You’ve done it – you’ve landed your dream job after weeks or months of applications and gruelling interviews. You’ve enthusiastically accepted the offer, shared the good news with everyone, and handed in your notice at your current company. But after the initial excitement wears off, you start to have some doubts. The salary offered is lower than you’d hoped for. The benefits package leaves something to be desired. You’d assumed there would be more flexibility around remote work options.
So, what should you do if you’ve already formally accepted a job offer, but then realise it’s not exactly what you wanted? Is it too late to try and negotiate a better deal? Let’s take a look at how to tactfully approach formal letter counteroffers, without burning bridges with your future employer.
Don’t Renege on Your Acceptance Lightly
First things first – do not back out of an accepted job offer without very careful thought. Reneging on your acceptance could seriously damage your professional reputation. Your new employer will likely be very frustrated to be left in the lurch, especially if they have halted the recruitment process based on your acceptance.
Make sure you have compelling reasons that absolutely justify requesting improved terms at this late stage. A slight niggle over salary or benefits is unlikely to be deemed a reasonable justification by the hiring organisation. You need clear evidence that the package offered differs significantly from what both parties reasonably expected during the interview process.
Timing Is Critical
There is only a very small window after accepting an offer during which a counteroffer request stands any chance of success. Aim to have the conversation within 1-2 days at most. This gives the employer a realistic chance to pick up the recruitment process where they left off if your request is denied.
Any longer than this and they are less likely to be able to easily find another suitable candidate, meaning they’ll have no incentive to negotiate with you. They may just withdraw the offer completely if you wait too long, leaving you with no job at all.
Make Your Case Professionally
The way you approach this conversation will make all the difference between improving your offer and losing the job entirely. Frame your counteroffer request as a formal letter – a professionally drafted document laying out your case factually and dispassionately.
Avoid sounding petty, demanding or entitled. Use clear evidence to explain why you reasonably expected certain benefits or terms to be included based on conversations during the interview process. Suggest reasonable adjustments that would satisfy your concerns while still delivering overall value to the employer.
Be Ready to Walk Away
There is always a risk with this type of negotiations that the employer simply decides you’re too much trouble and withdraws the offer altogether. Make sure you’re willing to take that chance before pushing for a counteroffer.
If the company won’t budge, you may need to decide whether to accept the original offer after all or walk away. Think carefully about which course of action would be less damaging to your career long-term.
Don’t Use Competing Offers as Leverage
It may be tempting to try and force your new employer’s hand by getting a higher counteroffer from another company to use as leverage. Resist this urge!
Using competing offers in negotiations is an aggressive tactic that could be seen as manipulative. Even if it secures you a better deal in the short term, the new employer will likely resent this approach. It may irreparably damage your working relationship before you’ve even started.
Be Flexible on Timing and Start Date
If you do successfully negotiate improved terms, be as flexible as possible around timeframes. For example, offer to push back your start date by 1-2 weeks to allow the employer more time to wrap up recruitment if you resigned when accepting the original offer. This goodwill can help smooth over any initial annoyance at your counteroffer request.
Don’t Make a Habit of Reneging
Note that while a counteroffer request soon after accepting may be acceptable in some circumstances, you should not make a habit of reneging on accepted job offers. At best, this signals poor decision-making skills and lack of commitment. At worst, it suggests outright dishonesty and exploitation, which will wreck your professional reputation.
In most cases, try to resolve any concerns before formally accepting an offer to avoid the need to renege. Only use the counteroffer route when absolutely necessary – and probably no more than once in your career.
With care and consideration, a counteroffer request can occasionally help you negotiate improved terms even after formally accepting a role. Just be sure to approach the situation strategically and professionally to achieve the best outcome.