Negotiation Notes: one page for the offer call
When the offer email lands, you have about 24 hours. Fill this sheet before the call so numbers, reasons and tradeables are all on one page.
Most people leave money on the table because they negotiate from memory, on a call they did not prepare for. Fix it by writing one page before the offer call: your target, your opening ask, your walk-away, and the three reasons you are worth it. Print it or keep it open on a second screen.
Fill in the numbers first
| Item | Your target (take today) | Your opening ask | Walk-away |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base salary | $76,000 | $82,000 | < $72,000 |
| Bonus / commission | 10% guaranteed | 15% | 0% |
| Signing bonus | $3,000 | $5,000 | — |
| Paid time off | 15 days | 20 days | < 10 |
| Remote / hybrid | 2 days remote | 3 days remote | 0 |
Anchor your ask 10-20% above what you would accept today, and justify it with market data from the salary-benchmark page, not with personal needs like rent or tuition. Companies fund market gaps, not personal budgets.
The script, in three moves
- Thank and pause. Say: Thank you, I am genuinely excited about the role — may I take 24 hours to review the full package? Never accept on the spot.
- Ask once, with reasons. Say: Based on the market band and the scope of this role, I would love to get to $82k. I have led the [X] project and can own [Y] from day one. One clear ask, two short reasons.
- Stay silent. After you state the number, stop talking. The first person to speak after an anchor usually loses. Let them respond, and write down every concession they make.
Tradeables you can give (and take)
If salary is fixed, negotiate the costless items: a start date that gives you 4 weeks off, a 90-day performance review with a raise clause, a better title, a professional development budget, or remote days. List below the three you will accept as consolation wins:
- Tradeable 1: ______________
- Tradeable 2: ______________
- Tradeable 3: ______________
A final habit: never negotiate from an empty chair. Have one data point ready — the salary-benchmark range for your role, the market band from the job posting, or the raise you delivered to your last team. Anchors grounded in numbers pull the conversation toward them; anchors based on feelings pull it nowhere.
Also know the walk-away before you ask. If the final package falls below it, say thank you and decline politely — you keep the relationship open, and walking away once gives you real leverage in every future conversation.
How it works
- Before any final-round interview, fill in the numbers table above while the role is fresh.
- When the offer arrives, thank them and ask for 24 hours instead of accepting immediately.
- Make one counter with two reasons, then let silence do the work — and take the win in writing.
Aim about 10 to 20 percent above the number you would accept today, and always anchor on market data rather than ambition. If the band they published was $70-78k and they offered $72k, ask for $78-80k and cite two reasons you are worth the top of the band.
Almost never, if you negotiate politely and once. Companies expect a counter and reserve salary room for it. What kills offers is an aggressive tone, repeated demands, or haggling after you have already accepted — not a single well-prepared counter.
Move to the non-cash items: signing bonus, extra vacation days, a guaranteed review in six months with a raise, remote days, or a better job title. Many budgets have wiggle room on these even when the salary band is fixed.
Yes, it is a normal part of the package. Ask for it the same way: a clear proposal (two remote days a week), a trial length (90 days), and a review checkpoint. It costs them nothing and often gets an easy yes.
24 to 48 hours is standard and respectful. Ask explicitly: May I have until [day] to review this? Never accept verbally on the spot unless the terms are already at your target. Get the final package in writing before you resign anywhere.
Who this tool is for
This sheet is for the 24 hours between the offer email and the offer call: the candidate who is excited, slightly afraid of losing the role, and tempted to say yes before reading the numbers. It is equally useful for an internal candidate whose "offer" is really a raise conversation with a manager, and for anyone who has accepted too quickly once and does not want to repeat it.
It is not a script for winning an argument. It is a one-page record of what you want, what you will say first, and what you will decline, written while you are calm so that the version of you on the phone does not have to invent it.
How to read your result
Read the sheet in three columns. The target is the number you would accept today; the opening ask is the number you say first; the walk-away is the line below which you politely decline. The page suggests opening roughly 10 to 20 percent above the target, because that leaves a normal counter-offer room without turning the conversation into a fight.
Each row is a separate negotiation, not a package average. Base salary, bonus, signing money, paid time off and remote days can move independently, and a win on one line does not justify losing three others. The single most important read is the walk-away: if you have not written it down, you will discover it in the middle of the call, usually at a worse number. Everything agreed belongs in writing before you resign from your current job.
One more read matters before you dial: decide whether the role itself is a yes. Salary talk goes better after you have said you want the job, because the employer is then protecting a hire rather than testing your interest.
A worked example
An offer arrives at $71,000 base, and after checking the market band you decide $75,000 is what you would accept today. Ten to twenty percent above that is $82,500 to $90,000, so you write an opening ask of $84,000 and two reasons: the scope includes a team you have already run elsewhere, and the published band for the role tops out above your current offer.
On the call you thank them, ask for 24 hours, then make the single ask. They counter at $77,500. You do not repeat the number; you ask whether a $3,500 signing bonus and three extra paid days can bridge the gap, plus a written review at six months. If both are agreed, first-year cash is 77,500 + 3,500 = $81,000, which is $10,000 above the original offer without re-opening the base argument. That is a real gain, and it fits on one page.
Common mistakes
- Accepting on the call because the silence felt uncomfortable. The pause is part of the method, not a sign of rejection.
- Making three requests at once, which lets the employer choose the cheapest one and call it a win.
- Justifying the number with rent, tuition or a recent wedding. Those are your costs, not the role's market value.
- Speaking first after you state the ask. Write down their reply instead of filling the silence.
- Negotiating only base salary and ignoring signing money, review dates and remote days.
- Resigning before every promised term appears in the written offer.
This page is general information for planning a conversation, not legal, financial or career advice. Offer terms, tax treatment and enforceability vary by country, state and employer, and a verbal promise may not be binding. For a contract you do not fully understand, or a decision with a large financial consequence, consult a licensed professional or your local labor authority before signing.