How to Negotiate Your Salary After Getting the Offer

You Should Always Negotiate. Always.

I know a guy — let's call him Raj — who got an offer from a mid-size fintech company in 2024. $115K base salary, decent benefits, standard stuff. He was thrilled. He'd been job hunting for three months, interviewing everywhere, getting ghosted left and right. When the offer came in, he signed it the same day. Didn't ask a single question about the number.

Six months later, he found out his teammate — same title, same experience level, hired two weeks after him — was making $145K. Same role. Same team. The only difference? His teammate asked for more.

Raj left $30K on the table. Not because the company was trying to lowball him. They had budget. The recruiter even expected a counter. But Raj was so relieved to get the offer that he didn't want to "risk it."

Here's what nobody tells you: companies almost never rescind an offer because you tried to negotiate. They've spent thousands of dollars and dozens of hours getting you through the pipeline. They want you. The offer is the starting position, not the final one.

Step 1: Do Your Research Before You Counter

You can't negotiate effectively if you don't know what the market actually pays. Gut feeling isn't enough. You need data.

Here's where to look:

• Levels.fyi — The gold standard for tech compensation. Real, verified data broken down by company, level, and location. If you're in tech, start here.
• Glassdoor — Broader coverage across industries. The salary ranges can be wide, but they give you a solid baseline.
• Blind — Anonymous posts from tech workers sharing their exact comp packages. Unfiltered, sometimes salty, but incredibly useful.
• LinkedIn Salary — Decent for comparing by title and region.
• Payscale and Salary.com — Good for non-tech roles and traditional industries.

Collect data from at least three sources. Look for the median and the 75th percentile for your role, experience, and location. That 75th percentile number? That's your target. The median is your floor.

Step 2: Wait Before You Respond

When you get the offer, don't respond immediately. Even if you're ecstatic. Even if it's more than you expected. Take a beat.

Say something like: "Thank you so much — I'm really excited about this opportunity. I'd love to take a day to review the full package and come back to you with any questions."

That's it. No games, no power plays. You're just being thoughtful. Every recruiter expects this. If they pressure you to decide immediately, that's actually a red flag about the company.

Step 3: The Counter-Offer Email

Keep it professional, specific, and positive. Here's a template that actually works:

Hi [Recruiter Name],

Thank you again for the offer — I'm genuinely excited about joining [Company] and contributing to [specific thing you discussed]. After reviewing the full compensation package and doing some market research, I'd like to discuss the base salary.

Based on my [X years] of experience in [specific area], the complexity of this role, and current market data for similar positions in [city/region], I was hoping we could explore a base salary in the range of $[target number]. I believe this reflects both the value I'll bring to the team and the market rate for this level.

I'm flexible and open to discussing how we can make this work — whether through base salary, signing bonus, or other components. Looking forward to your thoughts.

Best,
[Your Name]

A few things about this template. First, it's warm — you're not being adversarial. Second, it's specific — you're citing data and experience, not just "I want more." Third, it opens the door for creative solutions. That last part matters a lot.

Step 4: Know What Else Is on the Table

Salary isn't the only thing you can negotiate. Sometimes the company genuinely can't move on base pay because of internal pay bands. But they might have flexibility elsewhere:

• Signing bonus — This is often the easiest thing to negotiate because it's a one-time cost. Companies are way more willing to add $10-20K here than to bump your base by the same amount.
• Equity / RSUs — Especially at publicly traded companies, additional stock grants can add significant value. Ask for a larger initial grant or accelerated vesting if possible.
• Annual bonus target — Some companies can bump your bonus target percentage. Going from 10% to 15% on a $130K base is an extra $6,500 per year.
• Remote work — If the role is hybrid, negotiate for more remote days. Or full remote. This has real dollar value when you factor in commute costs, time, and flexibility.
• PTO — An extra week of vacation is worth roughly 2% of your salary. Some companies will add it if you ask.
• Start date — Need an extra two weeks before you begin? Most companies will accommodate this easily. Take a breather between jobs.
• Professional development budget — Conference attendance, courses, certifications. Some companies have formal budgets for this.
• Title — Sometimes a title bump doesn't cost the company anything but sets you up better for your next move.

Equity vs. Base: Which to Push For?

This depends heavily on the company. At a publicly traded big tech company — Google, Meta, Amazon — equity is real, liquid money. Pushing for more RSUs can be worth way more than a base salary bump over four years.

At a startup? Be more cautious. Equity in a pre-IPO company is a lottery ticket. It might be worth millions, or it might be worth nothing. If you need to pay rent, prioritize base salary and signing bonus. Take the equity as upside, not compensation.

A general rule I follow: if the company is public and profitable, optimize for total comp including equity. If it's private, optimize for cash.

What If They Say No?

Sometimes the answer is no. The budget is the budget. The pay band is the pay band. That's okay.

If you've done your research and the offer is still within a reasonable range, it might be worth accepting. Don't walk away from a good opportunity just because you couldn't squeeze out an extra $5K. Think about the role, the team, the growth potential, the learning opportunities.

But if the offer is significantly below market — like 20%+ below — and they won't budge at all? That tells you something about how they value the role. And probably how they'll treat you once you're there.

The Biggest Mistake People Make

It's not asking for too much. It's not asking at all.

The fear of having an offer rescinded stops so many people from even trying. But here's the reality: I've talked to dozens of recruiters over the years, and not a single one has told me they've rescinded an offer because a candidate politely negotiated. Not once.

The worst thing that happens? They say "this is our best offer." And then you decide. That's it.

Salary negotiation isn't about being aggressive or greedy. It's about knowing your worth and having a professional conversation about it. You owe it to yourself.

Practice Makes the Difference

If negotiation makes you nervous — and it makes most people nervous — practice before the real conversation. Run through your talking points out loud. Have a friend play the recruiter. Get comfortable with silence after you state your number (that's where the magic happens).

Or if you want structured practice with real-time feedback, try Craqly's AI interview tool. You can simulate the negotiation conversation, practice your pitch, and get coaching on your delivery before the stakes are real. It's a lot easier to find your confidence when there's no actual money on the line yet.