How to Negotiate an Entry Level Salary as a Woman

interview job offer May 26, 2021

The ultimate dreaded question: “What’s your expected salary?”

Negotiating an entry level salary is always hard because you're still trying to figure out what you're worth. It's especially hard for women because we're less likely to ask for more money in the first place.

When deciding how to respond, we’re worried that if we lowball a figure, we’re leaving money on the table. But if we give a number that’s too high, we might price ourselves out of consideration for the role.

We’re also feeling a bit desperate to get anybody to offer us a job and have no idea how much we’re worth because we’ve never had a full-time job before.

The truth about this question is that for entry level marketing positions, you only need to do a few things to structure the perfect response to set you above the rest of the candidates.

Here's exactly what to do when negotiating an entry level salary.

Step 1: Research the market and salary trends

The first step to successfully negotiating an entry level salary is doing your research.

You need to convince the hiring manager that you deserve top dollar for this position. At the close of the interview, you want the prospective employer to be thinking, “That’s who I want to hire. Now, how to convince them to join our team?”

This question is also often asked in the first round of interviews to align expectations for the role, so preparing early is a must.

The biggest question you probably have is, “How much am I worth?”

For entry level marketing jobs across the board, we recommend giving a range of $50,000 to $57,000 for the average recent college graduate seeking their first time job.

Once you state a range, your salary negotiation is only going to go down from there so it’s best to start with a high number.

The best way to determine the best range for you is by doing some research. Here are a few reputable sources:

Watch this video to hear from a marketing hiring manager:

Step 2: Deliver your answer with confidence

Negotiating an entry level salary in an interview is one of the most uncomfortable things to do so you want to prepare a well thought out response.

As women, this is something we need to be extra mindful of.

It should be direct, brief, and provide supporting information on why you're worth the amount you’re asking for.

Here are some examples on how to answer:

“I’m looking to make at least the average salary for a Marketing Coordinator with similar experience to mine in San Francisco which is $50,000 - $55,000 and I’m confident the work I’ll bring to [company name] will be well above average. With my previous experience working at [relevant experience] I know I can bring immense value to your team and can deliver the results you’re looking for.”

“Given the responsibilities of the position and my previous experience in [relevant experience], I think $50,000-$55,000 is a fair range. It’s an exciting opportunity, and I know I’m the best person for the job. You’re looking for someone with [list JD requirements] and I have exactly that and what I don’t know, I’ll put in the extra time to learn quickly and exceed your expectations for this position.”

The most important part of answering this question is your delivery. Practice saying this over and over so you can deliver it with enthusiasm and confidence and without stumbling over your words and stuttering.

If you don’t sound like you believe you’re worth $50,000-$55,000, how do you expect them to believe it?

Here are 3 negotiation scenarios you can use to practice:

Scenario #1: The hiring manager asks about your salary requirements early on in the hiring process.
Scenario #2: Your offered a job you want, but the salary is below what you were expecting
Scenario #3: You have multiple offers

Also, when negotiating an entry level salary you should also ask what employee benefits, perks and bonus opportunities will be included in the compensation package.

Step 3: Always ask for more, more than once

You can’t earn more money if you don’t ask for it.

Don’t feel like you need to be grateful for any offer you get and accept it as is. You are a bad-ass marketer who deserves the best and the only way to get the best is to ask for it.

The worst that can happen is they say no!

They will not revoke the offer if you ask for a higher salary in a respectful manner. You have absolutely nothing to lose by asking, you only have money to gain.

Remember, this is a negotiation and there should be some back and forth.

The first step is gaining the courage to ask for more if they offer you a salary that’s lower than you were hoping for.

The second step is to ask again once you’re told no.

Doors don’t open unless you push. Don’t be afraid to push a little harder if your first ask is rejected. Use the negotiation scenarios listed above to practice for the next time you negotiate an entry level salary.

What to do after you’ve settled on salary

First, do not feel pressured to accept the job on the spot.

It’s completely okay to ask for a few days to make a decision; we actually recommend it.

Once you've accepted the offer, you’ll want to express your enthusiasm and talk about the start date.

And the most important thing to do is ask for a formal, written offer so you can make sure everything that you’ve discussed, from job description and pay to perks and benefits, is correct.

Don’t risk any misunderstandings about your agreement. And don’t give notice at your current job until you’ve signed and returned that written offer.

3 things you can negotiate aside from salary:

Timeline: How long you have to make the decision
Start date: You can ask for a later start date if you want some time to relax before you start your new job
Remote work: How many days per week you’re allowed to work at home

With a formal offer letter in hand, feel free to accept the offer and celebrate-- you did it!