How to negotiate a job offer and handle a counteroffer

The offer has arrived, and the number is 30 thousand rubles a month below what you were counting on. Asking for more feels risky: what if the company takes offense and withdraws. Accepting feels wrong too: you went through four rounds and you know you are worth more.

Money has been on the table from the start. The question "What number are you starting from in your salary expectations?" shows up in the Sobes question bank from 18 different companies. At the screening you name the figure. After the offer the company names it, and you get a short window to discuss it. How to state a number on the first call is covered in the post on salary expectations. This one is about what to do once the offer is in your hands.

When and with whom

You negotiate after the offer and before you say yes. Earlier, there is no proposal to discuss. Later, once you have said "yes, I'm in", bringing up money looks like trying to reopen a deal.

Talk to the recruiter who runs your process. They are the one who gets the budget approved, even if the hiring manager makes the call. Writing to the manager over the recruiter's head rarely helps: the question comes back to the recruiter anyway, with some irritation attached.

The format is up to you. An email gives you time to choose words and leaves a record. A call is faster and warmer. A scheme that works: write a short note saying you would like to discuss the terms and suggest a ten-minute call.

Before the conversation, make sure you are comparing like with like: gross or net, base or base plus bonus. The full list of things to clarify is in "Questions to ask before accepting a job offer", so it is not repeated here.

A request with a reason

An ultimatum sounds like this: "I won't join for less than 400." It leaves the company two moves: agree or say goodbye. A request leaves a third move, a counterproposal, which is why it works more often.

A good request has four parts: you like the offer, here is the number, here is why, and you are ready to decide fast.

Thank you for the offer. I really liked the team and the work, and I want to join. The one thing I'd like to discuss is the base salary. I was counting on 400, and the offer says 370. At 400 I'm ready to accept right away. Is there room to revisit the number?

There is one figure here, not a range, and a promise of a quick decision. That makes it easy for the recruiter to go to the manager: the amount is specific, and it is clear the candidate will not keep bargaining after it.

The reason can vary. The market: ranges in similar job postings, for example from our job market analytics. Another offer, if you really have one. The scope of the role: the interviews showed you would be running a whole area, not only writing code.

I have another offer at 410. I like your team more, and if we can get close to that number, I'll happily choose you.

You do not have to name the other company. You do have to avoid inventing an offer. The recruiter may answer "then take it", and you are left with nothing.

What not to say:

• "I need more, I have a mortgage." The company pays for the work, not for your expenses.
• "What's the most you can do?" You hand the number over to the other side.
• A second ask after the company has already raised the amount. One round of negotiation is seen as normal, a second one is annoying.

What is negotiable besides base pay

Sometimes the base hits the ceiling of the grade and the recruiter says honestly that there is no more. That does not end the conversation. Other things can be discussed:

A six-month review only works in writing: in the offer or at least in an email from the recruiter, with a number or criteria. A spoken "we'll see how you do" will be forgotten by everyone in six months.

Companies ask about the start date early. The question "If you get an offer and accept it, how soon can you start?" appears from 13 companies. Do not promise "in a week" if you are legally bound to a notice period (two weeks in Russia).

If the company says no

"The budget is fixed" does not cancel the offer. It stays valid on the original terms, and the decision is yours again. Say thanks, take a day, and decide whether the number works for you as it is. If you have several processes running, see the post on choosing between two offers.

A counteroffer from your current employer

You hand in your notice and your manager says: "Wait, let us raise your salary." It is flattering and confusing at the same time.

Before answering, remember why you started looking. If the reason was only money and you had asked for a raise before, the counteroffer closes the question, and staying makes sense. If the reason was the work, the manager, overtime or a lack of growth, a raise will not change any of that. A few months later you are in the same place, except the new company has filled the role.

Questions worth asking yourself:

• What changes besides the amount? If nothing, the reason for leaving is still there.
• Why did the raise only appear after the resignation letter?
• Is the raise formalized in writing or promised "from next quarter"?
• How will you be treated after you were already on your way out?

If you have decided to leave, the answer is short:

Thank you, I appreciate that you're willing to revisit the terms. But it isn't only about money: I want different work, and the decision is made. Let's talk about how I can best hand things over.

You can use a counteroffer as leverage with the new company once, and honestly: "My current employer offered me 400 to stay." Dragging out an auction between the two sides is a bad idea, both get tired of it quickly.

What to do before the conversation

Write down three numbers: the amount you will ask for, the amount you will accept, and the amount below which you will decline. Next to them, write what you would take instead of money. Then say your request out loud two or three times: the first sentence on the call is the hardest, and after it the conversation gets calmer. Questions about money and start dates come up in final rounds too, and you can run through them out loud in the final-round mode of the mock interview.