Negotiating an Offer
First, a pep talk
It is OK to negotiate salary. U.S. employers are typically prepared for, and often expect, salary negotiation, but people from underrepresented populations are less likely to negotiate. It can be intimidating, but doing your research and preparing your strategy will help.
Negotiation tips
- If possible, connect with resources or a career coach from your college to discuss your specific situation. Different scenarios warrant different approaches, and you will receive the best advice from someone who understands yours.
- Research typical salary ranges for the position given your location, experience, and education: Salary.com, Payscale.com, Glassdoor.com
- Plan ahead. Some employers want to hear back within a couple of days, leaving you little time for preparation, especially if you want to meet with a career coach. Consider doing your prep work earlier in the interview process to avoid a stressful scramble when you get an offer.
A “good job” means different things to different people. To some, a good job is about being high paying with good benefits. To another, a good job is something exciting that helps them feel connected to a higher purpose. You get to define what “good” means to you. Throughout the course of your life, your definition of a “good job” will likely change according to your needs and experiences.
While many people assume the highest salary is most important, keep in mind there are many others components of a job offer, and while one employer may not offer the highest salary, you may value other benefits more. Here are some of the most common examples of job offer components to evaluate:
- Salary (and bonus)
- Moving/relocation expenses
- 401k/retirement accounts
- Tuition assistance for graduate school
- Holidays/time off
- Ability to work remotely
- Opportunity for growth
- Mentor availability
- Geographic location
- Respond immediately to acknowledge you’ve received the offer and will look it over. If you receive an offer from one employer while you are waiting to hear on a final decision from another employer, communicate with both employers. In that case, you might request a deadline extension for the offer you received and request an update on the hiring process from the employer you are still waiting to hear from.
How to request a a deadline extension from the employer who made an offer
Hello [ Name of person who sent offer],
I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to reach out after I have had some time to reflect on my recruitment process and career goals moving forward. I am excited that [INSERT COMPANY NAME] has an [excellent culture/ INSERT WHY COMPANY and POSITION IS OF INTEREST TO YOU]. This being said, I do not think that at this time I will be able to get a decision on my offer by the original deadline of [INSERT DEADLINE]. I am wondering if you would be willing to extend my offer timeline until [INSERT DEADLINE]. I greatly appreciate your consideration and look forward to hearing from you.
Best regards,
How to communicate with the employer yet to make the offer (this is only appropriate if you have completed a final round interview and are just waiting for them to decide)
Hello [ Name of your contact at the company],
I hope this email finds you well. I’m letting you know I have received a job offer with another company, but I am excited and very interested in my opportunity at [INSERT COMPANY NAME]. Do you happen to know when you/your team will be making final decisions? I greatly appreciate your time and look forward to hearing from you.
Best regards,
- Review the offer(s) considering criteria that are most important to you.
- If you plan to negotiate, see instructions below.
- After making your decision, respond to the employer whose offer you accept and sign any required paperwork.
- Reply to any other employers with whom you are recruiting to either decline their offer or withdraw from their process. (There’s a misconception that it’s rude to decline an offer. It is professional and appreciated to notify employers once you are no longer open to offers.
Not all offers are negotiable, but many employers expect to have a conversation around salary/benefits. Commonly, you might negotiate 5-10% more of the base salary.
- Research typical salary ranges for the position given your location, experience, and education: Salary.com, Payscale.com, Glassdoor.com. You college career center may also have salary data available to you. Understand what is typical pay for this role with your experience level.
- Email the person who sent you the offer to set up a brief phone call. Your email might say something like:
Hello _________,
I’m so excited about the opportunity to join [Insert company name]. May we connect by phone to discuss the specifics of my
offer?
Important: Most recruiters prefer to negotiate by phone. During negotiation, your goal is to express something positive/your interest, make a direct and highly-specific ask, and use open-ended language to appear relational/collaborative. (This last piece of advice is often women-identifying specific because research shows that women are less successful taking a direct “I am worth it and here’s why approach.” This is unfortunate and sexist, but as a general rule of thumb for everyone, using a laundry list of reasons why you’re worth it in the conversation is not usually helpful and can create an adversarial relationship.) Approach the negotiation assuming positive intent of the person you’re negotiating with. - Once on the phone, reiterate your gratitude and excitement for the opportunity, ask any questions you have about the offer (for example if there is language or benefits that are unclear), and then make your ask. You may say something like:
“Thank you for taking time to talk today. I’m very excited about the opportunity with your company, and I was wondering if there’s any possibility to get the salary to $X?” - Once the employer responds, you do not have to accept or decline on the spot. You can say “Thank you. I’m going to take some more time with this and will get back to you by the deadline.”