February 5, 2026

For South Asian talent landing their first global gig You just got the offer from an international company. Congratulations. Now comes the hard part: they want to know your salary expectations, and you have no idea what to say. Ask too high and they might walk away. Ask too low and you’ll spend the next year resenting yourself for leaving money on the table. Here’s what you need to know about negotiating your first global salary. Know Your Numbers Before any negotiation, understand what the market actually pays. Entry-level developers working remotely for global companies typically earn $800-$1,500 per month. Designers make $600-$1,200. Writers get $500-$1,000. Virtual assistants earn $400-$800. Compare this to local Pakistani rates, which are usually 3-5 times lower, and you’ll understand why negotiation matters. These aren’t inflated numbers. These are real rates that Pakistani freelancers and remote workers earn right now. Don’t anchor yourself to local salaries just because that’s what you’re used to seeing. Never Give a Number First This is the golden rule. Whoever mentions money first loses negotiating power. When they ask about your salary expectations, flip it back to them. Ask what budget range they have in mind for the position, or say you’d like to understand the full scope of responsibilities before discussing compensation. Most hiring managers expect this. They’re not offended by it. You’re showing that you understand how negotiations work, which actually makes you seem more professional, not less. When You Must Name Your Price Sometimes they won’t budge until you give a number. When this happens, do your homework first. Check what similar roles pay on platforms like Glassdoor or in freelancer communities. Calculate your absolute minimum, the least you can accept while covering expenses and saving something. Then add 20-30% to that number. If your minimum is $600, ask for $750-$900. Give it as a range, not a fixed number. They’ll likely offer somewhere in the lower half of your range, which is why your range’s bottom should be close to what you actually want. Avoid this The biggest mistake Pakistani talent makes is converting everything to rupees and getting excited too quickly. You see an offer for $400 and think “that’s PKR 112,000, way more than I make locally!” so you accept immediately. Stop. You’re not competing with local wages anymore. You’re in the global market. That US company would pay someone locally $4,000-$5,000 for the same role. At $400, you’re giving them a 90% discount. At $1,000, you’re still saving them thousands while earning what your skills are actually worth internationally. How to Counter an Offer They offer $600. You wanted $900. Don’t just accept it or reject it. Negotiate. Thank them for the offer, express genuine interest in the role, then explain that based on your skills and market rates, you were expecting closer to $850-$900. Ask if there’s flexibility in the budget. Three things usually happen. They agree and offer $800. They say the budget is fixed but offer a performance review in some months. Or they make a smaller increase to $650 and call it final. Your move depends on whether the experience is worth it at that rate. Know When to Walk Away Some offers aren’t worth negotiating. If they promise to “pay more later” but won’t put it in writing, walk. If they want 60+ hours a week for entry-level pay, that’s exploitation. If they refuse to discuss salary at all, that’s a red flag about how they’ll treat you as an employee. The Confidence Issue You’re thinking “but I have no experience, how can I negotiate?” Here’s the truth: they offered you the job because you have skills they need. Entry-level means you’re at the start of creating value. Will they reject you for negotiating? Maybe. If they do, it wasn’t the right fit anyway. Companies that respect talent expect negotiation. A Simple Script When they make an offer, take 24 hours to think about it. Then respond: “Thank you for the offer. I’m excited about joining the team. Based on my skills in [specific areas] and current market rates, I was expecting something in the range of $[X]-$[Y] per month. Is there flexibility to discuss this?” That’s it. Professional, confident, not aggressive. Most reasonable companies will either meet you closer to your number or explain their constraints. What Actually Matters You’ll probably mess up your first negotiation. Most people do. You’ll ask too low, or too high, or forget to negotiate entirely. That’s fine. You learn by doing. Your second negotiation will be better. Your third will be easier. By your fifth, you’ll wonder why you were ever nervous about it. Pakistani talent is competing globally and winning. You’re getting hired because you’re good at what you do. Remember that when you negotiate.