The salary talk
What to wear for the salary conversation, a low ponytail that needs no fixing, and the one number and pause that do the work.
- work
- autopilot
- hermes
Say your number once, calmly, then stop talking. The silence after it is not yours to fill.
A salary talk is two people agreeing a price for work you already do well. Know your number before you walk in and say it like a fact, not a question.
All the moment cards are at /moments.
The moment
A meeting or a call where the offer is discussed.
- What it is
- A conversation, not a fight. Both sides want to reach a yes.
- What you control
- Your number, your tone, and how long you stay quiet after you say it.
The look
Solid colour, sharp lines, nothing to adjust.
- Modern option
- An emerald or black blazer over a cream or white top, with straight trousers and closed shoes.
- Modest option
- A solid-colour kurta set with a neat collar and a light dupatta pinned in place.
- Hair
- A sleek low ponytail, so nothing needs fixing while you speak.
- On a video call
- Keep the top half as sharp as the rest of the look. Put the light in front of you and the camera at eye level.
The confidence move
One number, then a pause.
- One number
- Say a single figure, not a range. A figure sounds settled; a range invites them to pick the lower end.
- Stay quiet
- After your number, stop. Look at them, breathe out slowly, and let them answer first.
- In the chair
- Sit back with both feet on the floor and your hands resting on the table.
What to say first
Thank them, then ask.
- The ask
- Warm, clear and short. Fill in your own number.
Thank you for the offer. Based on the role, I was hoping for ... Is there flexibility there?
If it goes sideways
A no, a maybe, or a silence you want to fill.
- They say no
- A polite no is not the end. Ask what else is possible.
- They need time
- Give them time and fix a day.
- The silence
- Count to five in your head. They are thinking, and that is their job.
I understand. What else can move, a joining bonus or a review in six months?
Of course. Can we talk again by Friday?
Try it today
Two minutes, out loud.
- Say it to the mirror
- Tonight, say your number out loud three times, then stop and count to five.
- The dare
- Say the number without lifting your voice at the end. I dare you to let the silence sit.