Salary Negotiation in 2025 Strategies for Job Seekers & Hiring Managers

Salary negotiation is becoming more important and complicated than ever in today’s constantly changing work market. With shifts in remote work, economic fluctuations, and industry-specific labor shortages, both job seekers and hiring managers must approach negotiations with clarity, flexibility, and mutual respect.

Whether you're a candidate aiming to secure a competitive offer or a hiring manager striving to attract top talent within budget constraints, understanding negotiation strategies tailored to the current landscape is essential. This guide provides actionable tactics, salary range insights, and practical conversation templates to empower both sides during interviews and salary discussions.
Understanding the Shifting Market

The 2025 job market will be marked by a combination of opportunity and uncertainty. Recently, remote work, hybrid roles, and AI-driven industries have reshaped compensation expectations. Sectors like tech and finance have seen layoffs and slowed hiring, while healthcare, logistics, e-commerce, and green energy continue to boom.

According to the data in the PERSOLKELLY salary guide, entry-level salaries in IT range from INR 18,00,000 to INR 25,00,000, mid-level roles hover between INR 24,00,000 and INR 45,00,000, and senior positions often range from INR 35,00,000 to INR 65,00,000, depending on location and industry.

Here’s a breakdown of the current average salary ranges by role in major industries that you can refer to so as not to settle for less during salary negotiations.

Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI)

● Business Analyst: INR 3,00,000 - INR 8,00,000
● Financial Analyst: INR 3,00,000 - INR 15,00,000
● Risk Management: INR 15,00,000 - INR 30,00,000
● Assest Management: INR 15,00,000 - INR 42,00,000
● Legal Counsel: INR 25,00,000 - INR 1,00,00,000

Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG)

● Sales Management: INR 18,00,000 - INR 24,00,000
● Communication: INR 15,00,000 - INR 20,00,000
● Performance Marketing Specialist: INR 35,00,000 - INR 40,00,000
● Digital Marketer: INR 40,00,000 - INR 50,00,000
● Head of E-commerce: INR 65,00,000 - INR 70,00,000

Global Capability Centers (GCCs)

● Financial Planning & Analysis: INR 3,50,000 - INR 25,00,000
● Application Development: INR 9,00,000 - INR 25,00,000
● Mechanical Engineering: INR 5,00,000 - INR 32,00,000

Oil & Gas Industry

● Petro Physicist: INR 12,00,000 - INR 25,00,000
● Drilling Engineer: INR 12,00,000 - INR 25,00,000
● Sales & Application Engineer: INR 10,00,000 - INR 25,00,000

Automotive Manufacturing

● Instrumentation Engineer: INR 3,50,000 - INR 7,00,000
● Automation: INR 8,00,000 - INR 20,00,000
● R&D Director: INR 24,00,000 - INR 1,00,00,000

Pharma/Healthcare

● Quality Assurance: INR 8,00,000 - INR 28,00,000
● EHS Plant: INR 10,00,000 - INR 95,00,000
● Senior Clinical Data Manager: INR 10,00,000 - INR 40,00,000

Understanding the market rate is the first step toward successful negotiation.
Actionable Negotiation Tactics

For Job Seekers

● Do Your Research
Before entering any negotiation, know your worth. Use platforms like Glassdoor, Payscale, our salary guide, or industry reports to benchmark salary ranges for your role, experience, and region. Consider your entire compensation, including base pay, bonuses, benefits, and flexibility. Open the discussion with a range based on your research, and move toward the high end.
● Highlight Your Unique Value Proposition
Companies pay you not just for a role but also for the skills and knowledge you bring to the table. During the discussion, highlight the abilities, outcomes, or experiences that set you apart. Prepare a 30-second pitch tying your achievements to the company’s goals.
Additionally, quantify your impact before the interview. Did you increase revenue by 20%? Did you recently master a rare tool? Did you receive awards for your high-quality performance? Note these details down to communicate your impact.
● Delay Salary Talks Until the Offer Stage
Talking about the pay too soon reduces your influence. Once an offer is on the table, you’re in a stronger position to negotiate.
Template: "I’m excited about this opportunity and would love to learn more about the role and team. I’m sure we can find a compensation package that works for both of us once there’s mutual interest."
● Be Direct but Collaborative
Once you have an offer, express appreciation and ask for time to evaluate it. Then, come back with your counteroffer backed by market data.
Template: "Thank you for the offer! Based on my research and the responsibilities of this role, I was expecting a base salary closer to INR 10,00,000. Is there any flexibility to increase the offer?"
● Know When to Walk Away
Allow yourself to look for other opportunities if the one at hand doesn’t fulfill your demands. If the offer is significantly below market value and negotiations stall, it’s okay to move on.
Template: "I appreciate your time and the offer. At this stage, I’m looking for higher compensation in line with my experience and the market. I'm hoping we can get back in touch in the future."
Conversation Template for Job Seekers
Scenario: Countering an undesirable offer
“I appreciate you giving me the chance to work for your prestigious organization. Considering my [specific experience/skill] and the market range for this role, which I’ve observed to be between [INRX–INRY], I was hoping we could negotiate closer to [INRZ]. Is there a way we could reach an agreement on this figure, perhaps with a mix of base salary and [bonus/equity]?”

For Employers

● Know Your Limits
Understand your budget constraints and where you can stretch. If a senior role’s range is INR 30,00,000 - INR 65,00,000, decide if you can offer more to an exceptional candidate or sweeten the deal with non-salary perks. Map out a “total package” ceiling, salary plus benefits, and use it as your negotiation.
● Sell the Opportunity
Top candidates weigh benefits beyond money. Highlight career growth, company culture, or unique projects to make the role look tempting. Frame the role’s impact: “This position leads [high-profile project], positioning you as a key player in [industry trend].”
● Prepare Alternatives
Candidates will negotiate, so be ready. If the salary range is fixed, leverage backup options to increase benefits like performance bonuses, remote work, or flexible hours.
Template: “While our budget caps the base at INR 35,00,000, we offer a 15% bonus, unlimited PTO, and the flexibility of a 4-day workweek.”
● Respond to Counteroffers Respectfully
If a candidate counters the offer, don’t take it personally. Consider their value and if the company can meet them halfway.
Template: "Thanks for sharing that. Let me review internally to see what adjustments we can make.”
Conversation Template for Hiring Managers
Scenario: Presenting an initial offer
“We’re thrilled to offer you the [Job Title] role at a base salary of [INRX], plus [benefits, e.g., health insurance, 15 PTO days]. This reflects our current range for this position, but I’d love to hear your thoughts and see how we can make this a great fit for you.”

Common Mistakes to Avoid by Both Parties

● Try not to accept the first offer blindly, as it includes the maximum profit margin for the other party and has room for more benefits.
● Job seekers should avoid revealing their exact current salary too soon.
● Employers should not take salary negotiations personally.
● Parties should not be rigid or unwilling to compromise.
● Over-negotiating without justification damages rapport.

Achieve Win-Win Salary Negotiations with PERSOLKELLY
The best negotiations are not battles; they are partnerships. When both sides are informed, open, and respectful, the result is a long-term working relationship where everyone wins. Job seekers must anchor their value and explore benefits beyond salary, whereas hiring managers must sell the role and balance budgets effectively. With the right negotiation strategies and conversation templates, both sides can turn a potentially awkward discussion into a win-win outcome.
Practice these tactics, lean on PERSOLKELLY's salary data available in our guide, and approach every discussion with confidence, as the payoff is worth it for both parties.