Salary Negotiation Email Template: What to Send After a Job Offer

The offer just landed in your inbox and it's slightly less than you hoped for. Now you have a narrow, real window to ask for more, and email is usually the right way to do it: it gives you time to word things carefully, gives the employer time to check with finance or leadership, and leaves a clean paper trail for whatever number you land on.

Most people either skip the ask entirely because it feels awkward, or send something so hedged it doesn't actually land as a request. Neither gets you more money. Below are templates you can adapt directly, plus the structure behind why they work.

When to send it

Send your negotiation email after you've received the offer in writing, but before you've formally accepted it. That's the point of maximum leverage: the company has already chosen you over everyone else, decided on a number, and started planning around your start date. Waiting until after you've signed to ask for more puts you in a much weaker position, so if you're not ready to respond yet, ask for a few days rather than accepting on the spot.

The structure that works: gratitude, ask, evidence, close

Keep the email to three or four short paragraphs. Employers negotiate offers constantly and don't need to be persuaded that negotiating is normal, they need a clear, specific ask they can act on.

1. Open with genuine enthusiasm. Confirm you're excited about the role before you ask for anything. This isn't just politeness, it signals the negotiation isn't a sign you're wavering.
2. Make one clear ask. A specific number or tight range, not a vague "is there flexibility." Vague asks get vague, unhelpful replies.
3. Back it with a reason. Market data, a competing offer, or the scope of the role, whichever is true and specific to you.
4. Close warmly and leave the door open. Reaffirm you want the job and you're happy to talk it through, rather than issuing an ultimatum.

Template: the standard counter

Subject: Re: [Job Title] Offer

Hi [Name],

Thank you so much for the offer, I'm genuinely excited about the opportunity to join [Company] as [Job Title]. The team and the scope of the role are exactly what I've been looking for.

Before I confirm, I wanted to talk through the base salary. Based on my research into comparable roles for [role/level] in [location/market] and the experience I'd bring in [specific skill or accomplishment], I was hoping we could get closer to [target number]. Is there flexibility there?

I'm confident we can find something that works for both sides, and I'm happy to hop on a quick call if that's easier. Looking forward to getting this finalized.

Best,
[Your name]

Template: you have a competing offer

Subject: Re: [Job Title] Offer

Hi [Name],

Thank you for the offer, I've been looking forward to hearing back and [Company] is genuinely my top choice. I did want to flag that I'm also weighing another offer at [target number/range], and I'd love to see if we can close that gap so I can commit to [Company] with confidence.

If it's possible to move the base salary toward [target number], I'm ready to accept right away. If there's a constraint on base, I'm also open to discussing a signing bonus or an accelerated review to help bridge it.

Thanks again for the offer, I'm hoping we can make this work.

[Your name]

Only reference a competing offer if it's real; a specific number you can't back up if asked is a bigger risk than the ask itself. If you're actively weighing two real offers, our guide on how to choose between job offers can help you decide what to prioritize once numbers are on the table.

Template: early career or first real negotiation

Subject: Re: [Job Title] Offer

Hi [Name],

Thank you for the offer, I'm excited to start my career at [Company] as [Job Title]. Before I accept, I wanted to ask whether there's any flexibility on the starting salary. From what I've seen for entry-level [role] positions in [location], I was hoping we could land closer to [target number].

I understand there may be less room to move at this level, and I'm still very enthusiastic about the role regardless. Happy to discuss further if useful.

Best,
[Your name]

Template: negotiating something other than base pay

Subject: Re: [Job Title] Offer

Hi [Name],

Thank you for the offer, I'm ready to move forward with [Company]. I understand the base salary is set, so I wanted to ask about a couple of other pieces instead: would it be possible to include a signing bonus of [amount], or push my start date to [date] to allow for a proper transition from my current role?

Either of those would make a real difference on my end, and I'm happy to finalize everything else as-is.

Best,
[Your name]

Base pay isn't the only lever. Signing bonuses, an earlier first review, extra vacation days, remote or hybrid flexibility, and a later start date are all frequently easier for a company to grant than a change to a salary band, especially at larger organizations with rigid pay structures.

What to avoid in the email

• An ultimatum tone. "I need X or I'm walking" invites the company to just let you walk. Keep it collaborative even when you're firm on the number.
• A number with no anchor. Always tie your ask to something, market data, a competing offer, or the scope of the role, so it reads as reasoned rather than arbitrary.
• Over-apologizing. You don't need three sentences of caveats before you ask. State it plainly and move on.
• Negotiating in the same breath as accepting. "I accept, but could we also discuss more pay" gives away your leverage before the conversation even starts. Ask first, accept once you're both aligned.

After you send it

Most responses land within a day or two. If you need more time to decide either way, it's fine to ask for it directly; our guide on asking for more time on a job offer covers exactly how to do that without souring the deal, and our broader piece on negotiating a job offer walks through the rest of the process end to end. If the number that comes back still isn't right, it's a completely normal, professional option to decline the offer rather than accept something that doesn't work for you.

The bottom line

A good negotiation email is short, warm, and specific: thank them, name your number, back it with a reason, and leave the door open. Companies expect this step and budget for it, so the actual risk in asking is almost always lower than it feels the moment before you hit send.