What do I do if they say the budget is fixed?

Question

Efri Dereje · Accepted Answer

Sometimes it genuinely is. So negotiate the things that aren't the budget.

A review date in writing. "Can we agree to revisit at six months with a specific number attached?" Get it written down or it won't happen.

A signing bonus. Often comes from a different pot than salary.

Title. Costs nothing and it's worth real money at your next move.

Time. Extra days off, a four-day week, flexibility. Genuinely valuable and much easier to approve.

Remote or hybrid terms. Worth a lot in money you don't spend.

Development budget. Courses, conferences, certifications.

Scope. Explicit ownership of something that makes you more valuable in two years.

Then decide whether the whole package works, not just the number.

But test it once before accepting. "Is the ceiling on the band, or on what's allocated for this role?" Those are different things and sometimes the first no is about the second one.