The Boardroom Insider: Compensation Negotiation with Keri-Lynne Shaw

As interview coaches, we spend weeks arming our clients to win the room. But the moment the “Congratulations” email hits their inbox, the conversation shifts to money. And suddenly, everyone starts to shrink.

That’s why I’m bringing in Keri-Lynne Shaw for our next Interview Institute Master Series this month. Keri-Lynne spent 20 years in executive HR roles. This month, I sat down with her to talk about why “just asking for more” isn’t a strategy, and how we can help our clients stop the guesswork and start using boardroom logic.

Q: You’ve had a long career in Human Resources. What inspired you to move into this work — was there a specific moment?

After more than 20 years inside executive HR roles, I had a front-row seat to how compensation decisions are actually made. What struck me was how many talented people were unknowingly leaving money and opportunity on the table simply because they didn’t understand how the system worked. The turning point was realizing that the knowledge inside the boardroom rarely reaches the individual employee. I understood how offers were structured, how severance was negotiated, and how leadership teams actually make pay decisions. Today I help professionals step into those conversations with strategy instead of guesswork.

Q: What have been some of your biggest client wins?

Some of the wins are perfectly measurable — six-figure compensation increases, six-figure sign-on bonuses, stronger equity packages, and executive exits in the multiple seven-figures that included meaningful severance protections. But the biggest shift is when someone realizes they have far more leverage than they thought. One client secured a full year of severance while preserving strong relationships with leadership. Another doubled the equity component of her offer simply by understanding how the structure worked. Another negotiated a $2.3million exit instead of just retiring, which was her first thought. And what my clients tell me most often is that the real impact goes far beyond the money. When someone learns how to advocate for themselves at that level, it changes how they show up everywhere, in their leadership, their confidence, and the way they make decisions about their career and their life. When people understand the mechanics of compensation, the conversation and confidence changes quickly.

Q: How realistic is the fear that negotiating could cost someone the offer?

It’s one of the biggest myths in the job market. Most employers expect negotiation, especially for mid-to-senior level roles. An offer is usually the beginning of the conversation, not the end of it. Where people get into trouble is when negotiation becomes emotional instead of strategic. A thoughtful, well-framed conversation rarely costs someone the offer. In many cases, it actually signals professionalism and confidence. As a former CHRO, I looked for how the candidate negotiated with us as part of the interview process, especially if they would be representing us in client or partner negotiations as part of their job.

Q: Are compensation conversations shrinking in today’s tough market, or are they just changing shape?

They’re changing shape. I don’t believe assumptions about the market should ever make a candidate shrink. The reality is that fewer than 40% of professionals negotiate their offers, and fewer than 30% of women do. That hasn’t improved much over the years, and the gender and racial pay gaps certainly aren’t moving in the right direction. What is changing is how compensation conversations happen. In tighter markets, many candidates assume companies won’t negotiate or that base salary is fixed. But value often lives in other parts of the package such as sign-on bonuses, equity, title scope, retention incentives, or even severance protections. The most effective negotiations today look at the entire compensation structure, not just the base salary.

Q: Which roles and industries are benefiting most from negotiation coaching right now?

We’re seeing strong demand from leaders in tech, healthcare, consulting, and private equity-backed companies. But more than industry, it’s about career inflection points—promotions, executive hires, layoffs, mergers, or major role transitions. Those moments tend to create the most leverage in someone’s career. That said, the professionals who navigate these moments best aren’t waiting for the market to tell them when they have leverage. They’re actively building it. They’re investing in their networks, documenting their impact, growing their scope, strengthening their skills, and getting clear on where their real talents create value. Negotiation doesn’t start when the offer arrives. It starts with how intentionally someone has been building their career long before that conversation happens.

Q: When a client says, “It’s only a few thousand dollars,” how do you help them see the bigger picture?

I zoom out. A small increase in base salary compounds over time through raises, bonuses, and retirement contributions. Over a career, a “few thousand dollars” can easily translate into hundreds of thousands. But there’s also a positioning element. Where you start often determines where the next conversation begins. Negotiation is about setting the right foundation for everything that follows.

Q: What’s the difference between giving quick negotiation tips and having a true compensation strategy?

Tips are tactical. A compensation strategy looks at the bigger picture — the role structure, the timing of conversations, the mix of salary, equity, and incentives, and how those decisions affect long-term career trajectory. It’s the difference between improving a single offer and intentionally shaping a career and positioning you as a leader.

Q: Some coaches worry they don’t have the expertise to add compensation negotiation to their services. In your experience, what strengths do career coaches naturally bring to this work that they may be underestimating?

[Interview] coaches are already doing some of the work that makes negotiation possible. You help clients unpack their value, identify their impact, and communicate their story in a compelling way. That clarity is what gives someone confidence when compensation conversations begin. You can also be supportive in helping people examine their relationship to money — the beliefs, hesitations, and narratives that influence what they believe they’re allowed to ask for. When a professional can clearly articulate the value they create and has done some of that internal work around worth and money, the dynamic of the negotiation shifts. They’re no longer just hoping for a better offer, they’re able to advocate for the impact they bring. That positioning work is one of the most powerful parts of the entire process.

Q: What would you say to a coach who’s on the fence about adding deeper negotiation support to their services?

I’d encourage them to think of negotiation as part of the larger career ecosystem. Coaches are incredibly well positioned to help clients prepare for these conversations — understanding their value, building confidence, and framing their impact in the market. Where negotiation often becomes more specialized is when the conversation moves into compensation structures, equity packages, severance terms, or employment agreements. That’s where collaboration can be incredibly powerful. Coaches help clients show up prepared and confident, and negotiation specialists can support the more complex elements of structuring the deal. When those pieces work together, clients are supported from the first conversation all the way through the final agreement.

Guide your clients to negotiate the compensation they deserve.  

Join Keri-Lynne for PARWCC’s Salary Negotiation Master Series on April 22 and 29. Register here