Salary Negotiation After Getting the Offer
Getting an offer is a strong negotiating position — companies rarely rescind offers just because a candidate asks reasonable, well-framed questions about compensation.
Don't accept on the spot
Even if the number sounds good, ask for 24-48 hours to review the offer in full — this is standard practice and expected. It also gives you room to research and prepare a counter if needed.
Research the actual market range
Sites like Glassdoor, AmbitionBox, and Levels.fyi give a rough sense of range for the role, level, and location. Anchor your ask in real data rather than an arbitrary number — it's harder to argue against and easier for the recruiter to justify internally.
Negotiate the full package, not just base
Base salary is one piece — signing bonus, equity, remote flexibility, and review timelines are all negotiable in many cases. If base is fixed, these other levers are often more flexible.
Frame it around value, not need
"Based on my experience with X and the market range for this role, I was hoping we could get closer to ₹Y" reads far better than framing around personal financial need. Keep it collaborative, not adversarial.
Get everything in writing
Once a number is agreed, make sure the final offer letter reflects it exactly before signing. Verbal agreements during a call can get lost or miscommunicated — the written offer is what matters.