5.5The Counter-Offer Script
Here is a complete negotiation conversation template:
Step 1: Receive the offer and express enthusiasm (same day)
"Thank you, I am very excited about this opportunity. The team, the product, and the technical challenges all align with what I am looking for. I would like to review the written offer in detail and come back to you within 48 hours. Is that timeline reasonable?"
Step 2: Research and prepare (during the 48 hours)
- Compare the offer to your market research
- Identify specific components to negotiate
- Prepare your talking points with data
- Decide on your priority order: which components matter most to you?
Step 3: Deliver the counter (phone call, not email)
"I have had a chance to review the offer thoroughly, and I want to reiterate how excited I am about this role. I have three points I would like to discuss."
"First, on base salary: the offer is $140,000. Based on my research, the market range for this level with my specific experience in test architecture and automation framework design is $155,000 to $175,000. I would like to propose $165,000."
"Second, on equity: I noticed the grant is [X shares]. Given the scope of the role and the impact I expect to have on the team's testing infrastructure, I would like to discuss increasing the initial grant."
"Third, I would like to discuss the title. The offer says 'Senior QA Engineer.' Given that the role involves framework architecture and team mentorship, I believe 'Staff QA Engineer' better reflects the responsibilities and would set me up for long-term growth."
Step 4: Handle the response
If they agree: "That is wonderful. I am ready to sign as soon as the updated offer is in writing."
If they counter: "I appreciate the flexibility on salary. I understand you cannot reach $165,000, but could we meet at $158,000? That is a meaningful step toward the market rate and would make this a very strong package."
If they say "the offer is final": "I understand. Thank you for being transparent. Can we revisit the compensation at my 6-month review based on demonstrated performance?"