Counter-offer email template: three versions to adapt

A counter-offer email should make the employer’s next action clear: review one proposed change, answer a question about flexibility, or send a revised offer. Start with thanks, name the request, explain the relevant evidence, and close with a question. You do not need to recount your entire career.

These are fictional wording examples with placeholders. They are not customer outcomes or salary benchmarks. Replace every bracket with information that is accurate for you and remove any claim you cannot support.

Version 1: a short salary request

Use this when you have reviewed the full offer and want to discuss one specific change.

Subject: [Role] offer — base salary

Hi [Name],

Thank you for offering me the [role] position. I am excited about [specific responsibility or project]. After reviewing the package, would a base salary of [amount and currency] be possible? My request reflects [a brief, supportable reason tied to the role].

Please let me know whether there is flexibility and what the next step would be.

Best, [Name]

“Would this be possible?” asks for a decision without claiming approval already exists. Avoid saying “I will accept if…” unless you have checked the rest of the package and genuinely intend to accept on that condition.

Version 2: when the scope needs explanation

Use a slightly longer version when the recruiter needs a specific reason to pass to a manager.

Subject: [Role] offer — package discussion

Hi [Name],

Thank you for the offer and for the conversations with the team. I am particularly interested in [specific part of the role].

In our discussion, you confirmed that the position includes [responsibility]. My experience with [relevant work you actually performed] would help me contribute in that area. With that scope in mind, could you review a base salary of [amount and currency]?

I would appreciate a conversation about what is possible. Could you also confirm the response deadline while the request is being reviewed?

Best, [Name]

Do not label a responsibility as “confirmed” if you only inferred it from the job title. Ask the recruiter to clarify the scope first. If you reference salary data, say which source you used and why it is comparable; do not call a figure “the market rate” without a defensible basis. The step-by-step counter guide explains how to evaluate that evidence.

Version 3: when base salary cannot change

Use this after the employer has told you base salary is fixed, not as a generic list of extra demands.

Hi [Name],

Thank you for checking the base salary. I understand that it cannot be adjusted for this offer. Would you be able to consider [one specific alternative], and could you share the terms that would apply?

This matters to me because [practical reason]. I would like to review the revised package before making a final decision.

Best, [Name]

For a signing bonus, ask about payment timing and repayment conditions. For a review date, ask about criteria and approval; a scheduled review does not promise an increase. For flexibility or paid leave, ask whether the employer can make the arrangement part of the written offer. Use the fixed-salary alternatives checklist to decide which request matters most.

If you need more time instead of more money

Do not disguise an extension request as a counter. State the date by which you can respond and ask whether it is acceptable:

Thank you for the offer. Could I give you my decision by [date and time zone]? I would like to review [specific outstanding information] before committing.

If the employer says no, the original deadline still applies. See the offer-deadline guide for an extension, a competing process, and a deadline that is close.

Before sending: a concrete checklist

• Confirm the amount, currency, and whether you mean base salary or total compensation.
• Check the recipient is the person managing the offer, and that you have the correct response deadline.
• Use a factual reason. Do not invent another offer, market numbers, previous results, or a deadline.
• Keep your private minimum and confidential documents out of the message unless you choose to disclose them and are permitted to do so.
• Remove acceptance language if any other term still needs discussion.
• Check any attachment for personal information that is unnecessary for the request.

After the reply

If the employer agrees in principle, ask for the revised written offer and compare it against the conversation. If the recruiter needs approval, confirm when you will hear back and whether the response deadline will move. If the employer declines, decide based on the available package rather than sending the same request repeatedly without new information.

When following up, refer to an agreed date:

Hi [Name], I am following up on our compensation discussion. You mentioned an update by [date]. Is there any additional information you need from me, and does the offer deadline remain [date]?

For the complete sequence from review to decision, return to the job-offer negotiation guide. These examples help you state a request; they cannot guarantee that an employer will agree or keep an offer open.