Perspectives on hiring for hard-to-fill roles

You got the offer. Congratulations — that’s the hard part, and you should feel good about it. But before you sign, here’s something worth knowing: the number in that offer letter is almost never the final number. It’s a starting point. And the few minutes you spend negotiating can be worth more than a year of raises.

Recruiters see this from the inside every day. Many offers have some room in them, and candidates who ask — politely, professionally — often come out ahead. The ones who don’t ask can leave money on the table. Let’s make sure that’s not you.

First, get out of your own head

The biggest thing standing between you and a higher offer usually isn’t the employer — it’s the fear that asking will make them rescind. In reality, a company that just chose you out of a pool of candidates is not going to pull the offer because you asked a reasonable question about compensation. Negotiating is expected. Done respectfully, it often raises their opinion of you.

Do your homework before you counter

Never negotiate on a feeling. Walk in with numbers:

• Know the market range for this role in this location and at your experience level.
• Know your number — the figure that would make you genuinely happy — and your walk-away floor.
• Know your leverage — a competing offer, in-demand skills, or the fact that they invested weeks choosing you.

The script for countering the base salary

Keep it warm, confident, and specific. Something like:

“Thank you so much — I’m really excited about this role and the team. Based on my experience and what I’m seeing for similar roles in the market, I was hoping we could get the base closer to [your number]. Is there flexibility there?”

Then — and this is the part people rush — stop talking. Let the silence sit. You’ve made a clear, reasonable ask. Give them room to respond.

What to do when they say “that’s the max”

Sometimes the base truly won’t move. That doesn’t mean the negotiation is over — it means you pivot to everything else that has value:

• A signing bonus to bridge the gap
• An earlier performance review (say, at 6 months) with a raise tied to it
• Additional PTO, remote flexibility, or a better title
• Relocation help, a professional-development budget, or equity

“I understand the base is fixed. Could we look at a signing bonus, or set a compensation review at six months? I want to make this work.”

How to counter a lowball offer without burning the bridge

If the number comes in well under market, don’t get emotional and don’t get quiet. Anchor to data: “I was expecting something closer to [market number] based on the responsibilities and my background — can we revisit it?” You’re not accusing anyone; you’re pointing at the market. That keeps it professional and keeps the door open.

A few rules that keep you safe

• Get it in writing before you resign anything. Verbal promises aren’t offers.
• Negotiate once, cleanly. Bundle your asks into one conversation rather than nickel-and-diming over days.
• Stay gracious the whole way through. These are your future colleagues.

Frequently asked questions

Will asking for more make them rescind the offer? It’s very unusual — a reasonable, respectful ask is expected, not penalized.

What if I already said yes verbally? You can still raise it before signing, though it’s cleaner to negotiate before accepting. Be honest and warm about it.

How much higher should I ask? A counter in the range of 5–15% above the offer is a commonly suggested starting point, adjusted to what the market and your leverage support.

One more thing

The best negotiating position of all is having options. If you’re weighing an offer — or want to see what else is out there before you decide — browse open roles on the Essenti job board across healthcare, manufacturing, legal, finance, engineering, the skilled trades, and more. Knowing your alternatives is what turns a nervous ask into a confident one.

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