Is it too late to negotiate a higher pay raise after an unexpected promotion?

Karan · 2026-09-24T18:26:10.530Z

hey guys, So I just got a promotion today from SDR to Senior SDR after just 5 months at this company and was told I was getting a 5k pay rise. I didn't attempt to negotiate as my manager caught me off guard and just kept talking before I could say anything. We shook hands and continued about our day. is it too late for me to go back and ask for more or should i just accept it and move on?

10 comments

· Sorted by Oldest

Jonathan B.
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Hand shake is not an agreement. When agreement is sent for review, figure what to ask for and do so in writing then. If you don't get it by mid next week, ask for it again.
❤️5
Ayse G.
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Ok you were put under pressure on a deadline mode that created urgency. Which leads to a panic of getting out of the situation and accept because you are uncomfortable. Go back to the negotiation table. Ask this, I am sorry I was caught a bit offguard and might have misinterpreted our salary combersation. Do you think given ‘ put some successes that got you the promotion’ to the company is only worth $5K? The answer you will probably get is ‘no’ which is where you begin. Ask what do we do about that. And pause, let him fill the silence. Mirror back the last three four words he said, pause, he will elaborate, he will feel the need to… from there, it is your opening. Dont quote a price yourself first. Wait for his anchor. And then say that is a good start, how about x, would that be worth us to achieve x,y,z- anchor it at s number that is a bit higher than what you want, and then see what happens:) good luck!!
❤️2
Matthew D.
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The real game is getting to AE and making a ton more money. I would suggest that, unless you have a short-term cash flow issue, any negotiation focuses on clear milestones for when you move into a closing role (in terms of either timeline or skills you would need to manifest, as well as how you would demonstrate those skills). Getting to closing a month or two faster and the resultant pay bump and effect on your career will be much higher than getting a couple thousand more dollars per year at the SDR level
❤️2
David C.
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Never too late to ask for fair treatment. Just depends if they see the same value in you that you see in yourself. Be prepared to accept a “sorry, but no” or to push back, nobody gives away more money without a fight
❤️1
Mike C.
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Congratulations! Agreed with pretty much everybody here. It's never too late. That being said, weigh your options. If an extra $5,000 a year is really going to help, then definitely go and ask for it. You probably deserve it and they might give it to you, no questions asked. That being said there's also a trade-off/battles. That also being said, it does and I've seen it because I've managed almost 100 top-of-funnel reps in my day. The ones that stood up and were like, "Hey I want an extra $5,000," the majority of them I gave it to because they're hustlers and I only want hustlers on my team. If you're trying to move from SDR to a sales rep as fast as possible, that might be the move! Please keep us up to date. I'm excited for you!
❤️2
Patrick A.
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(edited)·
Handshake, to me in this sitch, is an agreement to negotiate a raise. Until its on paper, don't count your chickens. Something to also keep in mind is, that a handshake still means something and is the honorable thing to do.
Patrick A.
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(edited)·
Know your market and margins in and out, arm yourself with the nitty gritty of the role, give it a stab, and go for it. You at least got a number to work with.
💪1
Jonathan B.
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·
Hey Matthew D. moving to AE for more money is subjective and many variables at play. Comp structure, base jump, efficiency in selling the solution to close, etc. You might be excellent at driving interest and booking meetings (usually primary role as a SDR) but if the product is difficult to articulate value or sale cycle is exceptionally long, might be best to stay on the SDR side.
👀1
Matthew D.
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(edited)·
Assuming same company, agree; but SDRs are kinda pinned at one company until AE promo and then enough sales cycles to get hired elsewhere, else a switch resets their promo clock - SDR to rolling the dice on an AE role that may or may not pay more to AE at another company with an actually good AE role is a common pattern. Esp since companies usually underpay recent SDR promos since they are so happy for the swap, so switching companies once AE skills fungible often worth $xxK
Matthew D.
·
·
My overall point is that broadly speaking the long game to 300k+ is more interesting than minor optimizations in the 60-150k range, subject to cash flow luxury to play a long game

Jonathan B.
·
·
Hand shake is not an agreement. When agreement is sent for review, figure what to ask for and do so in writing then. If you don't get it by mid next week, ask for it again.
❤️5
Ayse G.
·
·
Ok you were put under pressure on a deadline mode that created urgency. Which leads to a panic of getting out of the situation and accept because you are uncomfortable. Go back to the negotiation table. Ask this, I am sorry I was caught a bit offguard and might have misinterpreted our salary combersation. Do you think given ‘ put some successes that got you the promotion’ to the company is only worth $5K? The answer you will probably get is ‘no’ which is where you begin. Ask what do we do about that. And pause, let him fill the silence. Mirror back the last three four words he said, pause, he will elaborate, he will feel the need to… from there, it is your opening. Dont quote a price yourself first. Wait for his anchor. And then say that is a good start, how about x, would that be worth us to achieve x,y,z- anchor it at s number that is a bit higher than what you want, and then see what happens:) good luck!!
❤️2
Matthew D.
·
·
The real game is getting to AE and making a ton more money. I would suggest that, unless you have a short-term cash flow issue, any negotiation focuses on clear milestones for when you move into a closing role (in terms of either timeline or skills you would need to manifest, as well as how you would demonstrate those skills). Getting to closing a month or two faster and the resultant pay bump and effect on your career will be much higher than getting a couple thousand more dollars per year at the SDR level
❤️2
David C.
·
·
Never too late to ask for fair treatment. Just depends if they see the same value in you that you see in yourself. Be prepared to accept a “sorry, but no” or to push back, nobody gives away more money without a fight
❤️1
Mike C.
·
·
Congratulations! Agreed with pretty much everybody here. It's never too late. That being said, weigh your options. If an extra $5,000 a year is really going to help, then definitely go and ask for it. You probably deserve it and they might give it to you, no questions asked. That being said there's also a trade-off/battles. That also being said, it does and I've seen it because I've managed almost 100 top-of-funnel reps in my day. The ones that stood up and were like, "Hey I want an extra $5,000," the majority of them I gave it to because they're hustlers and I only want hustlers on my team. If you're trying to move from SDR to a sales rep as fast as possible, that might be the move! Please keep us up to date. I'm excited for you!
❤️2
Patrick A.
·
(edited)·
Handshake, to me in this sitch, is an agreement to negotiate a raise. Until its on paper, don't count your chickens. Something to also keep in mind is, that a handshake still means something and is the honorable thing to do.
Patrick A.
·
(edited)·
Know your market and margins in and out, arm yourself with the nitty gritty of the role, give it a stab, and go for it. You at least got a number to work with.
💪1
Jonathan B.
·
·
Hey Matthew D. moving to AE for more money is subjective and many variables at play. Comp structure, base jump, efficiency in selling the solution to close, etc. You might be excellent at driving interest and booking meetings (usually primary role as a SDR) but if the product is difficult to articulate value or sale cycle is exceptionally long, might be best to stay on the SDR side.
👀1
Matthew D.
·
(edited)·
Assuming same company, agree; but SDRs are kinda pinned at one company until AE promo and then enough sales cycles to get hired elsewhere, else a switch resets their promo clock - SDR to rolling the dice on an AE role that may or may not pay more to AE at another company with an actually good AE role is a common pattern. Esp since companies usually underpay recent SDR promos since they are so happy for the swap, so switching companies once AE skills fungible often worth $xxK
Matthew D.
·
·
My overall point is that broadly speaking the long game to 300k+ is more interesting than minor optimizations in the 60-150k range, subject to cash flow luxury to play a long game