The single most impactful financial decision a new graduate can make is negotiating their first salary. Not because the difference is necessarily huge — though it often is — but because your first salary anchors every future raise, every counter-offer, and every negotiation for years to come. A £3,000 increase at 22 can compound to £50,000+ over a career.
84% of employers expect candidates to negotiate. Yet fewer than 40% of new graduates do. Negotiating does not make you seem ungrateful — it signals professionalism and self-awareness. Employers respect it.
Do your research first
You cannot negotiate without a number. Before responding to any offer, research the market rate for your specific role, in your specific city, at your experience level:
- Glassdoor: Filter by role, company, and location — look at ranges, not just averages
- LinkedIn Salary Insights: Particularly strong for corporate and tech roles
- Levels.fyi: Best for tech companies (includes total comp: base + equity + bonus)
- Totaljobs / Reed: Good for UK market data
- Ask people in the industry: A peer or mentor 2 years ahead of you is often your best data point
The right moment to negotiate
Wait for the formal offer. Not during the interview process. Not when they first mention a number. Once you have a written offer or clear verbal offer from HR, that is the right moment. Express genuine enthusiasm for the role first, then raise the compensation question.
The script: asking for more as a new grad
"Thank you so much — I'm genuinely excited about this offer and the opportunity to join [Company]. I've done some research into market rates for this role in [city], and based on that, I was hoping we could get to [X]. Is there any flexibility on the base salary?"
What to say if they push back
If they say the salary is fixed: "I understand — could we look at any other elements of the package? I'd be keen to discuss [signing bonus / earlier review date / additional holiday / remote flexibility]." If they ask why you're asking for more: "Based on my research into similar roles at this level in [city], [X] reflects the market rate — and I'm confident I can deliver [specific value] quickly in this role."
Beyond base salary: what else to negotiate
Salary is not the only negotiable element, especially at larger companies where base pay bands may be rigid:
- Signing bonus: One-time payment, often more flexible than salary
- Performance review timeline: Ask for a 6-month review instead of annual — with a salary discussion
- Additional holiday: 2–3 extra days can be worth thousands in value
- Remote flexibility: One or two additional WFH days has material quality-of-life value
- Start date: More flexibility can be worth money (e.g. finishing a freelance project)
- Equity or profit share: At startups or growth companies, this can outvalue the salary difference
When not to negotiate
If the offer is already at the top of the published band, or if the company has been completely transparent that it's a fixed government or public sector salary scale, pushing further can backfire. Read the room. Know when you've reached the ceiling.
The stronger your resume and interview performance, the more leverage you have. HireSprint helps you put your best resume forward at every application stage — and a higher-quality application often leads to a higher initial offer before negotiation even begins.
