The single most leveraged moment in your compensation history is the period between receiving an offer and signing the offer letter. Recruiters expect you to negotiate. The number they give you is almost never the top of their band. People who do not negotiate routinely leave $5,000-$30,000 on the table per year — compounded over a tenure of multiple years.
This page is the script. It is not the only script that works, but it is reliable, low-friction, and does not require a competing offer to use.
Before the offer arrives
1. Anchor yourself on market data
Pull Levels.fyi (tech), Glassdoor, Payscale, Salary.com for your role, level, location. Also check the company's job postings (since pay-transparency laws now require ranges in CA, CO, NY, WA, IL, MD, MA, and others). You want three numbers: market 50th percentile, market 75th percentile, your reservation point (the offer below which you would walk).
2. Do not state a number first
If asked "what are your salary expectations?" answer with the question: "I'd like to learn more about the role and team before talking compensation. Can you share the range for this role?" In pay-transparency states the recruiter is often legally required to share it. In other states it is still a fair ask.
3. Get the full package, not just base
The base salary is one of 6-8 levers. Also count: signing bonus, performance bonus target + history of achievement, equity (RSU value, vesting schedule, refresh expectations), 401(k) match, health insurance employer contribution, PTO, remote/flexibility, learning budget, severance terms. Optimize the whole package, not just the base.
The script
1. Receive the offer; thank them; do not accept on the call
"Thank you, I'm excited about this. Can you send the offer in writing so I can review the full details? I'll come back to you in [N] days."
Most recruiters will agree to 3-5 business days. Even one day is enough to think clearly.
2. Identify the 1-2 levers you most want to move
Pick the levers that matter most: base, sign-on, equity refresh, start date, remote percentage. Asking for everything at once dilutes the signal.
3. Make the counter — anchored, justified, polite
"I'm really excited about this role and want to make it work. Based on my research, roles at this level in [market] typically pay in the $X-$Y range for someone with my background. Could we move the base to $X? If that's not possible, I'd be open to discussing [signing bonus / equity refresh] as an alternative."
Three things this does: anchors high, gives a justification that is not personal, and offers a face-saving alternative if the base is genuinely capped.
4. Be quiet after the ask
The hardest part. After you make the ask, stop talking. Recruiters are trained on silence; they will often fill it with the next concession. If you fill it, you negotiate against yourself.
5. Get the response in writing
Whatever they come back with, get it in the formal offer document. Verbal promises evaporate. "That's great — can you send an updated offer letter reflecting the new base and signing bonus?"
6. Accept in writing
Once the updated offer matches what you agreed, accept by email. Save a copy. Done.
Red flags to watch for
- The recruiter says "this is our best and final offer" on the first call (rare to be true)
- Pressure to sign within 24 hours without a written offer first
- Refusal to put the full compensation in writing
- Equity offer with no clarity on the strike price (options), vesting cliff, or refresh policy
- Vague "lots of upside" language without numbers attached
- Hidden clawbacks: signing bonus repayable if you leave in 12 months, etc.
- Non-compete or non-solicit included in the offer letter without a separate consideration
When to talk to a lawyer
For most offers, no lawyer is needed. Consult an employment attorney if:
- The offer includes a substantive non-compete, non-solicit, or assignment-of-inventions clause you do not understand
- You are negotiating a senior-level offer with deferred comp, change-of-control provisions, or sign-on RSU grants worth significant equity
- The company is asking you to sign a separation/release from a prior employer they bought out
- The offer is contingent on legal terms (visa, immigration, prior employer non-compete enforcement) that materially affect you
For routine new-hire negotiations, a focused 30-minute call with a mentor or career coach who knows your industry is often more useful than a lawyer.
Educational content only — not legal or financial advice. Compensation norms vary widely by industry, level, and geography.