How to negotiate salary after you've accepted a job offer

It's okay to ask, and it's worth it if the gap matters to you. Employers must negotiate pay in good faith and include the agreed rate in your employment agreement, and that pay is set by agreement between you and the employer. Until you've signed, the terms are still open for discussion.

There's no guarantee you'll get a yes. The employer may say the offer is final, and that's their call. But being honest and polite costs you very little, and the usual result of a polite ask is simply a no.

Talking about money can be uncomfortable, but being paid less than you know you're worth is worse. Pay is how most of us cover everyday costs, and feeling underpaid tends to breed resentment that takes the shine off a role you were excited about. It's also one way an employer shows they value your skills, alongside encouragement and feedback. 

Here's the order that tends to work best.

• Work out what happened. Did you get carried away by the excitement and forget your plan? Or did you freeze at the thought of discussing pay, perhaps because you needed the job, or the hiring manager didn't seem to leave room to negotiate? Knowing why helps you avoid repeating it. If you freeze under pressure, write yourself a short script to read from.
• Get in touch quickly. In NZ, an offer is often made over the phone and the contract follows after you've accepted verbally. Ring the employer back as soon as you can and be upfront. If you were too excited to ask, say so, then explain that on reflection the salary isn't what you were hoping for. If you haven't signed yet, the employer is probably still sorting out the details, which gives you a window to reopen the discussion. Once you've signed, it gets harder.
• Say what you want. This is your second chance, so don't beat around the bush. You could say, "Hi NAME, I've been thinking about the offer and was wondering if we could revisit the salary. I was so excited to be offered the role that I got caught up in the moment and didn't ask if there was any room to move. Based on my skills and experience and the responsibilities of the role, I think $X would be more suitable."
• Be ready to negotiate. Reopening the topic doesn't mean you'll get exactly what you ask for. Do your research first, using our salary guide to see how pay for your role compares. Make your case around your specific skills, experience and what you'll bring to the business. Start at the top of the range your research suggests, because if you start low and they counter lower, you may end up undersold again. Our guide on how to negotiate a job offer has more tips and examples.

If you've signed and the pay is locked in, you still have options.

Yes, and it's often the best next step. Ask your manager to commit to a review at a set point, and ask for it to be put in writing. Pay isn't reviewed automatically, and an employer has no legal obligation to review pay or give a raise unless it's in your employment agreement. So a written review date matters.

Check whether your agreement includes a trial or probationary period, because the timing of a review often makes sense after it ends. A trial period can be up to 90 calendar days and during a trial the employer can dismiss you without you being able to raise a personal grievance for unjustified dismissal. A probationary period is different, and the employer must follow a fair process. Knowing which one applies helps you pick a sensible time to raise pay and keep your approach polite.

If the salary can't move, other benefits might. Depending on your role, that could be extra annual leave, training or professional development, a licence or ticket paid for, flexible hours or an allowance for tools, a phone or a vehicle. You won't know unless you ask.

Do good work. You agreed to the salary, and the worst thing you can do if you want to revisit it later is to let resentment show. Being a positive part of the team and delivering results are what will convince your manager that you deserve more.

Prepare a number before you take the call. Decide the range you'd accept, and aim above it. If you're offered a job on the spot, it's fine to say thank you and ask for a day to consider it, which gives you time to check the offer against the market. Our guides on when and how to talk about pay in an interview and answering the salary expectation question show how.

It's harder, but you can still ask for a pay review at a set date, or for other benefits like extra leave or training. Get any review date in writing, because employers don't have to review pay unless the agreement says so.

A trial period is up to 90 calendar days, must be in your agreement before you start and means you can't bring an unjustified dismissal grievance if you're dismissed during it. A probationary period has no fixed limit, and the employer must follow a fair process.

Use pay data for your role and your own skills and experience. Start at the top of the range your research supports, because if the employer counters lower, you'll still have room to land somewhere fair.