offer-negotiation

name	offer-negotiation
description	This skill should be used when the user asks to make an offer, offer package, negotiate salary, counter-offer, closing strategy, comp package, how to close, offer construction, negotiate equity, sign-on bonus, total compensation, offer letter, verbal offer, candidate wants more, competing offer, or needs to construct, present, negotiate, or defend an offer for any role level.

Offer Negotiation for Recruiting

Purpose

Construct competitive offer packages, design negotiation strategies, and close candidates. Bridge the gap between what the company can offer and what the candidate wants.

Offer Construction

Components of a total compensation package:

Component	Description	Typical Levers
Base Salary	Fixed annual compensation	Market data, internal equity, candidate expectations
Variable/Bonus	Performance-based pay (% of base)	Target %, accelerators, guarantee period
Equity/Stock	RSUs, options, phantom stock	Grant size, vesting schedule, refresh policy
Sign-On Bonus	One-time payment to close	Forfeit clawback, offset lost comp from current role
Benefits	Health, retirement, PTO, perks	Often fixed by policy, but highlight value
Relocation	Moving support	Lump sum vs managed, temporary housing
Title	Job title and level	Sometimes more important than comp to the candidate
Start Date	Flexibility on timing	Garden leave, notice period accommodation
Remote/Flexibility	Work arrangement	Full remote, hybrid schedule, location flexibility
Professional Development	Learning budget, conferences	Annual budget, sabbatical policy
Accelerated Review	Earlier-than-standard review cycle	6-month review instead of 12

Creative levers (when base is capped):

• Accelerated equity vesting (1-year cliff to 6-month cliff)
• Guaranteed bonus for year 1
• Professional development budget
• Additional PTO
• Flexible start date to optimize tax year
• Title upgrade (if level-appropriate)
• Accelerated performance review (6 months instead of 12)

Market Positioning

Where to position offers relative to market data:

Strategy	Positioning	When to Use
Lead	Top 25% of market (P75+)	Critical hires, scarce skills, passive candidates
Match	Median market (P50)	Standard hires, active candidates, abundant talent
Lag	Below median (P25-P50)	Strong non-comp value prop (mission, equity upside, growth)

Rule: Always know where your offer sits relative to market before presenting it. Use market-analyst data from .claude/data/market/ if available.

Negotiation Strategy

BATNA Analysis (Best Alternative to Negotiated Agreement)

• Candidate's BATNA: competing offers, current role, promotion timeline, other options
• Company's BATNA: other candidates in pipeline, ability to re-open search, urgency
• The party with the stronger BATNA has more leverage

Concession Sequencing

1. Start with the full package — present total comp, not just base
2. Understand their priority — what matters most? (base, equity, title, flexibility)
3. Lead with your strongest non-monetary differentiators first
4. If negotiating base: move in decreasing increments (shows approaching ceiling)
5. Link concessions: "If we can get to X on base, would you sign today?"
6. Never negotiate against yourself — wait for their counter
7. Use sign-on bonus to bridge gaps without setting permanent base precedent

Anchoring

• Set the first number when possible (the verbal offer is your anchor)
• Frame the offer in terms of total compensation, not just base
• Highlight elements they didn't expect (equity upside, unique benefits)

Deadline Management

• Give a reasonable exploding offer window (5-7 business days standard)
• Be firm but fair: "I want to give you time to decide, but we're moving quickly on this"
• Never issue ultimatums that you're not willing to enforce
• If they need more time, ask why — often reveals a competing process or concern you can address

Counter-Offer Defense

Pre-Seeding Doubt (during interview process, before offer)

• "If you get to the offer stage, your current employer may counter. Have you thought about how you'd handle that?"
• "What would need to change at [Current Company] for you to want to stay? And if they could change it, why haven't they already?"
• Data point: 50-80% of candidates who accept counter-offers leave within 18 months anyway

When Counter-Offer Happens

• Don't panic — this is normal and expected
• Ask: "What specifically did they offer?" (understand the full picture)
• Reframe: "If they valued you this much, why did it take your resignation to show it?"
• Address the real motivation: "You started this process for reasons beyond money. Have those reasons changed?"
• Share statistics: counter-offer acceptance outcomes, trust dynamics, career progression
• Never bad-mouth the current employer
• Give them space: "Take the weekend. This is a big decision."

Closing Tactics

• Trial close: "If we can get to [specific terms], would you accept?" — use early and often
• Summary close: Summarize the full value proposition (comp + opportunity + team + growth)
• Deadline pressure: "We'd love to have your answer by [date] so we can plan the team's Q2 roadmap with you in mind"
• Stakeholder engagement: Connect candidate with future peers, skip-levels, or exec sponsors
• Last-minute cold feet: This is about fear, not the offer. Go back to their original motivations.
• Partner/family concerns: Offer to address questions, highlight quality of life benefits, be respectful

Offer Communications

Verbal Offer Script (phone call)

1. Build excitement: "I have some news I've been looking forward to sharing..."
2. Confirm interest: "Before I share details, are you still excited about [the team/mission]?"
3. Present the package component by component (start with the strongest element)
4. Pause for reaction — don't fill the silence
5. Ask: "How does that feel?" (not "What do you think?")
6. Next steps: "I'll send the written details today. Take [X days] to review."

Written Offer Structure

• Subject line: "Your Offer from [Company] — [Role Title]"
• Open with genuine excitement
• Package summary table (all comp components)
• Benefits highlights (top 3-5 most relevant)
• Start date and logistics
• Decision timeline
• Contact info for questions

Output Format

Standard structure for offer-brief.md:

# Offer Brief: [Candidate Name] — [Role Title]
**Date:** [Date] | **Prepared by:** [Name]

## Candidate Context
- **Current comp:** [If known — base, bonus, equity, total]
- **Expectations stated:** [What they've said they want]
- **Competing offers:** [Known alternatives]
- **Key motivators:** [Why they're exploring — growth, impact, comp, culture]
- **Potential objections:** [What might hold them back]

## Proposed Package
| Component | Amount | Market Position | Notes |
|-----------|--------|----------------|-------|
| Base | | P[X] | |
| Variable/Bonus | | | |
| Equity | | | Vesting schedule |
| Sign-On | | | Clawback terms |
| **Total Year 1** | **$X** | | |
| **Total Annualized** | **$Y** | | |

## Negotiation Strategy
**BATNA analysis:**
- Candidate's alternatives: [X]
- Our alternatives: [X]
- Leverage assessment: [Candidate/Company/Balanced]

**Concession plan:**
1. If they push on [X], we can offer [Y]
2. Maximum movement: [Floor/ceiling for each component]
3. Walk-away threshold: [When we pass]

**Counter-offer defense:**
- Pre-seeding done? [Yes/No]
- Likely counter-offer scenario: [X]
- Response strategy: [X]

## Closing Plan
- **Verbal offer:** [Date] by [Who]
- **Written offer:** [Date]
- **Decision deadline:** [Date]
- **Stakeholder touchpoints:** [Who contacts candidate and when]
- **Backup candidate:** [Name, readiness level]

## Risk Assessment
| Risk | Likelihood | Mitigation |
|------|-----------|------------|
| [Risk 1] | High/Med/Low | [Action] |

Reference Files

You are stongly encouraged to read the reference files

• references/negotiation-playbook.md — Scenario-based scripts for common negotiation situations.
• references/comp-packaging.md — Total comp calculator frameworks, equity explanation templates, offer letter patterns.