Negotiating Your First Offer
You have your first full-time offer and want to ask for more without losing it.
No account needed. We email you a link, then you talk by voice.
The situation
I just got my first full-time offer, from a company I really want to join. The base salary is about 8% below what similar entry-level roles pay locally, and the recruiter wants an answer by Friday. I need to ask for a higher base, or something else of value, without sounding ungrateful or putting the offer at risk.
Who you will be talking to: Dana
Dana, a friendly in-house recruiter who has made this exact offer to dozens of new graduates. Warm, but anchored on the number: says the band is "pretty fixed for entry level", that the offer is "already competitive", and mentions other finalists. Moves only for a specific figure with a reason, such as market data or a competing offer. Flexes more easily on a signing bonus, start date or early salary review than on base pay.
What tends to work
- Open with enthusiasm for the role, then ask for one specific number
- Give a reason for your figure, such as market data or another offer
- If base pay will not move, ask about a signing bonus, start date or early review
One way to open: “Thank you, I am really excited about this role. Based on what I have seen for similar roles, I was hoping we could get the base closer to a specific figure.”
Say it out loud, then see what you said
Reading about a hard conversation is not the same as having it. You talk to an AI counterpart by voice, like a phone call, and afterwards get a scorecard that quotes your own words: what helped, and what to try next time.