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I am working as Junior Developer in a small company, with 6 months experience. Recently, I applied for a job in field I want to specialize in, and declared my expectations as its salary cap (which would be a 15% raise for me).

I have received an offer matching my current salary, and recruiter said it was lowered from what I proposed, due to my review performance. I consider it as a fair argument - I have not answered every question regarding must-have skills.

Job offer includes whole new career possibilities, more perspective projects, interesting technology stack and much better benefits, I would accept it as-is with no doubt. It is a great opportunity for me.

Should I ask for more to have high ground for future pay-rises (or not to be considered a doormat) and how far should I push?

I would accept it as-is with no doubt.

Then you have no real basis to negotiate.

The power you have in a negotiation is the power to walk away. If you don't want to walk away, then you're bluffing - and while that might work, it's a heck of a risk - there's every chance they'll just pass you off for the next candidate.

Why risk it?

You've got the job that you want to specialise in and at a company you would like to work for. You've got a salary offer equal to your current so you'll be no worse off but you'd be moving in the direction you'd want to be going.

You don't want to upset your potential employer, in this current stage you've got quite a lot to lose if this is definitely what you want to do.

I would join the company and maybe after another 6 months potentially ask for a raise when you've met the expected "must have skills".

You've said yourself that the valuation they have given you is fair so I'd take it and move in the right direction to follow your career prospect.

Job offer includes whole new career possibilities, more perspective projects, interesting technology stack and much better benefits, I would accept it as-is with no doubt. It is a great opportunity for me.

They've offered you a package they are happy with, you are happy with it. In negotiation terms this is called a "win-win".

Personally I'd just take the offer than get involved in playing guessing games about what you may or may not be able to squeeze out of them.

You can almost always ask for more money. Job offers are a negotiation after all.

But that doesn't mean that you should.

Negotiations are about value and risk, how valuable are you and how much are you willing to risk.

Your value is primarily based on supply and a demand. Someone with years(decades) of experience and specialized skills is likely to be in limited supply so their value will go up. Unfortunately, someone with 6 months experience is likely in large supply and may not have leverage to demand more. From the employer's perspective, if they can find plenty of other candidates with 6 months experience, why would they go above the reasonable salary they have already offered you.

You should start by considering the market you are in. Is there a limited supply of Junior Developers? Is your 6 months experience related to a technology that is in high demand or has very few practitioners locally? If so, your negotiating position could be stronger, if not your leverage is limited.

The last piece is the risk element. Neither side has leverage unless they can and would walk away. For you this means losing a job opportunity, for them this means finding another junior developer. You need to evaluate this from both sides when deciding whether to ask for more money and if so, how much.