The offer stage is not the time to become low-maintenance. The company has decided it wants you. Your job is to make the full package match the value and risk you are taking on.
Before you counter, know the package
- Base salary and pay band.
- Bonus target and whether it has actually paid out recently.
- Equity type, vesting schedule, strike price if options, and refresh policy.
- Sign-on bonus and relocation support.
- Remote flexibility, schedule, start date, learning budget, and title.
Counter the first number
“I'm excited about the role and the team. Based on the scope we discussed and the market for [role/level/location], I was expecting something closer to [target]. Is there room to move the base salary toward that number?”
Ask for equity or sign-on
“If base is fixed, I'd like to look at the rest of the package. Could we improve the equity grant or add a sign-on bonus to bridge the gap?”
Ask for flexibility
“One thing that would make this role sustainable for me is [remote days/flexible hours/start date]. Is that something we can put into the offer details?”
Your challenge
Record yourself saying three lines out loud: the salary counter, the equity/sign-on ask, and a clean no to a package that does not meet your floor.