Salary market research is a waste of your time

When you’re looking for a raise or a new job offer, one common piece of advice is to do your market research.

Hi there,

When you’re looking for a raise or a new job offer, one common piece of advice is to do your market research.

Hot take: market research is not that helpful. It won’t get you the best deal. That’s a common misconception.

Let’s dive into why market research is not as important as many think it is and what actually matters when it’s time to negotiate. 👇

📉 Market data isn’t bulletproof

Free or low-cost sites like Levels and Blind offer some insight, but there’s a catch: these numbers are usually self-reported, outdated, and context-free.

Plus, companies know this and are prepared for candidates to cite these numbers. When you do, you’re met with counterpoints like:

“Market dynamics have changed, and this role’s budget is not the same as a year ago.”

Or:

“We have candidates with similar profiles as you at the salary level we shared.”

Or even:

“We have a unique and fair compensation approach at our company, so our numbers are the ones posted in the job description.”

Even if your data accurately reflects the market, the company may have decided to pay below or above the market for a specific role and have rebuttals prepared. Hearing these rebuttals can feel like dead-ends, leaving you in a position where it seems like their budget is fixed when, in reality, that’s rarely the case.

🎯 Companies leave room in their budget

The initial offer you receive is almost never the company’s final budget for the role. There’s usually more room to negotiate—if you know how. But they aren’t going to hand it over just because of market stats.

The initial offer is not the final number on the table. It’s a baseline they’re hoping you accept. To access what’s left in the budget, you’ll need more than numbers. You’ll need strategy.

🔑 Strategy beats stats every time

Negotiating is about selling what you’re saying—not only about your market research but also about yourself and the other options you’re considering.

Here’s what really works:

✅ Strategize instead of sharing numbers: Focus on what you share and withhold strategically on things that could lower the offer (e.g. you want to withhold sharing your target number/range, and details around the other companies you’re speaking with or have offers from).

✅ Ask about their budget: Find ways to uncover how much more the company has set aside. This often leads to a more accurate—and lucrative—final offer.

✅ Reveal selectively: Talk about the other offers you're considering, but only if it strengthens your position. Remember that it’s often enough for a company to know that you have another offer for them to offer more concessions, so no need to overshare more details about your other offers (see our previous issue about the pitfalls on oversharing).

✅ Align timelines: Try to sync up your different offers, if you have them, to create urgency and provoke action.

✅ Stay steady and persistent: Companies often test your patience. A calm, collected follow-up lets them know you’re serious, but not desperate.

🧳 Ready to get the money left on the table?

Market research can be a helpful reference, but when it comes to actually landing a higher salary, it takes a strategy to get the best offer.

If you're job searching or expecting an upcoming negotiation, schedule a free consultation call with us here.

And explore our free resources on our website, YourNegotiations.com.

✨ Bonus tip

Negotiating well means being intentional and calm—despite the urge to jump the gun. Patience will result in a better offer than rushing through numbers and benchmarks you see online.

Thanks for reading, and remember—negotiation is an art that goes beyond numbers!

Best,
Gerta & Alex
Co-founders of YourNegotiations.com