How to counter a job offer: wording and next steps

To counter a job offer, thank the employer, state the change you are asking for, explain it with facts you can support, and ask whether there is flexibility. Review the full written package before you commit. A counter is a request to change terms; it does not guarantee a higher offer or that the employer will keep the offer open.

Before you reply: check what is actually offered

Read the offer letter and ask about missing terms. Separate recurring base pay from a one-time signing bonus, a discretionary bonus, and equity whose value or availability may change. Check location, hours, travel, start date, benefits, and any conditions that must be satisfied before employment starts. Confirm the response deadline and who can approve a compensation change.

A useful first response when details are missing is:

Thank you for the offer. I am excited about the role. Could you send the full written package, including the bonus terms and response deadline, so I can review everything together?

If the deadline leaves too little time, use an offer-deadline extension request. Ask rather than assuming an extension has been granted.

Decide what you want and what you could accept

Write down three separate things privately: your preferred outcome, an alternative package you would accept, and the point at which you would decline. They need not appear in your message. You do not need to disclose your minimum to explain your request.

There is no universal percentage to add to an offer. Use relevant information you actually have: the employer’s posted salary range, the scope described in interviews, your directly relevant experience, or a genuine competing offer. If you use an external salary source, check its date, location, role level, and whether it measures base salary or total compensation. A broad average is not proof that one employer must pay you a particular amount.

Prefer a focused request over a list of everything you would like. If base pay matters most, lead with it and identify a fallback. If you are still exploring what is possible, ask about flexibility before presenting a commitment to accept.

A counter-offer email you can adapt

The brackets below are placeholders, not market salary estimates:

Subject: [Role] offer — compensation discussion

Hi [Name],

Thank you for the offer for [role]. I am excited about [specific part of the work]. After reviewing the package, could we discuss a base salary of [requested amount and currency]? The role includes [confirmed responsibility], and I bring [relevant experience or evidence].

Is there flexibility on base salary? If it is fixed, I would be interested in discussing [one alternative that matters to you].

Thank you for considering this. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

[Your name]

Remove any sentence you cannot substantiate. Do not say you are ready to sign unless the other terms and conditions are also acceptable. For short, detailed, and fixed-base versions, see the counter-offer email templates.

If you negotiate on a call

Open with the same request, then let the recruiter answer. Ask who needs to review the change and when you should expect a response. If you need time to consider a revised package, say so; silence is not acceptance.

Afterward, send a recap:

Thank you for discussing the offer today. My understanding is that you will check whether [requested change] is possible and come back by [agreed date]. Please correct anything I have misunderstood.

A recap helps identify misunderstandings, but it is not a substitute for an updated offer from the employer.

If they say the salary is fixed

Ask whether the limit concerns the role’s salary band, this hiring budget, or the entire package. Do not assume the answer is a tactic. A recruiter may genuinely lack authority to change it.

A signing bonus, relocation support, paid leave, work arrangement, or review date may be worth discussing if the employer’s policies permit it. None is automatically available or free for the employer. A future review is not a guaranteed raise. Request the review timing, criteria, and decision process in writing and evaluate the offer at the pay that is actually guaranteed today.

Compare the tradeoffs using the fixed-salary checklist. If neither the original nor the alternative package meets your requirements, you can decline courteously rather than inventing leverage.

If they improve the offer

Thank them, review the revised document, and check that the amount, currency, payment schedule, and agreed non-salary terms match the conversation. Do not infer that a quick agreement means you asked for too little. You cannot know the employer’s approval limits from response speed alone.

Once you accept, avoid casually reopening agreed terms. If new material information changes your decision, explain that information clearly and discuss its effect rather than treating the earlier agreement as if it never happened.

If they refuse or withdraw

A refusal gives you a decision: accept the available package, ask one clarifying question if something is unresolved, or decline. It does not establish your market value or predict every future pay discussion with that company.

If an offer is withdrawn, ask for written confirmation and consider your other options. No email template can eliminate this risk. Do not resign from your current role simply because a negotiation sounded promising; understand the conditions and status of the new offer first.

Questions candidates often ask

Can I counter without another offer? Yes, you can ask based on the role and relevant evidence. Do not claim a competing offer you do not have. If you have one, use the competing-offer discussion guide to keep the facts and deadline clear.

Should I negotiate by email or phone? Use the channel that lets both sides understand the request. Email provides a readable record; a call can clarify constraints. Confirm any agreed changes in the employer’s written offer either way.

Can I ask for more after accepting? Acceptance changes the context and can affect obligations depending on the documents and location. Identify any genuinely new information, review what you agreed to, and get qualified advice if contractual questions are involved.

What if I want a raise in my current role? An internal raise needs evidence about work already performed and the employer’s review process. Start with what to do after a raise refusal, rather than copying a new-hire counter.

The job-offer negotiation guide brings these steps together. FirstRoundKO can help you draft and rehearse from the facts you provide; it does not supply verified market pay or guarantee an outcome.