Many laid-off candidates undersell themselves and assume unemployment prevents negotiating higher pay. Layoffs are business decisions; emphasize current skills, results, and value rather than the layoff narrative. Avoid apologetic comments about budgets. Research market pay using sources like Glassdoor and Levels.fyi to set realistic targets for the role and location. Lead compensation discussions by being the first to raise pay, request the employer's range, and state the range you believe is appropriate when necessary. Advocate for the full compensation package, not just base salary, and be prepared to negotiate adjustments or additional components.
Layoffs are business decisions, not personal indictments. What matters is what you bring to the table. Focus on the here and now and what you can do. Lead with your skills and results, not the layoff story, not woes me. Another common flub is to start off discussing pay from a weak position by making comments such as: "I know that budgets are tight." Don't do that. Budgets are tight everywhere.
When you're face-to-face with the interviewer, be the first to bring up compensation. You will be in a stronger position if you're the one leading the conversation. Ask for the pay range to see if it aligns with the research you did. If it's lower, say what you believe the correct range is, rather than sell yourself short. It's possible the interviewer will offer to look into whether the pay can be adjusted.
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