- Career Advice
- Pay & salary
- Rules for negotiating: how to counter a job offer
Rules for negotiating: how to counter a job offer
Artwork by: Pablo Cammello
- How to counter a job offer politely
- 1. Ask for time
- 2. Do your research
- 3. Consider your value
- 4. Prepare a counteroffer
- 5. Make the counteroffer
- 6. Decide on the final offer
- Salary counteroffer email templates and examples
- Asking for a higher salary
- Responding to a low salary offer
- Requesting a negotiation meeting
- Key takeaways
Just because you get a job offer doesn’t mean you have to accept it without question. There are ways you can negotiate the salary and other terms of the offer. Keep reading to learn how to counter a job offer so you can feel confident about accepting it.
You aced the interview, and now you’ve received a job offer. Congratulations! But wait—does the proposed salary meet your expectations? If not, it’s time to negotiate. While negotiating a job offer can feel scary, there are ways you can politely make a counteroffer.
In this guide, we’ll discuss:
How to counter a job offer for more money
Tips to help you negotiate like a pro
Email templates you can use to start the salary negotiation
How to counter a job offer politely
Once you receive a job offer, you’ve moved from being an applicant to potentially a new employee. As such, your tone for the negotiations should be polite and professional.
Here’s how to make a counteroffer for a job:
1. Ask for time
When a job offer falls below your salary expectations, don’t rush into accepting or rejecting it. Instead, thank the hiring manager for the offer and ask for some time to consider it. The employer may give you a timeline for making your decision. If they don’t, ask for two to three days to weigh the offer. During this time, you can research and prepare your counteroffer.
2. Do your research
If you want to negotiate salary, do some research to back up your request. Use online tools, such as Career.io’s Salary Analyzer, to determine the position’s average salary. Consider additional factors that can impact this average, such as your geographic area. Doing this research can help you determine a fair salary that meets your expectations and aligns with industry standards.
3. Consider your value
Once you know the average salary, consider the value you can bring to the role. Do you have in-demand skills, a decade of experience, or a long list of contacts in the industry? All these factors can affect the salary you deserve. Think about your credentials, including your education, experience, and skills, to make a case for why you deserve more money.
4. Prepare a counteroffer
After you’ve done your research, put together a counteroffer. As you prepare to counter, consider the entire compensation package, including benefits. Evaluate whether the company’s benefits can make up for a lower salary. For example, if the job offer includes a flexible schedule and a generous retirement plan, these benefits may offset a salary that’s slightly below the industry average.
With your research, value, and total compensation in mind, determine the counteroffer you want to make. Decide on a specific figure to start the salary negotiations. Keep in mind that the employer may make their own counteroffer, so consider asking for a salary that’s slightly more than you want. That way, you may be able to secure your ideal compensation, even if the company agrees on a lower amount.
5. Make the counteroffer
Now it’s time to submit your counteroffer. You can make this request in person, over the phone, or by email. It’s a good idea to prepare a document you can use to explain your counteroffer. In this document, discuss the research you’ve done to validate your request. Additionally, mention your skills and explain how you plan to use them to benefit the company’s bottom line.
- Be willing to compromise. If the employer can’t budge on salary, consider asking for other benefits, such as more PTO.
- Give the employer an ultimatum. It’s unprofessional and may lead the employer to reconsidering the offer.
6. Decide on the final offer
After the negotiations have ended, you can either accept or reject the revised offer. If the final offer still doesn’t meet your expectations, it may be time to explore other employment options. Whatever you decide, show your respect and appreciation for the employer’s time. Leave the negotiation on good terms, even if you’re disappointed.
Salary counteroffer email templates and examples
You know how to counter a job offer for more money, but are you nervous about sending what you have to an employer? Use these templates to email a counteroffer letter with confidence:
Asking for a higher salary
Here’s a template you can use to ask for a higher salary than the original offer:
Subject line: Compensation for [Your Name]
Dear [Hiring Manager’s Name],
Thank you for offering me the position of [Position Name]. I’m excited about the opportunity and believe I would make a great addition to [Company Name].
I’d like to discuss the salary you’ve offered for the position. Based on my research, the average salary for [Position Name] in [Your City] is [Salary]. With my [explanation of skills or experience], I believe a salary of [Salary Figure] is more in line with my qualifications and the expectations for the role.
Please let me know if you’re willing to discuss this proposed salary. Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Responding to a low salary offer
If the employer’s salary offer was much lower than you expected, don’t immediately dismiss it. Respond to the offer using this email template:
Subject line: Offer for [Your Name]
Dear [Hiring Manager’s Name],
Thank you for offering me the position of [Position Name]. I’m impressed by [Company Name] and excited about the opportunity to bring my expertise to your team.
I’m writing to ask if we can discuss the compensation for this role in more detail. My research shows the average salary for [Position Name] in [Your City] is [Salary]. With my [explanation of skills or experience], I believe that a salary of [Salary Figure] is more in line with the qualifications and value I can bring to this role.
Please let me know if you’re willing to discuss the compensation package further. Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to speaking with you soon.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Requesting a negotiation meeting
You might feel more comfortable discussing a counteroffer with an employer in person or over the phone. In this case, you can use the following template to ask for a negotiation meeting:
Subject line: Meeting about job offer for [Your Name]
Dear [Hiring Manager’s Name],
Thank you for the offer to join your team as [Position Name]. I’m excited about the opportunity to contribute to [Company Name] in this role.
Before I make my decision, I’m hoping to meet with you to discuss the compensation package you’ve offered. Based on my [explanation of skills or experience] and industry standards for the role, I’d like to discuss the salary and benefits with you in more detail.
Please let me know when you’re available to discuss the compensation. I am happy to accommodate your schedule.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Is it time to find a job with a higher-paying salary? Check out Career.io’s Career Pathways tool to plan for your future and start earning the salary you deserve!
Key takeaways
Be polite and professional when countering a job offer, even if it falls far below your expectations.
Do your research and know your value so you can ask for a salary that’s in line with your qualifications and the industry standards.
If you want to negotiate a job offer, be willing to compromise and explore other benefits besides salary, such as PTO.
