Real salary negotiation experiences from Malaysian professionals: what to ask for, when to counter, how to handle the expected-salary question, and what worked.
My company just offered me a promotion to Senior Executive, but i'm not sure if the salary increment is enough. I've been an Executive for three years here at this MNC in Cyberjaya, currently on RM5,500. The new offer is…
My company in KL is rolling back WFH. I've been working from home for almost 2 years now and planning to move back to Penang to be with family. I'm a marketing executive, been with this company for 3 years, earning RM6,…
Got an offer 15% below what I was targeting. Here's exactly how I negotiated without losing the offer. My response: "Thank you so much for the offer, I'm genuinely excited about this opportunity and the team. Before I c…
The moment you give a number first, you anchor the negotiation. The moment you refuse to give one, you risk seeming difficult. Here's how to navigate. Strategy 1: Deflect with a question "I'd love to understand the full…
Getting an offer where I can structure the package and trying to decide what to optimise for. Option A: Higher base, performance bonus up to 3 months (target 1.5 months), no fixed allowances. Option B: Lower base, guara…
I'm based in KL. My company is in KL. But I wanted to move to Penang. Here's what I did. Step 1: Established a track record of remote delivery. Spent 3 months being visibly productive on WFH days, sending recaps after e…
Context: joined at a lower rate than I should have because I didn't negotiate well. Six months in, had built a track record and wanted to correct it. What I said (rough script): "I wanted to request some time to discuss…
Salary and title are different negotiations and most people only do one. The promotion conversation is a business case, not a request. You're arguing that the company benefits from recognising your contribution at the n…
Context: I've been here 2 years, consistently exceeding targets, took on a team lead role informally for 6 months, and the market rate for my role has moved up. The 5% is their standard across-the-board increment. I've…
I've successfully gotten employer funding for 4 courses over 3 years. Here's the pattern. The framing that works: Connect the course to a business outcome your manager cares about. "I want to do this course" is a reques…
The most common salary research mistake I see: asking friends what they make and using that as a reference point. The problem: your friend joined their company 3 years ago at market rate for that time. They've gotten in…
Company wanted 4 days in office. I wanted 2. Here's how we landed at 3 and how I plan to get to 2. What didn't work: "I'm more productive at home." Everyone says this and it's not persuasive without data. What worked:…
Was on a 3-month internship and wanted to stay 2 more months. Step 1: Raised it with my direct supervisor first, not HR. If your supervisor supports the extension, the HR conversation becomes a formality. What I said:…
People always say you need an offer letter to negotiate. I didn't have one. Here's what I did instead. Step 1: Built the data case. Pulled salary data from JobStreet, LinkedIn Salary, and conversations with recruiters.…
Timing worked out (accidentally) and I had offers from two companies arrive within 10 days of each other. Here's exactly what I did. Step 1: Responded to the lower offer enthusiastically, said I was very interested but…
I'm graduating with a CS degree from UM this May and have offers from a few companies. Just want to know if what I'm being offered is fair. Current offers: - Local startup: RM3,800 + equity - MNC (tech role): RM4,500 -…
I said: I am very excited about the role. Based on my research and experience, I was hoping for X. Is there flexibility? They came back with Y which was higher than the original offer. Just ask.
Not a brag post, just want to share the actual moves I made since a lot of people ask me this. 2022: Fresh grad, backend dev role at a mid-size company. RM3,500. Move 1: Got an AWS certification (paid for myself, RM400…
Never reveal the offer amount first. Stay calm and factual. Has worked for me twice.
80% of people who accept counter-offers leave within 12 months. The company now knows you were looking.
Negotiation threads sit across four different categories on this forum, which is exactly why they are collected here. What they have in common is a moment of decision: the recruiter has asked for an expected salary, the offer has landed below the range, or a raise conversation is due and nobody has scheduled it. The accounts here are specific — the number asked for, the number offered, what was said in reply, and what the outcome was. Recurring ground includes counter-offers from a current employer and whether accepting one ever ends well, negotiating a first offer with no leverage, and asking for something other than base pay when the budget is genuinely fixed.
Related topics: Kuala Lumpur, Productivity, HR & Employment Practices.