How do you write a counter offer email?

Thank the person, say you want the role, ask for one specific number or change, give one or two reasons tied to the job or the market, and end with a clear next step. Keep it under 200 words. Saying you are ready to accept at that number helps if it is true.

Is it better to counter offer by email or phone?

Both are common. Email lets you choose your words and gives the recruiter something to forward to the hiring manager. A phone call can move faster, and you should confirm what you agreed by email afterward.

How long should I wait to send a counter offer email?

Send it within a day or two of receiving the written offer, and always before the deadline. That leaves time for the employer to check with the team and reply. If you need more time, ask for it politely and give a date.

Can a counter offer email make the employer withdraw the offer?

It is possible, since most offers can be withdrawn before acceptance. A polite request with a specific number and a reason keeps the risk low. If you would accept the original offer, avoid wording that sounds like an ultimatum.

What should I do after the employer agrees to my counter offer?

Thank them and ask for a revised offer letter that lists every changed term. Read it against your notes before you sign. Then accept in writing and decline any other offers promptly.

Counter offer email examples for a job offer

A counter offer email answers a job offer with one specific request, such as a higher base or a signing bonus, plus a reason and a clear next step. Send it before the offer deadline; guidance revised in 2026 says one to two weeks is common in campus hiring. Below are six example emails you can copy and change.

What goes in a counter offer email?

A counter offer email has five parts: thanks for the offer, a line showing you want the job, one specific request, a short reason, and a clear next step. Keep it under 200 words. A recruiter often has to forward your request to a hiring manager or a pay committee, so make it easy to quote.

Use this order in every example below:

Thank the person by name and name the role.
Say what you like about the job in one sentence.
Ask for one specific number or change.
Give one or two reasons tied to the role or the market.
Say what happens if they agree, and ask for a reply or a call.

Leave out personal costs such as rent or student loans. Employers set pay by the role and the market, so reasons tied to the work land better. If you'd rather talk first and email after, the guide on how to negotiate salary has phone scripts too.

How do you pick the number to put in the email?

Pick one number from public wage data for the same job in the same area, then adjust it for your experience. In the US, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program covers about 830 occupations, by state and metro area. Its latest figures, checked November 4, 2026, are for May 2025.

In Canada, the federal Job Bank wage search lets you search pay by job title or by city or postal code. Ask for one figure, not a range. A single number is easier for a recruiter to take to the hiring manager.

Decide your walk-away number before you send anything. That is the lowest offer you would accept. Knowing it keeps you calm if the reply comes back lower than your ask.

What does a counter offer email for a higher salary look like?

A counter offer email for a higher salary names the exact base you want, gives one reason, and says you are ready to accept at that number. The example below is for a single request on base pay. Copy it, change the brackets, and remove the last sentence of the second paragraph if you are not ready to accept.

Example 1, asking for a higher base:

Subject: [Your name], [job title] offer Hi [name], Thank you for the offer for the [job title] role. I enjoyed meeting [names] and I'm excited about the work on [project or area]. I'd like to ask about the base salary. Based on wage data for this role in [city] and my [number] years of [specific skill or result], I'm asking for a base of $[figure]. If we can reach that, I'm ready to sign. Would you be able to check with the team and let me know? Thanks, [Your name]

How do you ask for a signing bonus by email?

Ask for a signing bonus when the base salary seems fixed or the gap to your number is small. A signing bonus is a one-time payment, so it can close a gap without changing the salary band. Ask for a specific amount and say what it offsets, such as a bonus you would lose by leaving.

Example 2, asking for a signing bonus:

Hi [name], Thank you for the updated details. I understand the base is at the top of the range for this level. Would you consider a signing bonus of $[figure]? It would offset the [annual bonus or other payment] I would give up by leaving before [month]. With that, I'm happy to accept. Best, [Your name]

Read the repayment terms before you sign. A signing bonus may come with terms that require repayment if you leave within a set period. The US federal government's recruitment incentive works this way: the employee signs a service agreement and generally repays the unearned part if the service period is not completed.

Expect tax to come out of the payment. IRS Publication 15 for 2026 says the federal withholding rate on supplemental wages "remains 22%," and 37 percent on the part above $1 million in a year. Withholding is an amount held back from the payment. Your actual tax is settled when you file your return.

How do you counter when you have another offer?

Name the gap, not the other company's documents. Say which part of the other offer is stronger and what would close it. Only mention an offer you really have, since recruiters may ask for details and a bluff that falls apart can end the conversation. The example below works when you prefer this employer.

Example 3, with a competing offer:

Hi [name], Thank you for the offer. [Company] is my first choice, and I'd like to make this work. I've received another offer with a base of $[figure]. If you could match that base, or come close with a signing bonus, I'd accept your offer this week. Could you let me know by [date]? My other offer expires on [date]. Thanks, [Your name]

If you are still deciding between two offers, the guide to compare two job offers shows how to price the benefits first. Sometimes the offer with the lower salary is worth more once health costs and the retirement match are counted.

How do you ask for more vacation, a later start date or remote days?

Ask for these the same way you ask for money: one clear request and one reason. Non-salary terms can be easier for a hiring manager to approve because they don't change the pay band. Bundle them into one email so you don't go back a second and third time.

Example 4, asking for vacation and a start date:

Hi [name], Thank you again for the offer. I'm happy with the base salary. I have two small requests before I sign. Could the offer include [number] weeks of vacation, to match what I have now? And could we set the start date to [date], so I can give my current employer proper notice? If both work, I'm ready to accept. Thanks, [Your name]

What do you send if the employer says no?

Decide quickly whether the original offer is still a yes for you. If it is, accept warmly and move on, since asking was reasonable. If it isn't, decline politely and keep the relationship. The example below accepts the original terms and asks for a review date instead.

Example 5, accepting after a no:

Hi [name], Thank you for checking with the team. I understand, and I'm happy to accept the offer as written. Could we agree to review my pay at [six months or one year] based on [goal or result]? I'd appreciate having that noted in the offer letter. I look forward to starting on [date]. Best, [Your name]

How do you confirm what you agreed?

Confirm every changed term in writing before you sign. A call can end with both sides remembering different numbers. Ask for a revised offer letter, then read it line by line against your notes. The example below is short on purpose.

Example 6, confirming the agreed terms:

Hi [name], Thank you for working on this. To confirm what we agreed on today's call: a base salary of $[figure], a signing bonus of $[figure], [number] weeks of vacation and a start date of [date]. Could you send a revised offer letter with these terms? I'll sign as soon as I receive it. Thanks, [Your name]

In Ontario, employers with 25 or more employees must give each new hire written information before the first day of work, including the starting wage, the pay period and expected hours. That rule has applied since July 1, 2025. Check it against your revised offer.

When should you send each counter offer email?

Send your counter within the deadline in the offer, and soon enough for the employer to reply. The National Association of Colleges and Employers' guidance on offer deadlines says a one to two week window "is common" in campus recruiting and asks employers to consider reasonable requests for more time.

Situation	Example subject line	Key sentence
Base salary is below your number	[Name], [job title] offer	"I'm asking for a base of $[figure]."
Base seems fixed	Signing bonus question	"Would you consider a signing bonus of $[figure]?"
You hold another offer	[Job title] offer, timing	"If you could match that base, I'd accept this week."
Pay is fine, terms are not	Two small requests	"Could the offer include [number] weeks of vacation?"
The employer said no	Accepting the offer	"I'm happy to accept the offer as written."
You reached a deal by phone	Confirming our call	"Could you send a revised offer letter with these terms?"

When the terms are final, the page on how to respond to a job offer has acceptance and decline emails. The page on total compensation vs salary helps you check the final numbers. If pay comes up earlier, in an interview, the free interview question generator shows whether a posting is likely to bring the salary question, and the guide to salary expectations has example answers.