The period between receiving an offer and accepting it is when you have the most leverage you will have with that employer. They have chosen you, they have invested in the process, and the cost of losing you now is high. After acceptance, that leverage disappears entirely.
Most people use this window to negotiate salary, if they negotiate at all, and leave everything else on the table.
This is general information, not legal advice. For senior roles or complex equity, have a lawyer review it.
What changed in 2026
- Pay transparency spread. Salary range disclosure requirements in more jurisdictions improved candidate information at the offer stage.
- Restrictive covenant timing rules grew. Requirements to present non-competes before acceptance rather than on the first day became more common.
- Remote work terms got formalized. Arrangements previously handled informally increasingly appeared in written terms.
- Equity disclosure improved. More companies provided the information needed to value a grant, though not universally.
What to verify
| Item |
What to check |
| Base salary |
The figure, and the review cycle |
| Bonus |
Target, whether discretionary, and the conditions for payment |
| Equity |
Number of units, vesting schedule, cliff, exercise window, and total shares outstanding |
| Start date |
Negotiable, and affects benefit eligibility |
| Title and reporting line |
Both matter for future moves |
| Location and remote terms |
In writing, including any right to change it |
| Notice period |
Both directions |
| Restrictive covenants |
Non-compete, non-solicitation, IP assignment |
| Clawbacks |
Relocation and signing bonus repayment conditions |
| Benefits start date |
Gaps in coverage need planning |
| Probationary terms |
Different notice or conditions during it |
Equity is where offers are most often opaque. A grant expressed as a number of units means nothing without knowing the total outstanding and a recent valuation. A percentage means nothing without knowing whether it is on a fully diluted basis. Ask for the specifics; a company unwilling to provide them is telling you something.
Also ask about the exercise window after leaving. A short window forces exercise and a tax bill quickly or forfeiture — the consequences are in ISOs and AMT explained, and extending it is a negotiable term worth more than people realize.
What to negotiate
Salary, obviously, and it is the most contested. Base it on market data, which pay transparency has made more accessible.
Signing bonus, which is frequently easier for an employer to grant than base salary because it does not affect their salary bands or set a precedent.
Start date, which affects benefit eligibility and gives you time between roles.
Equity, both the amount and the terms.
Restrictive covenants — narrowing scope, duration, or geography, as covered in non-compete enforceability.
Remote or flexible arrangements, in writing rather than as an understanding.
Professional development budget, additional leave, or an early review date, all of which employers frequently grant when salary is fixed.
Ask for what you want in one message rather than serially. A single list of three or four specific requests gets a response; a sequence of separate asks reads as escalation.
The verbal promise problem
Anything discussed and not written down does not exist for practical purposes.
A promise of promotion after a year, agreement that you can work remotely, an understanding about the bonus, an assurance about the team you will join — all of these are commonly discussed verbally and commonly forgotten, particularly when the person who made them leaves.
Ask for material commitments in writing. The request is reasonable, and reluctance to put something in writing is information about how firm it was.
Where a commitment genuinely cannot be contractual — a future promotion depends on performance and business conditions — an email confirming the discussion and the intent is better than nothing.
Common mistakes
- Accepting verbally before seeing written terms. Reduces leverage immediately.
- Negotiating salary only. Many other terms are movable.
- Not getting equity specifics. A number without context is meaningless.
- Ignoring the exercise window. Frequently worth more than a salary increment.
- Relying on verbal promises. They do not survive personnel changes.
- Not reading the restrictive covenants. Negotiable now, binding later.
FAQ
Will negotiating cost me the offer?
Very rarely. A polite, specific, reasonable counter is expected. Withdrawal over one is unusual and tells you something about the employer.
How long can I take to decide?
A few days is normal and asking for a week is generally fine. Extreme urgency is a warning sign.
Should I mention a competing offer?
If genuine, it is legitimate leverage. Fabricating one is a serious risk.
What if the written offer differs from what was discussed?
Raise it immediately and in writing. Discrepancies at this stage predict how the relationship will run.
Where to go next
For agreements attached to the offer, read NDA review guide and non-compete enforceability. For the negotiation itself, counteroffer strategy.