Originally published at https://easedit.co/blog/salary-benchmarking
How to Benchmark Your Salary Before Negotiating
Most salary negotiations fail before they start — not because the candidate asked for too much, but because they had no idea what to ask for.
Salary benchmarking is the process of finding a defensible market rate for a specific role, in a specific location, at a specific experience level. It takes about two hours the first time. Without it, any number you put forward is a guess — and guesses are easy to dismiss.
Why generic salary sites underperform
Glassdoor and PayScale are useful starting points, but their data has two problems.
First, salaries are self-reported and tend to skew high — people who feel well-paid are more likely to share. Second, the data is often stale, particularly in fast-moving markets like tech where compensation shifted significantly in 2022–2024.
Use them for orientation, not for the number you put on the table.
The benchmarking stack
Step 1 — Role and level clarification
Before you look at any numbers, be precise about what you're benchmarking.
- Job title (exactly what appears in the offer, not a shorthand)
- Experience level (years in role, management scope, technical depth)
- Location (city, not country — London and Manchester are different markets)
- Industry and company size (compensation varies substantially between a FTSE 100 and a Series A)
A "Senior Product Manager" at a 50-person startup in Manchester is a different benchmark than the same title at a bank in London.
Step 2 — Data sources
LinkedIn Salary — good range data, requires premium but often accessible via free trial. Filter by location, industry, and experience.
Glassdoor — useful for triangulation. Look at multiple entries, not the headline number. The company-specific data is often more accurate than the role average.
Levels.fyi — reliable for software engineering, product, and data roles at named tech companies. More granular than Glassdoor, updated more frequently.
Job postings — in the UK, salary transparency in job postings is increasingly standard. Search active roles matching your target position and note the ranges. These are current-market numbers.
Recruiter conversations — if you're working with a recruiter (even informally), they have current data and a reason to share it. "What's the current market rate for this role?" is a completely normal question.
Step 3 — Three peer conversations
The most accurate salary data is anecdotal. Three conversations with people currently doing similar work — found through LinkedIn, a professional community, or your own network — will give you more useful data than any database.
Most people will share a range if you ask directly: "I'm benchmarking [role] in [location] — what range would you expect to see?" works well. People are often more candid than candidates expect.
Building your number
After gathering data across three or four sources, you should have a range. Now narrow it.
Your position within the range should reflect:
- Whether this is a step up (justify the top of the range)
- Your direct experience fit (how much runway exists before you're fully performing)
- The company's size and funding stage (a startup will rarely match a large company on base)
- Your competing offers, if any (the most powerful benchmark is another offer)
Aim for a specific number, not a range. Offering a range invites the employer to anchor at the bottom.
Background research connects to the offer
Understanding market rate is part of the same preparation mindset as researching the company before an interview. The candidates who negotiate best are the ones who've done enough background work to speak with confidence rather than hoping.
See how to review your offer letter for what to check in the document before you start any negotiation, and salary negotiation script for the specific phrases to use once you have a number.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which salary data sources are most reliable?
LinkedIn Salary and Glassdoor are useful starting points but are self-reported and often skewed upward. Levels.fyi is reliable for tech roles. For the most accurate data, speak to three people currently doing similar work — their numbers are more current than any database.
What if the salary range in the job posting is lower than market rate?
That's important information — it tells you either the company is behind the market or the range is negotiable. You can still negotiate, but you need a credible number and a calm way to present it. "Based on my research, the market rate for this role in this location is [X]. Is there flexibility in the range?" is a reasonable starting point.
Should I share my current salary when asked?
In many jurisdictions this question is now restricted or banned. Where it isn't, you're not obliged to answer — you can redirect to market rate: "I'd prefer to focus on the market rate for this role. My research suggests [range] — does that align with what you're offering?" Sharing a salary that's significantly below market can cap your offer before negotiation begins.
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