- Job seekers should negotiate offers as companies expect it and they are invested in the candidate.
- Negotiating base pay is tough but other components like signing bonus, guaranteed bonus, and remote work can be negotiated.
- Negotiations should make you feel a little uncomfortable, indicating you've pushed enough and can meet in the middle.
As a 40-plus-year veteran of the corporate world and the former VP of HR at Microsoft, I've seen a lot of people successfully negotiate their job offers.
Yet, many people are reluctant to negotiate. They feel like the offer is a "take it or leave it" proposition. They should think again. Even in a tight market, some negotiation is common and doesn't have to be adversarial.
As with many things in the working world, it helps to look from the other side of the table.
They want you
The most important thing to understand in the job hunt is that by the time you see an offer, they want you.
The hiring team has seen dozens or hundreds of résumés. They've interviewed several people, often through many hours each. They've discussed, even argued, over the last couple of candidates and decided on you.
They are now invested in you. Just as you're thinking how cool it would be to have the job, they are thinking how great it would be to have someone in the role. You should use that.
They expect it
When they present an offer, they don't expect you to just say, "Yep, sure," and sign it. Almost no one does that, especially not at more senior levels.
At the very least, people read it overnight and think about the offer. They discuss it with their families or their confidants. Make sure it's the right thing to do. Companies want you to do that, so you'll be all in when you do commit.
But almost everyone says, "This is great, but…," and so begins a bit of negotiation. They expect it.
In fact, the company has counted on it. They've made the offer a little slimmer than they expect to end up because they know there will be movement.
You're not insulting them by negotiating. It's what happens.
Your stock is highest before you join a company
The very best time to discuss your value to the company is at this very moment, before they actually know you.
Once you've been there, they have seen you in action. They will have performance information, peer feedback, and results. They know all your highs and your lows.
Now, all they have is anticipation, and this anticipation has been building ever since you nailed the interviews.
Your stock is never higher than this moment, so use it.
It's not all about base pay
When most people think about negotiating a job offer, they often think about base pay, or the salary or hourly rate. They think that's the place to negotiate.
While there might be a small bit of room to negotiate the pay, it helps to think from the other side of the table.
Salary is tough for the company to negotiate because base pay is forever. Pay is continuous for years on end, and it virtually never goes down, even if the business goes up or down.
Pay is also the basis for future raises. If they agree to some larger number today, that only compounds in the future.
That's why they have salary bands for almost every job, numbers they need to fall into, and numbers they use for many people. Setting you outside of that range creates a fairness problem.
You might have a little room to negotiate base pay. Especially at the senior-most jobs where the pay bands are quite wide.
But for most people, salary is not a great negotiating point. If you feel strongly, maybe push back a little, but the dealmaking will be hard.
10 things you should negotiate
Fortunately, there are many other places to negotiate. Here are some ideas, though some may or not apply to your situation.
1. Signing bonus
The standard go-to negotiating point is the signing bonus. "This change is tough on me or my family. Can you bridge the gap?" Maybe request 10% of your annual base as a one-time payment right away. Companies like these because they are one-time, not recurring, costs.
2. Guaranteed bonus
If the company uses bonuses, push for a guaranteed first bonus. A given amount is fixed right now, but payable at bonus time. Again, this is a one-time cost to the company.
3. Higher commissions
If you're in a commission-based role, negotiating that number is very akin to a salary number, and it's often hard to argue. But perhaps you can push for different cliffs (where the number changes) or bonuses.
4. More remote work
If you like working remotely and can excel at it, try advocating for more remote work. Maybe fewer in-office days. This can be a fairness issue, but you'll never have more leverage than right now.
5. Better relocation
If relocation is part of the package, push there — maybe full coverage, not just a stipend. Maybe extended temporary housing. Some companies will even use a service to buy your current house.
6. Spousal benefits
It's not uncommon, especially with married couples, to ask for some kind of job assistance for their partner. Perhaps résumé assistance, job counseling, a headhunter, or some other benefit. It often helps to close the deal.
7. More paid time off (PTO)
If the company hasn't already jumped on the "unlimited PTO" train, and vacation is important to you, try asking for more there. There is an equity issue with your peers, but it's worth a shot.
8. Company equity
Stock or stock options are a very common negotiating point, especially with more senior people. There is a whole world of options (pun intended), but this is a frequent deal point.
9. Healthcare
Often, healthcare benefits are seen as a take-it-or-leave-it package. But if you have some extenuating circumstances, perhaps a family member with health challenges, see if there's room for more benefits. Companies, especially larger ones, often have some flexibility here.
10. Creative compensation
With senior roles, you can often get creative in the compensation. Perhaps agree to some incentive structure. If you're brought in to solve a specific problem, you have a specific bonus if you solve that problem by a specified date. The options here are endless; I've even seen this with mid-level roles.
There are so many options to negotiate; there's almost no excuse not to. And again, now — before you actually start the job — is the best time to do it.
It will hurt
If you're at all like me, negotiations are not fun. I'm more than a little conflict-averse, and negotiating feels like torture.
I try to remember something I once heard: if your counteroffer doesn't make you feel a little guilty — like you've gone a little too far — you haven't pushed enough.
Remember, they'll come back somewhere in the middle. Right where you're both happy.
So negotiate that job offer, and get what you deserve.
Chris Williams is the former VP of HR at Microsoft. He's an executive-level advisor and consultant with more than 40 years of experience leading and building teams.
