How to Counter a Job Offer Without Losing It
Job offers are a reason to celebrate. Usually they represent the culmination of a successful job search and interview process. However, an important piece of work remains: the job offer itself. Job seekers who have spent months looking for a job while paying attention to every detail of their job search should analyze their job offer with the same intensity. That means carefully reviewing the salary, job title, responsibility and relocation benefits. If anything seems lacking the candidate should prepare a counter — without fear of losing the offer.
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Instructions
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Send a note to the hiring manager by email as soon as you receive the offer letter. Thank the hiring manager again for the interview process, and for the offer letter. Tell her that you are inclined to accept the position, but need just a little time to review the offer letter. Advise that you will get back to her with a final decision within one or two days.
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Read every detail of the job offer. Spend considerable time on salary, and relocation expenses if you're moving. Usually a job candidate gets one shot at these two important areas. Shortchanging yourself on salary could cost you thousands of dollars over the course of your tenure with the company. Failing to properly negotiate relocation expenses could result in costly out-of-pocket expenses for you as you make the move.
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Get credible salary information for the job. Depending on your level of experience, check sources such as the career center at your college or university, or the headquarters of an industry-specific professional organization you're a member of. Provide your school or organizations with details about the position, including your level of experience as you ask how much the job should pay. Also call trusted friends with similar positions and ask if they feel the salary is fair. Check sources online such as the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics website. Or visit other non-government sites offering salary information including CB Salary, The Riley Guide or JobNob.com (see Resources).
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Calculate relocation expenses by contacting relocation experts for moving companies. Review other parts of the job offer that are important to you as well, including vacation days. Compare all the details with your current employment package, if applicable.
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Call the hiring manager when you're ready to counter the job offer. A telephone call is less stuffy than responding in writing and gives you a chance to convey your excitement about the job while gently pushing back on a few details. Tell the hiring manager at the start of the conversation that you're ready to start in the new role but want to tweak just a few things in the job offer.
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Ask for more salary based on your research, if salary is a concern. Keep the increase reasonable, say 10 to 15 percent, unless you found that the company's numbers are way off. Also bring up other issues, such as relocation.
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Negotiate other issues if the company won't budge on salary and you really want the job. Ask for an additional week or two of vacation, or an accelerated salary review schedule so you're eligible for increases sooner than the usual timetable. Also ask for a sign-on bonus — or a larger bonus -- to bump up the first year's compensation. Remain friendly and upbeat through the conversation.
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Accept the job at the end of the conversation if the hiring manager agrees to changes in the offer. Or accept if she explains she just can't do any better.
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