
Complete beginners, anywhere in the world. Plain words, round example numbers and no background needed.