Lesson 212 · 3 min
Talking about salary
Use AI to plan what you will say and to practise the conversation, but get the numbers from real market data and people in your field.
Salary talks are uncomfortable, so many people accept the first number or never ask for a raise. Preparing helps more than confidence.
AI is useful for the words. It can help you list your results, write a calm opening line, and role-play a manager who pushes back so you can practise replying.
It is weak on numbers. A chatbot does not know current pay in your city and industry, and it may give a confident figure that is out of date. Check salary surveys from recruiters, job posts that list ranges, and people you trust in the same field.
Have a range in mind, a reason based on your results, and a plan if the answer is no, such as asking what you would need to achieve for a raise in six months.
Do it now
Rehearse the hard reply
- 1. Write down three results you delivered this year.
- 2. Run the prompt below and practise answering the pushback.
- 3. Look up real salary data for your role before the actual talk.
Help me prepare to ask for a raise. My role: [ROLE]. My results this year: [LIST]. First, help me write a short, calm opening. Then play my manager and push back with common objections, one at a time, like "the budget is tight". Wait for my reply each time and then tell me how to make it stronger. Do not suggest a salary figure.
Quick check
Keep going
Next →Your first 30 days in a new jobWords from this lesson
- Role prompting
- Starting a prompt by telling the AI who to act as, such as an experienced editor, to shape tone and focus.
- Knowledge cutoff
- The date after which a model learned nothing new. Unless it can search the web, it may not know recent events.
- Hallucination
- When an AI states something false with confidence, such as a made-up fact, quote or source.