Salary Negotiation Letter After Job Offer

When and how to use this letter

Negotiate after you have the written offer but before you accept it, because this is the point of maximum leverage: the company has chosen you and wants the hiring process to end. Respond within two to three days so you appear decisive rather than hesitant. A letter or email is ideal because it lets you phrase the request carefully and gives the hiring manager something to forward to decision-makers.

Always express genuine enthusiasm for the role before raising the number. Employers negotiate more generously with candidates they believe actually want the job. Justify your counter with market data and your specific strengths, not with personal expenses or your previous salary. Name a precise figure rather than a range, since ranges invite the employer to pick the bottom.

Be prepared for a middle ground and decide your walk-away number in advance. If the base salary cannot move, negotiate signing bonuses, review timelines, or benefits. One non-obvious tip: ask for an early salary review, such as after six months tied to specific goals, when the base is fixed. It gives you a contractual second chance at the raise within your first year.

Once you reach an agreement, get the final figure confirmed in the written offer letter before you resign from your current job. Never resign based on a verbal promise alone. The signed offer letter is your only real protection if circumstances change on either side.

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