Most candidates start negotiation when the offer lands — too late. A good preparation prompt builds your target range, your minimum walk-away, and a confident anchor — before the recruiter call.
Who this is for
Candidates preparing for offer conversations, career switchers calibrating expectations, anyone who has accepted a first offer without negotiating.
When not to use these prompts
Don’t use these to invent ranges divorced from market. Don’t use them when you don’t have any alternative — leverage matters.
Prompt anatomy / structure formula
Every salary-prep prompt should carry six elements:
- Role: candidate, hiring manager, recruiter — name the persona AI plays.
- Context: target role, company, level, your background.
- Goal: one deliverable — analysis, script, answer, plan.
- Constraints: word count, banned phrases, must-include facts.
- Tone: confident / curious / measured — 2-3 anchors.
- Examples: paste 1-2 of your past answers or sample tone.
Best for
- Range research before applying
- Target / anchor / walk-away math
- Recruiter screen scripts
- Counter-offer scripts
- Multi-offer leveraging
12 copy-ready prompt templates
1. Three-number target
Role: `{role}`. Geography: `{geo}`. Years experience: `{years}`. Build my 3-number framework: (a) Aspirational anchor (top of plausible range), (b) Target (most likely outcome), (c) Walk-away (minimum I'd accept). Cite sources: levels.fyi, peers, recruiters.Variables to swap: role, geo, years
2. Range research synthesis
I have data points: {dataPoints}. Synthesise into one base / equity / bonus range. Highlight outliers and ask which level (IC4 / IC5 / Staff) my profile maps to. Don't take median blindly.Variables to swap: dataPoints
3. BATNA articulation
My best alternative if this offer fails: {batna}. Sharpen: (1) Is it a concrete offer or a hope? (2) What specifically does it give me? (3) What's the timeline pressure? Be honest about strength — weak BATNA changes my anchor.Variables to swap: batna
4. Recruiter “what are you looking for?” script
Recruiter asks: "What are you targeting?" Write a 3-sentence answer that: (a) gives a range anchored at the high end of market, (b) ties to my expertise (not "I deserve…"), (c) leaves room to flex. Don't commit to a single number.5. Anchor explanation
I want to anchor at `{anchor}`. Write a 2-sentence justification: my track record + market data, not "I researched salaries". Sound confident, not entitled.Variables to swap: anchor
6. Counter-offer script
Offer: `{offer}`. My target: `{target}`. Write a written counter that: (1) thanks, (2) reiterates excitement, (3) presents counter with 1-line rationale, (4) leaves room for back-and-forth. ≤ 6 sentences.Variables to swap: offer, target
7. Multi-offer leverage
I have offer A `{offerA}` and competing offer B `{offerB}`. Write a script to bring up B without sounding mercenary: factual mention, ask if A can match / improve, give a clear deadline.Variables to swap: offerA, offerB
8. Non-cash levers
Beyond base salary, what should I negotiate? List 8 non-cash levers (sign-on, equity refresh, vacation, remote allowance, learning budget, title, start date, role scope). For each: how to ask, what's typical to get.9. “We don’t negotiate” rebuttal
Recruiter says "we have a fixed salary band". Script a reply that: (1) accepts the band exists, (2) explores non-band levers, (3) verifies the band actually applies to my level. Don't accept the first "no".10. Internal promotion negotiation
I'm negotiating an internal promotion. Build a case doc: (1) impact stories with metrics, (2) market peer comp, (3) what I'll own next, (4) what I lose if I leave. Less aggressive script than external — more case-building.11. Decline / push-back tone audit
My draft counter: {draft}. Audit for: (a) apology language ("I hate to ask"), (b) hedging ("if possible"), (c) over-explaining. Tighten — confident but warm.Variables to swap: draft
12. Decision-day checklist
I have an offer due in 48 hours. Run me through: (1) Sleep before deciding, (2) Compare to BATNA, (3) Compare to walk-away, (4) Identify any open data I need before signing, (5) Final ask before signing. Output checklist.Common mistakes
- No specific context (company / role / level) — output is generic.
- Asking AI to “be honest” without your actual record — it confabulates.
- Same answer for every company — interviewers compare notes.
- No tone anchor — answers land flat.
- Skipping fact-checks — AI invents dates / numbers / titles.
- Treating first draft as final — first drafts read AI-flavoured.
- No peer / mentor review — feedback loop missing.
How to push results further
- Paste real examples to anchor AI to YOUR voice.
- Ask AI to play interviewer first; weak answers reveal themselves.
- Write 3 drafts; ship the third.
- Always read aloud.
- Save successful phrasings in a personal bank.
- Have a peer in the role review.
- Time-box practice — fatigue makes you worse.
Practical depth notes
Use these prompts as starting points, not final answers. For Salary Negotiation Prep Prompts Before the Offer Lands, the useful extra work is to replace every generic placeholder with a real constraint: audience, channel, length, brand voice, examples to imitate, and examples to avoid. Run at least two versions with different constraints, then compare the outputs side by side instead of accepting the first polished response.
A good result should pass three checks: it is specific enough that another person could reuse it, it avoids vague praise or filler, and it gives you an editable artifact rather than a broad suggestion. If the output feels generic, add one concrete reference, one forbidden pattern, and one measurable success criterion before rerunning the prompt. Before saving a prompt as reusable, test it on one realistic input and one edge case. The realistic input proves the template can produce the normal deliverable; the edge case shows whether it handles messy constraints, missing context, or an unusual audience. Keep the better output, but also keep the failed version with a note on what was missing. That small failure log is what turns a prompt collection from a list of nice sentences into a practical working library.
FAQ
- Can recruiters tell AI-written answers?: Yes when generic. Specifics are the antidote.
- How much research is enough?: 60-90 minutes for an important interview. Beyond, returns diminish.
- When to start salary research?: Before applying. Negotiation that begins after the offer is weak.
- Should I use levels.fyi / Glassdoor numbers?: Yes as a baseline, with caveats. Validate against 2-3 sources.
- How to keep prep notes organised?: One doc per company: research, questions to ask, story bank fits.
- How often to refresh research before final?: Quick re-scan day of interview — news / launches in the past week.