HR Help Others Negotiate — But What About Themselves?
As HR professionals, you’re often the one coaching employees on how to negotiate their salaries, ensuring fairness in pay bands, and maintaining internal equity. But when it comes to HR role salary negotiation — negotiating your own compensation — things can get… complicated.
According to the Hays Salary & Recruiting Trends Guide, 52% of professionals plan to ask for a pay rise this year. However, HR professionals remain one of the least likely groups to initiate those conversations — despite being the ones who often support others in doing so. Why? Because negotiating your salary as HR feels uniquely challenging.
This guide is here to flip the script. Whether you’re applying for a new HR role or preparing to ask for a promotion internally, this comprehensive resource will help you:
- Understand your true value
- Confidently frame your salary ask in alignment with business goals
- Prepare strategically using data and outcomes
- Avoid common pitfalls and handle objections with ease
Why Salary Negotiation Feels Different When You’re in HR
There’s a unique power dynamic at play when HR professionals negotiate their own salaries:
- Insider knowledge: You know the salary bands, benchmarks, and what others are earning. It can feel like you’re gaming the system.
- Fear of perception: Will negotiating for yourself make you seem self-serving?
- Policy pressure: You might have helped write the very policies that govern pay increases.
But the truth is: good negotiation is part of healthy HR leadership. You deserve to advocate for yourself just as effectively as you do for others.
(Explore: How to prepare for an HR interview & potential interview questions)
Know Your Value
Start by getting clear on what you bring to the table — not in vague terms, but with data, outcomes, and strategic framing.
Effective people & management practices foster:
1. Strategic Contributions
Have you:
- Led a restructure or redundancy process?
- Built an EVP that improved retention?
Quantify where possible: “Increased retention by 12% year-on-year,” or “Reduced time-to-hire by 30% over six months.”
2. Operational Efficiency
- Introduced HR tech that automated admin?
- Digitised manual processes?
- Improved manager self-service?
Frame these as cost-saving initiatives that free up HR for strategic work.
3. Culture & Change Leadership
- DEI rollouts, wellbeing programmes, or L&D strategy updates
- Crisis communications or remote work transitions
4. Professional Credentials (e.g. CIPD): Proof You’re Investing in Strategic Growth
Completing a CIPD qualification isn’t just about gaining knowledge — it signals to employers that you’re serious about your professional development and equipped to take on more strategic responsibility. Whether you’re early in your HR journey or building on years of experience, having CIPD on your CV enhances your credibility and negotiation power.
What matters most is how you apply it — and how you frame it during a salary conversation.
- Use your qualification to demonstrate how you’ve developed key HR capabilities, from policy and employment law to organisational change and business strategy.
- Show how the course content has shaped your ability to lead initiatives, solve real business challenges, or improve internal processes.
- Highlight that you’re part of a recognised professional community — one that’s respected by employers and signals up-to-date, practical knowledge.
Real Example: Nicola’s Story
“After finishing CIPD Level 3, I got a new HR job with a much higher salary. I’m now looking at doing Level 5!”
Nicola secured a more senior, better-paying HR role shortly after completing her Level 3 qualification. She credits her success to not only the content she learned, but the supportive, energising learning community at Avado — including staying connected and motivated through her cohort’s WhatsApp group.
Do Your Homework: Benchmark Beyond Your Organisation
Don’t just rely on your company’s internal ranges. Look externally:
Understanding the market helps you anchor your ask realistically and confidently.
Align Your Ask with Business Priorities
Your salary isn’t a personal cost — it’s a business investment. Frame your ask in terms of what the business gains:
Your salary isn’t a personal cost — it’s a business investment. Frame your ask in terms of what the business gains:
- “In my current role, I reduced agency costs by £65,000 by building an in-house recruitment model.”
- “With my CIPD training, I’ve led the shift to strategic workforce planning, aligning people initiatives with company growth targets.”
This shows you’re not just doing HR tasks — you’re driving business impact.
Scenario-Based Strategies: HR Salary Negotiation Tactics
1. Negotiating a New Job Offer
When: After a verbal offer, before contracts
How: Use market data + personal wins
Script: “I’m excited about the offer. Based on industry benchmarks and the scope of this role, I’d like to discuss aligning the salary closer to £75,000.”
2. Requesting a Raise or Promotion
When: After a verbal offer, before contracts
How: Link ask to achievements + future goals
Script: “Over the last 12 months, I’ve expanded my remit to include global onboarding, which cut costs and improved NPS scores. I’d like to discuss a salary review aligned to that growth.”
3. Moving from Operational to Strategic HR
How: Use job re-scoping + qualifications as leverage
Example: “With my Level 7 CIPD qualification and new responsibilities managing organisational design, I’d like to revisit the role banding.”
Common Mistakes HRs Make in Negotiations
- Apologising or using passive language
- Assuming you can’t challenge internal salary bands
- Leading with emotion instead of evidence
- Undervaluing soft power (like influencing SLT or mentoring managers)
Words That Work: Scripts & Phrases for HR Negotiators
- “Given the impact of [X initiative], and recent benchmarks for similar roles, I’d like to discuss compensation alignment.”
- “Since taking on [new responsibilities], I believe this warrants a conversation about salary progression.”
- “My goal is to ensure my package reflects both market rates and the strategic direction of my role.”
What to Do If the Answer is No
- Ask for a review timeline (e.g. “Can we revisit this in 3 months?”)
- Request feedback on what would support a yes
- Continue building your business case and documenting wins
Ready to take your HR career — and your salary — to the next level?
As an HR professional, you coach others to negotiate with clarity, confidence, and fairness — now it’s time to model that same professionalism for yourself. Your salary isn’t just a number; it’s a reflection of your impact, your growth, and the leadership you bring to your organisation.
By investing in your own development through a CIPD-accredited qualification, you’re not only strengthening your strategic toolkit — you’re also positioning yourself for greater influence, progression, and earning potential. Whether you’re taking the first step or levelling up, your career deserves that same energy you give to others. Explore Avado’s CIPD Qualifications and learn how strategic HR can transform your role, your team, and your future.
