Negotiating Offers
Scope
Covers
- Negotiating an employment offer (cash + equity + role scope) with a clear plan and scripts
- Negotiating success conditions (resources, budget, headcount, authority, expectations) before/alongside compensation
- Clarifying “features vs experiences” trade-offs (money/title vs learning/autonomy/mentorship)
- Proposing alternative structures when helpful (e.g., part-time or contract as a bridge)
When to use
- “Help me negotiate this offer (salary/equity/title/level/start date).”
- “Write a counteroffer email + call agenda.”
- “I want to negotiate for resources so I can succeed in the role.”
- “I’m optimizing for learning/flexibility, not just comp—help me structure the ask.”
When NOT to use
- You need legal/financial/tax advice (this skill is not a substitute for a lawyer/CPA).
- You’re negotiating a vendor/enterprise contract, severance agreement, or union/CBA terms.
- You don’t have any concrete offer or decision context yet (first gather basics; then use this).
- You’re in an urgent HR escalation (PIP/investigation/termination risk) where process/legal counsel matters most.
Inputs
Minimum required
- Target role/company + current stage (verbal offer vs written offer)
- Offer details you’re comfortable sharing (can be ranges or redacted): base, bonus, equity, level/title, location/remote, start date
- Your decision timeline (deadline, other interviews/offers, constraints)
- Your priorities (must-haves, nice-to-haves, dealbreakers) and what you’re optimizing for (features vs experiences)
- Your best alternative / leverage (can be vague; do not disclose confidential details)
- Role-success hypotheses: what resources/commitments you’ll need to succeed (team, budget, authority, scope, tech debt, OKRs)
Missing-info strategy
- Ask 3–5 questions at a time from references/INTAKE.md.
- If comp numbers are missing, proceed using relative moves (percent, ranges) and non-comp levers.
- If the user is uncomfortable sharing details, redact and continue; never request secrets or confidential employer information.
Outputs (deliverables)
Produce an Offer Negotiation Pack (in chat as Markdown; or as files if requested) in this order:
- Offer Snapshot + Timeline (what’s on the table, who’s involved, dates)
- Goals, Priorities, BATNA (what you want, what you’ll trade, walk-away line)
- Success Conditions & Resourcing Asks (requests framed as needed to hit outcomes)
- Offer Components & Tradeoff Matrix (features vs experiences; what to negotiate)
- Ask Package (A/B/C) + Negotiation Strategy (sequence + rationale)
- Scripts Pack (email(s) + call agenda + follow-up recap)
- Optional: Alternative Structure Proposal (e.g., 3-days/week contract/part-time)
- Risks / Open questions / Next steps (always)
Templates: references/TEMPLATES.md Expanded guidance: references/WORKFLOW.md
Workflow (8 steps)
1) Intake + offer snapshot
- Inputs: user context; references/INTAKE.md.
- Actions: Capture the offer components, decision deadline, stakeholders (recruiter, hiring manager), and constraints (location, visa, family, start date). Identify what’s already agreed vs still open.
- Outputs: Offer Snapshot + Timeline.
- Checks: Offer state is explicit (verbal vs written); deadlines and next meetings are listed.
2) Define goals, priorities, and BATNA (your leverage without bravado)
- Inputs: priorities; alternatives; risk tolerance.
- Actions: Convert wants into a ranked list: must, tradeable, nice, no-go. Define your BATNA in plain language (what you’ll do if this doesn’t work).
- Outputs: Goals, Priorities, BATNA.
- Checks: There is a clear walk-away line; priorities are consistent (no “must-have” contradictions).
3) Negotiate success conditions first (or in parallel)
- Inputs: role success hypotheses; known org context.
- Actions: Draft a “success conditions” conversation: what you need to deliver outcomes (headcount, budget, authority, access, OKRs). Turn requests into employer-friendly commitments and verification signals.
- Outputs: Success Conditions & Resourcing Asks + hiring-manager agenda questions.
- Checks: Each ask ties to business outcomes; each has a proposed verification method (written plan, role charter, org commitment).
4) Build the offer components + tradeoff matrix (features vs experiences)
- Inputs: offer; preferences (money/title vs learning/autonomy/flexibility).
- Actions: Inventory levers (cash, equity, sign-on, level/title, start date, scope, remote, learning budget, mentorship, role design). Identify the few highest-impact levers and plausible trade-offs.
- Outputs: Offer Components & Tradeoff Matrix.
- Checks: Tradeoffs are explicit (what you’ll give to get); no “ask for everything” list.
5) Create an A/B/C ask package (and anchor responsibly)
- Inputs: tradeoff matrix; BATNA; constraints.
- Actions: Draft three packages:
- A (ideal): what you’d be thrilled with - B (target): what you expect is achievable - C (floor): what you can accept Include both comp and non-comp levers; choose the negotiation order (resources → comp; or parallel).
- Outputs: Ask Package (A/B/C) + Negotiation Strategy.
- Checks: Each package is internally consistent; C is genuinely acceptable; strategy respects timeline.
6) Optional: propose alternative structures (contract / part-time / phased)
- Inputs: user’s flexibility goals; employer constraints.
- Actions: If relevant, draft a low-risk alternative proposal (scope, days/week, trial period, deliverables, review point). Frame benefits to the employer (reduced risk, clear outputs).
- Outputs: Alternative Structure Proposal (optional).
- Checks: Proposal is specific (not “maybe contract?”); includes a clear trial + decision point.
7) Draft scripts + rehearse the negotiation
- Inputs: ask package; stakeholders; communication channel.
- Actions: Write: (a) recruiter email, (b) hiring-manager agenda, (c) comp conversation script, (d) follow-up recap note. Include respectful language, pauses, and “if/then” branches.
- Outputs: Scripts Pack.
- Checks: Scripts are short, specific, and polite; claims are truthful; no threats/bluffs.
8) Quality gate + finalize
- Inputs: full pack draft.
- Actions: Run references/CHECKLISTS.md and score with references/RUBRIC.md. Tighten weak asks, remove vague language, add Risks / Open questions / Next steps, and produce a final negotiation-ready pack.
- Outputs: Final Offer Negotiation Pack.
- Checks: Pack is executable end-to-end; risks and unknowns are explicit; next meeting and next message are ready to send.
Quality gate (required)
- Use references/CHECKLISTS.md and references/RUBRIC.md.
- Always include: Risks, Open questions, Next steps.
Examples
Example 1 (resources + comp): “I got a PM offer from a Series B startup. The role seems under-resourced. Help me negotiate for the right headcount/budget and a better equity package, and draft the recruiter email + hiring-manager agenda.” Expected: Offer Negotiation Pack with success-conditions asks and a clear A/B/C package.
Example 2 (optimize for experiences): “I have two offers. One pays more, the other has better mentorship and autonomy. Help me compare trade-offs and negotiate for mentorship/training budget without losing the offer.” Expected: Tradeoff matrix + experience-focused asks + scripts.
Boundary example: “Negotiate a SaaS vendor contract renewal with legal terms and procurement.” Response: out of scope; use a procurement/legal negotiation workflow instead.