An offer is not one number.Find the part that can move.
Get every term in one place. Decide what would genuinely change your answer. Then make one clear request a recruiter can carry back.
Reading a tech offer?Read the whole offer
Put compensation, schedule, benefits, start date, deadline, and written conditions in one place.
Choose the ask
Pick the change that would genuinely affect your decision. Do not send a shopping list.
Make it easy to carry
Give the recruiter the term, your basis, and an honest description of what happens if it moves.
Your counter has to survive a handoff.
The person delivering the offer may not be the person who can change it. Give them a request they can repeat accurately in the next conversation.
The exact term you want changed
The scope, range, or evidence behind it
What changes if they can move it
The ask“I’m looking for $115,000 in base.”
The basis“That is within the posted range and reflects the scope we discussed.”
The decision“If we can get there, I’m ready to sign.” Use this only when it is true.
Before you counter
There is no magic script that works for every employer. There is a good order of operations.
Get the complete offer in writing
Ask for every compensation component, condition, deadline, and policy that affects the decision.
Price this role, not your old one
You do not need to volunteer past pay. Salary-history rules vary by location, so redirect to the role’s approved range and scope.
Take the time you actually need
Ask for a specific response date. If the deadline is short, ask what is fixed on their side before deciding what it means.
Separate needs from preferences
Know which change would alter your decision and which items would merely make the offer nicer.
Counter clearly
A specific request with a defensible basis is easier to understand and move through an approval chain.
Build a counter someone can approve
The recruiter does not need a performance. They need a clear request, a reason, and the truth about your decision.
Before the offerThey ask for salary expectations first
“I’d rather price this role from its scope and level. What range has the team approved?”
What this makes clear: A direct request for the range without pretending you have no expectations. If they cannot share it, offer a researched range of your own.
A clear counterThe offer is below your target
“I’m excited about the role. Based on the posted range, the scope we discussed, and my experience with [specific responsibility], I was expecting a base closer to [X]. Is there room to revisit that?”
What this makes clear: The size of the gap and the evidence behind your target. It leaves the recruiter a clean question to take back.
Change the leverBase cannot move
“Thanks for checking. Which parts of the package have more flexibility? A sign-on bonus, start date, schedule, or an earlier compensation review could change the decision for me.”
What this makes clear: A short list of meaningful alternatives. Ask about repayment terms before counting a sign-on bonus as guaranteed cash.
Ask for a dateThe deadline is too short
“I’m taking the offer seriously and want to review the complete package. Could I give you a final answer by Friday? If that timing creates a problem, can you tell me what is fixed on your side?”
What this makes clear: A specific date and a chance to understand whether the deadline reflects a real constraint.
Use only what is trueYou have another offer
“I want to be transparent that I have another written offer and need to respond by [date]. This role is my preference. If there is room to bring [term] to [X], I would be ready to [honest next step].”
What this makes clear: A real deadline, the term that matters, and an honest close condition. Never invent an offer or promise to sign unless you mean it.
Read the answer, not just the number
A good outcome is not always a higher base. It is a package you understand and a decision you can stand behind.
- Separate guaranteed year-one cash from target or discretionary pay.
- Read sign-on repayment terms and any conditions attached to the offer.
- Confirm schedule, location, start date, title, level, and review timing in writing.
- Compare benefits that matter to you by their actual cost and coverage, not by a headline total.
- If the answer is no, decide whether the unchanged package still works. You do not owe anyone a second counter.
- If the answer is yes, make sure the revised terms appear in the written offer before you sign.