How to Use a Job Offer to Negotiate a Pay Raise

Shortly before noon on a Tuesday, Melissa received her much awaited job offer. The role was everything she had been working toward -more influence, more responsibility, and a seat at the table where big decisions were made.

The salary? $210,000 base.

It was more than what she was making but less than what she expected. Something felt off. She reached out for a second opinion.

We conducted an in-depth benchmarking analysis to compare her compensation against market standards.

The results were there in black and white.

• Industry Salary Data: The median salary for a Senior Director, IT Business Partner at the company her size was $290,000. We triangulated Melissa’s offer was $60,000-$80,000 below market.
• Competitor Pay Ranges: Similar roles at competitive tech companies offered base salaries between $250,000 and $310,000.
• Total Compensation Gaps: Beyond base salary, Melissa’s offer limited competitive RSUs (Restricted Stock Units) and performance bonuses.
• Geographic Adjustments: Given the job was based in a high-cost-of-living city, salaries in her market were 15-20% higher than national averages—but her offer didn’t reflect that.
• Current Salary vs. Market: The analysis revealed a bigger problem - Melissa had been underpaid at her current company for years. Based on industry data, her salary should have been $50,000 higher (at a minimum!).

She had been leaving money on the table for a long time.

Melissa had been advising leadership on IT-business strategy, managing vendor negotiations, and leading complex digital transformations. But when it came to advocating for her own pay, she had never questioned the numbers.

The Mindset Shift - From Loyalty to Strategy

Melissa had spent over a decade at her company. She was an integral part of the team, someone leadership trusted to navigate IT-business strategy, manage vendor negotiations, and drive critical transformation projects. She had always assumed that trust was mutual—that her company recognized and fairly compensated her for the impact she delivered.

The benchmarking analysis shattered that belief.

She felt blindsided. Betrayed.

For years, she had gone above and beyond, assuming that someone, somewhere, was making sure she was being paid fairly. They weren’t.

Her first instinct? Walk away immediately.

But that’s not how you play the bigger game.

This was not the time to reach but the time to leverage the situation to her full advantage.

Instead of acting on impulse, Melissa needed to pause, assess, and strategize:

• Review the facts, not emotions. Yes, she felt undervalued. But she had real power at her fingers tips - the clear cut data! She had proof of her market value, and now she needed to use it wisely.
• Identify where she was being rewarded and where she wasn’t. While her current company had provided growth opportunities, they had also severely underpaid her for years. The new employer saw her potential, but their initial offer showed they weren’t ready to pay for it at full value, yet!
• Turn the tables: Make both sides bid for her talent. Instead of walking away, she had a rare opportunity: get both companies to compete for her. The company that valued her the most not just in words, but in compensation—would earn her commitment.

Melissa was on the verge of redefining how she saw herself, her value, and her career.

She was ready to play offense.

Present Your Case to Your Current Employer

Melissa scheduled a conversation with leadership. She shared market data, outlined her contributions, and highlighted the competing offer she had received.

"I want to continue leading impactful work here, but my current compensation needs to make economic sense..." She went on to present her case.

The response came within 48 hours. A $65,000 counteroffer!

Use Leverage to Improve the Job Offer

Melissa wasn’t done.

She went back to the new company with her research. She positioned her salary expectations with market data and a clear case for her impact.

They revised the offer.

$60K more in base, bonus, and RSUs.

Make the Right Decision

Melissa had done what most professionals never do—she put herself in a position where two companies were bidding for her talent.

Her current employer, now fearful about Melissa leaving, countered with a raise and a bonus to retain her. The new company, after seeing the market data and her negotiation strategy, increased their offer by $60K to bring it in line with her true value.

She had engineered two attractive options.

Now, the real question was: Where would she grow the most?

At her current company, she had built deep relationships, credibility, and influence. She was comfortable—her work was respected, and she knew how to navigate the organization. But comfort can be a double-edged sword. Was she truly growing professionally and intellectually? Or had she reached a plateau?

At the new company, she would start from scratch. She’d have to prove herself all over again, rebuild her brand, and navigate new dynamics. But she would also gain something she didn’t have before: the opportunity to operate at a global scale. The role offered more responsibility, more visibility, and a bigger platform to make an impact.

Too many professionals let a low initial offer discourage them from gathering facts and figures. But Melissa saw firsthand that information was leverage.

She intentionally shifted the dynamic from accepting what she was given to choosing what was best for her future.

She made her decision with clarity, confidence, and control.

Key Takeaways: How to Leverage a Job Offer for a Pay Raise

? Know Your Market Value – Benchmark your salary before entering any negotiation.

? Be Strategic, Not Emotional – Use data to make your case.

? Give Your Employer a Reason to Match – Highlight your contributions and future impact.

? Create your Leverage – If you have leverage, use it.

One common mistake professionals make when negotiating a counteroffer with their current employer is presenting it as a take-it-or-leave-it demand.

Saying something like "I have another offer. Match it or I’m leaving." creates tension and puts the employer in a defensive position.

The goal is to invite a discussion about your value and future with the company.

Use something like this

"I wasn’t actively looking for a new opportunity, but I was approached about a position that got me thinking. Given my experience, I wanted to understand how the market values my role and skill set...I really value the work I do here and the team I’ve built. Before making any decisions, I wanted to talk with you about how we can explore bringing my compensation more in line with my market value and the impact I’m making..."

Final Thoughts

Most professionals assume their salary reflects their value until they do the research.

Melissa had spent over a decade working under that assumption. She wasn’t the type to chase money for the sake of it. She believed in loyalty, in delivering results, in earning her way up.

But when she saw the numbers in black and white, her confidence in that assumption shattered.

Her first reaction? Shock.

Her second? Betrayal.

For years, she had given her best to a company that had let her fall behind. No one had tapped her on the shoulder to say, Hey, you should be making more. No one had stepped in to correct the gap. She had to find out for herself.

It would have been easy to react emotionally - to storm out, to reject the lowball offer outright, to make a split-second decision just to prove a point. But that’s not what she did.

Instead, she stepped back and acted with intent.

She gathered her facts. She leveraged both offers to ensure she was being paid fairly. She forced both companies to recognize and compete for her value.

Her current company was now willing to fight for her. They made a strong counteroffer. Had she stayed, she would have had financial validation of her worth and continued leadership opportunities.

But the new company offered something else—a stretch, a challenge, a bigger stage.

It was the right pivot for her growth. The new role gave her the opportunity to expand her influence, take on global challenges, and push herself beyond the comfort she had built in her previous role.

Either decision would have been right.

But this time, Melissa wasn’t just accepting what she was given; she was making a decision to benefit herself! And in the end, she secured the compensation she truly deserved.

I help high-achieving professionals get the salary they deserve by equipping them with real market insights and a custom negotiation strategy.

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