Negotiate the offer. Don't leave money on the table.

The default answer is: counter almost any non-final offer. Recruiters expect a counter. Many companies bake a 5–10% buffer into the first number specifically to leave room for one. Not countering signals one of two things — that you didn't know you could, or that you didn't think you were worth more — and neither helps you in the working relationship that follows.

Always counter when:

• You have a competing offer, even an informal one. Concrete leverage is the strongest form of negotiating power.
• The offer came in below the role's posted band, or below market data you can cite.
• The interview process surfaced specific accomplishments or skills the role needs and you bring more of them than the average candidate would.
• You haven't yet said yes verbally. Once you accept, the leverage evaporates.

Don't counter when:

• The offer is at the top of the band and the recruiter has explicitly said so. Pushing past a stated ceiling can spook the company without a real path to a higher number.
• You're pre-final-round. The offer hasn't happened yet. Salary anchoring before you've cleared the technical interview is a trap recruiters set on purpose.
• You have no leverage and the offer is genuinely strong. A graceful "I appreciate this offer — can I think on it overnight?" preserves goodwill better than a counter you can't justify.

Counter once. Counter clearly. If you go back-and-forth more than twice, the relationship starts to fray. Get to a number you'd accept and ask for it directly.

Base salary is one lever. It's also the hardest one to move at companies with strict bands. Several other levers move more easily and add real value over the life of the role.

• Signing bonus. The most negotiable line item. It doesn't permanently raise the company's payroll cost, doesn't disturb internal pay equity, and doesn't compound. A $10–20k sign-on is often available where a $10k base bump isn't.
• Equity (especially at startups). Equity bands at early-stage companies are wider than salary bands by an order of magnitude. If the company is small enough, a single conversation with the founder can move the grant materially.
• Start date. Each extra week before you start is a week you spend earning at your current job. If you're leaving a job that pays well, "I can start three weeks later than your default" can be worth several thousand dollars.
• Title. Title compounds for the rest of your career. A "Senior Engineer" title at the new place sets the floor for every recruiter who will look at your LinkedIn for the next five years. If the role's responsibilities support it, push for the more senior title even at the same compensation.
• Remote-flex, vacation, equipment, learning budgets. Smaller in dollar terms but easier to grant, and they shape your day-to-day quality of life. An extra week of PTO is roughly 2% of comp; a $3k learning budget moves with you for years.

One practical move: bundle. If they can't move base, ask if they can add a signing bonus AND an extra week of vacation. Companies often have separate budgets for separate line items, so you're not asking for the same dollar twice.

Don't memorize a verbatim script — the call will go off-rails the moment they say something you didn't anticipate, and a memorized script will make you sound stiff. Memorize the SHAPE instead. Five beats:

1. Open with appreciation. "Thanks for putting this together — I'm genuinely excited about the role and the team." This isn't manners. It resets the emotional register before you ask for more.
2. State the counter clearly. "I was hoping we could get the base closer to $X — does that feel possible?" Direct, named, ended with a question that gives them room to engage rather than refuse.
3. Give one specific reason. "Based on the senior IC bands I've seen for similar remote roles, plus what I'd be bringing in [specific area you discussed], that feels like the right fit." One reason. Not three. Three sounds like you're justifying.
4. Allow silence. The most powerful tool in any negotiation. After you state the counter, stop. Three seconds. Five seconds. Let them respond. Most candidates ruin their own negotiation by filling the silence with backpedalling.
5. Close with a forward step. "What would make sense as a next step from here?" Doesn't lock them in, doesn't sound desperate, opens the door for them to come back with a real answer.

Don't apologize for negotiating. Don't say "I know this is awkward, but…" or "I hope this isn't asking too much." Apologizing for asking signals that you don't think the ask is reasonable, and they'll agree with you.

If they push back: don't fold immediately and don't argue. "I hear you — is there flexibility on the signing bonus or the start date instead?" gives them an exit and gets you another dimension to negotiate on.