Negotiating salary is a normal, expected part of the hiring process, and most employers build some room into an initial offer anticipating a counter. The most useful preparation is researching the market rate for the role, industry, and location using more than one source, so your counter is grounded in something specific rather than a general sense that you deserve more.
Where possible, let the employer name a number first, whether that’s during the interview process or in the initial offer — negotiating from their anchor is generally easier than anchoring the conversation yourself and risking asking for less than they were prepared to offer.
Negotiate the full package, not just base salary. Signing bonuses, additional vacation time, remote-work flexibility, professional development budgets, and start date can all be points of negotiation, and some of these are easier for an employer to move on than base pay itself, especially if there’s a formal pay band they can’t exceed.
Practice saying your counter out loud before the actual conversation — many people find the number easy to write down but harder to say confidently, and a confident, matter-of-fact tone matters as much as the number itself.
Once you reach an agreement, get the final terms in writing before resigning from a current position or making other commitments based on the new offer.