What a counter offer email has to do
Three things, in this order: confirm you want the job, name one number, and give the employer a reason to say yes. Recruiters expect a counter — in US salary surveys the majority of employers leave room in the first offer and the majority of candidates never ask for it. The risk of a polite, single-number counter being withdrawn is very low; the risk of anchoring badly by counter-offering with a range is not.
How big an ask is reasonable?
- Up to 10% — routine. Most recruiters can approve this without going back to finance.
- 10–20% — normal when you have market data or a competing offer. Expect one round of back-and-forth.
- Over 20% — only credible with a written competing offer or a scope change. Say out loud that you're flexible.
The calculator above does this math before the email is written, so the message is built around a real percentage rather than a vague "a bit more".
Ask for more than base salary
When base is capped by a band, the negotiable items usually are: sign-on bonus (often the easiest yes), equity refresh, extra PTO days, remote or hybrid days, a relocation allowance, a professional development budget, a start date that lets you take a break, or a written six-month review with a raise attached. Name at most two of these alongside the salary number — a long list reads as a negotiation, not a request.
Market notes for the US, UK, Canada and Australia
In the US, salary history questions are banned in many states and cities, so anchor on market rate, not on what you earned before. In the UK, counters are usually smaller in percentage terms and pension contribution above the 3% statutory minimum is a genuine lever. In Canada, vacation days beyond the provincial minimum (two weeks in most provinces) are a common concession. In Australia, quote total package including superannuation, and check whether the offer figure is base or base-plus-super before you counter — the 11.5% difference has ended a lot of negotiations badly.
Get the timing right
Reply within 24–48 hours of the written offer, never before you have it in writing, and never in the same breath as accepting. If you're waiting on another process, ask for a decision extension separately — don't bundle it with the money.
FAQ
Can an employer withdraw an offer because I countered?
It is rare when the counter is polite, names a single number and is paired with a clear yes to the job itself. What does put offers at risk is countering with a vague range, reopening the money after accepting, or going back a third time.
How much more can I reasonably ask for?
Up to 10% is routine and most recruiters can approve it without escalating to finance. 10 to 20% is normal when you have market data or a competing offer, and expect one round of back-and-forth. Above 20% is only credible with a written competing offer or a genuine change in scope.
What if the base salary is capped by a band?
Ask for the items that sit outside the band: a sign-on bonus is usually the easiest yes, then extra PTO, remote days, relocation, a development budget, or a written six-month review with a raise attached. Name at most two, or it reads as a negotiation rather than a request.
Does counter-offering work differently in the UK, Canada and Australia?
Percentages are typically smaller outside the US. In the UK, employer pension contribution above the 3% statutory minimum is a genuine lever. In Canada, vacation beyond the provincial minimum is a common concession. In Australia, confirm whether the offer is base or base-plus-superannuation before you counter — that 11.5% has ended negotiations badly.