Guide
Counter Offer Letter: 6 Email Templates for a Job Offer
A counter offer letter thanks the employer, confirms you want the job, asks for a specific change to the offer with one or two reasons, and says you're ready to accept if they can meet it. Keep it short, ask for one or two things, and send it after a call if you can.
Key takeaways
- A counter offer letter thanks the employer, confirms you want the job and asks for a specific change to the offer.
- The strongest counter offers ask for one or two things, each with a short reason.
- Talking first and then confirming the counteroffer in writing gives you both the tone and a precise record.
- A counter offer can ask for base salary, a sign-on bonus, title or level, or remote days, not only more money.
- Saying you're ready to accept if they meet your ask makes a counteroffer easier to approve.
Download all 7 templates (Word) Opens in Google Docs too.
What is a counter offer letter?
A counter offer letter, usually an email, is your written reply to a job offer asking for better terms. It sets out what you’d like changed and why, while making clear you want the job.
This page is about the writing. The strategy behind it, from how to find the market range to how to handle the salary question earlier in the process, is in our salary negotiation guide and our guide to answering salary expectations.
Should you counter by email or on the phone?
Talk first if you can, then put it in writing. A call lets you hear how much room there is; an email makes the ask precise and gives the recruiter something to forward to the hiring manager or finance.
Email alone is fine when the recruiter has been communicating by email, when you’re nervous about getting the numbers right on a call, or when they ask you to put it in writing. Feeling nervous about this is normal; asking for better terms is an expected part of the process, and recruiters handle counters every week.
What should a counter offer email include?
Five parts, in this order, and most emails fit in under 200 words:
- Thanks and enthusiasm. One line that says you want the job.
- What you’re responding to. The role and the offer date, so nobody has to search.
- Your ask. A specific number or term, not a range.
- Your reason. One or two lines: the scope of the role, your experience, market data or a competing offer if you really have one.
- The close. That you’re ready to accept if they can meet it, and when you’ll be available to talk.
Keep it short and confident: skip long justifications and apologies, and pick the one or two terms that matter most rather than listing everything you’d like changed.
Counter offer email templates
Replace everything in [brackets]. Use your own researched figures; our marketing salary pages can help you find the range for your role. Then adjust the wording so it sounds like the emails you’ve already sent this recruiter; a counter written in your own voice reads as warm and sure, while a pasted template can feel stiff.
1. Countering the base salary
Subject: [Role] offer: [Your name] Hi [Recruiter's name], Thank you again for the offer for the [Role] position. I'm excited about the team and about [something specific: the relaunch, building the lifecycle program], and I'd like to make this work. Based on the scope of the role, which includes [a responsibility that's bigger than the title suggests], and on the market range for similar roles, I was hoping for a base salary of [specific number]. If we can get there, I'm ready to accept. I'm happy to talk it through by phone if that's easier. Best, [Your name]
2. Asking for a sign-on bonus instead
Useful when base pay is fixed by a band, or when you’d leave money on the table by moving, such as a bonus you’d forfeit.
Subject: Re: [Role] offer Hi [Recruiter's name], Thank you for the offer and for walking me through the details. I'm keen to join. I understand the base salary sits within a set band. By leaving before [date], I'd forfeit my [annual bonus / unvested equity] at [current company]. Would a one-time sign-on bonus of [amount] be possible to close that gap? If so, I'm ready to sign. Thanks, [Your name]
3. Countering on title or level
Marketing titles vary a lot between companies, and a title that undersells the scope can cost you later. Ask when the job is clearly bigger than its title.
Subject: Re: [Role] offer Hi [Hiring manager's name], Thank you for the offer. I'm excited about the role and the team. From our conversations, the role will own [brand, the agency relationship, a team of three, the full budget], which in my experience is usually a [higher title] scope. Would you be open to offering the role as [higher title]? I'm happy with the rest of the offer, and with that change I'd be ready to accept. Best, [Your name]
4. Asking for remote or hybrid days in writing
Subject: Re: [Role] offer Hi [Recruiter's name], Thanks for the offer. I'm looking forward to joining. In our interviews, [name] mentioned the team works [hybrid pattern]. Could the offer letter confirm [number] remote days a week? Having that in writing would let me accept with confidence. Best, [Your name]
5. Countering with a competing offer
Only use this if the other offer is real and you’d take it. Share its documents only if asked, and give the figure exactly as it is.
Subject: Re: [Role] offer Hi [Recruiter's name], Thank you for the offer. [Company] is my first choice, and I want to be open with you: I've received another offer at [base salary / total]. I'd much rather join your team. Would you be able to move the base salary to [specific number]? If so, I'll accept and withdraw from the other process. I need to respond to the other company by [date], so I'd appreciate hearing back by then. Best, [Your name]
6. A package counter (two asks)
Subject: Re: [Role] offer Hi [Recruiter's name], Thank you for the offer. I'm excited about [specific part of the role] and keen to join. I'd like to ask about two things: - A base salary of [specific number], given [reason in one line] - A start date of [later date], so I can hand over [current project] properly With those, I'm ready to accept. Best, [Your name]
What happens after you send a counteroffer?
Expect a yes, a partial yes, a no, or a request to talk. Each needs a short, clear response.
| They say | You reply |
|---|---|
| Yes | Accept in writing and ask for the updated offer letter |
| A partial yes | Accept, or ask once for one other term if it matters |
| No, the offer stands | Decide whether to accept as is; don’t counter the same item again |
| Let’s talk | Have your number and reason ready, and take notes |
Thank you for coming back on this, I really appreciate it. I'm happy to accept at [agreed terms]. Could you send the updated offer letter? I'll sign as soon as I have it.
Our guide to accepting a job offer has more templates for the final step, and if the terms don’t work for you, the guide on declining a job offer covers how to say no politely.
FAQ
How long should I wait before sending a counteroffer?
Usually a day or two after you receive the written offer. That’s enough time to review it properly without stalling the process. If they’ve given a deadline, respond well before it.
Should I counter if the offer is already good?
You can, and a polite ask is rarely held against you; it’s a normal part of saying yes. If the offer already meets your target, consider asking for one non-salary item instead, such as a training budget or a later start date.
Can I counter more than once?
Once on each item is the norm. After they’ve responded, you can accept, decline or ask about one different term, but going back on the same number twice usually wears out goodwill.
What is a counter offer from my current employer?
That’s when your employer offers more to keep you after you resign. It’s a different situation; our resignation letter guide covers how to respond to one.
Can you lose a job offer by negotiating?
It can happen, but a polite, specific ask is a normal part of hiring, and most employers expect it. Keep the tone warm, say you want the job, give one reason for your number and avoid ultimatums. If the answer is no, you can still accept the original offer.
Is a counter offer letter the same as a salary negotiation email?
Yes, in practice. A counter offer letter is the written version of a salary negotiation, sent after you have an offer in hand. If you’re negotiating earlier, before a written offer, the salary negotiation guide covers what to say. Either way, write it the way you’d say it out loud to the recruiter, so it sounds like you rather than a template.