Should I counteroffer a negotiated salary offer?

Q. I received an offer lower than my desired salary. I talked it over with HR, and they met me almost halfway with a second offer. Is it appropriate to renegotiate to get closer to my desired salary, or is it time to accept their offer?

A.It is okay to renegotiate a job offer with an employer if you do not feel comfortable with their job offer. However, you should be clear what you're willing to accept. Intensive conversations about a few thousand dollars may in the end prove to be a waste of time. It is also okay to ask a company what their final job offer is.

If the company won't meet you all the way, look at other compensation costs, such as additional vacation days, a sign on-bonus, or additional training. In other words, if the company can't meet your base pay requirements, look for other variable pay components they can meet. In some cases, the variable pay may exceed the amount you are looking for in base pay, so be creative and flexible in your salary negotiations.

Good luck with your job offer!

Also check out our job offer assessing tool, The Job Assessor, in order to compare job offers.

- Erisa Ojimba, Certified Compensation Professional