How to negotiate salary after you get a job offer

Getting a job offer is exciting — and it's also the moment when you have the most leverage. Yet many candidates either don't negotiate at all or negotiate poorly, leaving thousands of dollars on the table.

This is the sequence that works: pause, read the whole offer, pick a number you can defend, and make one clear ask.

1. Pause and ask for time

Never accept an offer on the spot. A simple response works:

"Thanks so much — I'm excited about the offer. I'd like to take a day or two to review everything carefully."

That pause is for total compensation, market data, and deciding what to negotiate — not for stalling.

2. Read the full offer, not just salary

Before you counter, make sure you can see:

• Base salary
• Bonus structure
• Equity or stock, if there is any
• Benefits and PTO
• Title and level

Many people fixate on salary and miss items that are often easier for a company to move.

3. Choose a number you can defend

The counter should be grounded in market data, inside a range the company can plausibly hit, and framed as collaborative. A useful rule of thumb:

• Counter 10–20% above the initial salary if the role is market-competitive
• Think in total compensation, not just base pay

4. Make the ask

Keep it short:

"I'm really excited about the role and the team. Based on my experience and market research, I was hoping we could discuss a base salary closer to $X. Is there flexibility there?"

Professional. Specific. One ask.

5. Handle the usual pushback

If they say this is their best offer:

"I understand. Are there other areas we could explore, like a sign-on bonus, equity, or an earlier compensation review?"

If they need approval:

"That makes sense — I appreciate you checking. I'm happy to provide any additional context if helpful."

Mistakes that cost money

• Negotiating before an offer exists
• Accepting immediately out of excitement
• Negotiating emotionally instead of using data
• Only negotiating salary and nothing else

What this is for

Negotiation is expected — especially after a written offer. If you don't ask, you're likely leaving money on the table. The sequence above is the general case; your offer is the specific one.