Changing careers doesn't automatically mean you'll have to take a pay cut, even though a lot of high performers assume it does.
We're in a peculiar job market. Yes it's competitive, but it can be surprisingly unpredictable. For instance, several of our clients have received initial job offers at a lower title or level than at their last job, at comparable companies, but we've been able to help them negotiate compensation packages that are even higher than what they were making before. Old assumptions like “changing careers automatically means taking a step back financially” are no longer true.
We see these assumptions often held especially by people moving from finance, consulting, or big tech into new fields they're genuinely excited about. But because they don't check every box in the job description, they start the process already feeling like they should be flexible, grateful, or cautious about pushing too hard when negotiating their offers.
This mindset tends to show up early in the job search, sometimes without them even realizing it. And once they start interviewing, it impacts how negotiations unfold later.
The good news is that a career pivot doesn't erase your leverage. But you do need to be thoughtful about how you carry yourself through the process.
Laying the groundwork early
A common misconception is that you start negotiating when the company extends an offer. However, you start shaping your future compensation far before that, sometimes as early as the online application itself when you're asked for your preferred compensation.
Here are a few things we strongly recommend that career changers keep in mind throughout the job search.
Be careful with early compensation questions
Sharing your preferred salary number will never help you, except in very rare edge cases.
Imagine that negotiations are like a game of cards, and the cards in your hand are your leverage. Your preferred salary number is a powerful card, and it's hard to win the game by revealing it. The company has their own cards too, such as the “true max budget for this role” card, and they will never proactively reveal their cards either.
Note that in many US states, companies are mandated by law to share their salary range on job postings. These salary ranges are not truthful, as most companies follow the letter of the law but not the spirit of the law.
So if you share your number first, it will either:
- Fall below the top of their budget. And they may agree to it, but you've now left money on the table, because the company knows that you'd be open to accepting less than what they've budgeted for.
- Fall above the top of their budget. This introduces risk that they think you're entitled, can't afford you, or feel that you're too far apart that you won't be happy in the role even if you did accept.
Some more reasons why sharing a number first is risky:
- Limits your bargaining power: If you share your number upfront, you may be limiting your bargaining power later in the negotiation process. Once you've disclosed your desired salary, the company may be less willing to negotiate higher than that figure.
- Lack of information: You may not have all the information you need to make an informed decision about your desired compensation until later in the interview process.
- Perception of being inflexible: If you share a number upfront, especially if it ends up being far above their budget, you may be perceived as inflexible or difficult to work with.
- Different compensation structures: Different companies may have different structures, including stock options versus shares, vesting periods and cliffs, bonus types, commission-based pay, and more. Sharing a number doesn't capture these complexities.
On that note, sharing a range is very similar to sharing a number, because when you share a range, you're implying the bottom of your range is an acceptable amount to you. So we recommend not sharing a range either.
If you're asked for a number or range early on, tactfully deflect and instead say something like: “Thank you for asking! I'm currently focused on exploring that this is a mutually good fit. I'm confident we can align on compensation.”
There are many ways you can phrase deflections, and much of it depends on your unique circumstances, whether you're in between jobs or currently working, the company culture, the demeanor of the recruiter, if you were referred, whether you have an existing relationship with the hiring manager, and more.
Avoid oversharing in general
What makes someone a great employee in most jobs nowadays but also makes them bad at negotiations? Oversharing.
It's virtually guaranteed that you'll get pushback from the company whenever you refrain from sharing something.
That includes your current or past compensation, the details of other offers you've received, or other opportunities you're considering. Note: it's illegal in many US states for employers to ask for your salary history.
Being transparent can feel collaborative, but it often gives away information that's hard to take back. Overcommunication is a common trait shared by high performers, but it can work against you in a negotiation.
Negotiating well signals that you'd make a strong hire
Being overly transparent comes at another cost. You may think you're being trusting and collaborative, but it can also signal that you cave under pressure, you may be too people-pleasing, you may not know how and when to be strategic, and you may not have the skills needed to handle challenging conversations, all of which are important traits companies look for when hiring.
Imagine that you accepted the first offer a company made you without negotiating. It could get the hiring manager thinking, “This candidate just said yes to the first offer. Is this how they're going to handle their work with cross-functional teams, business partners, external vendors, investors?”
Many years ago, Gerta negotiated her job offer against a tough and driven hiring manager. Once Gerta started the job, that manager put her in charge of the team's most important projects, telling her, “I remember how you negotiated your offer, so I trust you to lead this work.”
Negotiating your offer
Negotiating your offer well doesn't happen in a vacuum during the job search. It also reflects how your manager and team will perceive you in the job, as someone with competence and strong business acumen.
Always show excitement for the role
You can never show too much enthusiasm. We've sometimes been asked, “If I show too much enthusiasm, doesn't that make me seem desperate for the job and thus lose leverage?” or “I have multiple offers, isn't it better to play hard to get and pit the companies against each other when negotiating?”
No. Companies want to hire people who will be excited to work there. That means you'll be motivated in the job, onramp quickly, and be a pleasant co-worker to work alongside. If you're playing it cool, a company may interpret that as you not being fully committed, that you're using them as leverage for another opportunity, or that you won't be a good culture fit.
Showing enthusiasm is even more important in today's tough job market. Competition for roles is especially tough, and many jobs are getting hundreds, if not thousands, of applicants. By the time a company has whittled down to a final list of candidates, every candidate on that list more than meets the qualifications. So what's the differentiator? At that point, it often comes down to whether they think they'll like working with you.
On mindset: you have more leverage than you may think
Unfortunately, the norms around the recruiting and negotiation process naturally favor employers because job applicants assume that the companies hold all the cards. This can feel truer if you're switching career tracks and feel brand new to the industry.
But remember, you as a competitive candidate have leverage too, with your experience, qualifications, and optionality (i.e. you should always apply to multiple roles when job searching; never just one at a time).
Negotiating may feel risky, but reframing the process for yourself can have you show up in all your conversations from a more empowered state of mind. You're not asking a company for favors, you're exploring together to find a win-win deal for all parties involved.
More resources
Changing careers can feel like you're starting over, but don't let this move convince you that you don't have leverage.
For more tips and resources:
- Free 1:1 call - If you're job searching or facing upcoming negotiations, book a free call with Alex for tailored advice for your situation.
- Free transition doc - If you're leaving your job soon, download our free template to organize and hand off your work to your backfills (your coworkers will thank you!).
- Newsletter - Subscribe to our weekly negotiation newsletter.
- Podcast - Listen to Gentle Power, our weekly podcast on power and negotiations.
- Website - Check out YourNegotiations.com for more negotiation resources.
- $250 referral bonus - Refer a friend and get $250 if they work with us. Just send an email intro to alex@yournegotiations.com. Learn more about our referral program here.
