Salary negotiation is the strategic process of discussing and agreeing upon compensation for employment—whether entering a new role or advancing in your current position. It's a critical career skill that compounds over time: a single successful negotiation can impact lifetime earnings by hundreds of thousands of dollars. The key insight most professionals miss: negotiation is expected and respected in business culture, not aggressive or presumptuous. Employers often build flexibility into initial offers specifically because they anticipate negotiation, making your silence potentially the most costly career decision you'll make.