Quick Answer: Never respond to a job offer on the spot, even if you plan to accept. Acknowledge it within 24 hours, take 24 to 48 hours to review the full package, and then respond with one of the five scenarios below: accept, negotiate, ask for more time, ask for more information, or decline. Your response email is the first document you will ever be on as a future employee. Write it like it matters.
You just got the offer.
The recruiter called, said the team is excited, and told you to watch your inbox. The PDF landed. Your name is on the first page. There is a salary number, an equity grant, a start date, and a signature line at the bottom.
Now you are sitting there trying to figure out what to say back.
Most candidates make one of two mistakes. The first is responding immediately with "I accept!" before reading the full document. The second is going quiet for three days because they are paralyzed about whether to negotiate.
Both are wrong. Your response to a job offer is a business communication, not a reflex. There is a process for it, and the candidates who follow that process get better outcomes, consistently, than the ones who just react.
This guide covers every scenario you will run into and the exact email to send in each one.
Before You Write Anything: What to Actually Read in the Offer Letter
Most people skim offer letters. They see the salary, do a quick gut check, and decide. That is how candidates leave tens of thousands of dollars on the table without realizing it.
Here is the actual checklist to run through before responding to any tech offer.
Base salary. The obvious number. Verify it matches what was discussed verbally. Verbal and written numbers occasionally differ when offers move through internal approvals, and catching this before you sign is far easier than fixing it after.
Total compensation vs. base salary. At tech companies, base salary is often the smallest lever in the package. A $180,000 base at Google with a $250,000 RSU grant over four years is a very different offer than a $195,000 base at a startup with no equity. You need to know the annual value of every component, not just the one number at the top.
RSU grant details. The offer letter will list a total grant value. What it often buries is the vesting schedule and whether there is a one-year cliff. Most tech companies use a four-year vest with a one-year cliff, which means you get nothing from your equity grant until you have been at the company for 12 months. If you are considering leaving a previous role mid-vesting cycle to take this offer, that cliff changes your math significantly. Amazon's RSU schedule is back-loaded, with 5% vesting in year one, 15% in year two, and 40% in each of years three and four. A $200,000 Amazon grant is not $50,000 per year. It is $10,000 in year one. Know what you are actually signing.
Sign-on bonus and the clawback clause. Sign-on bonuses are almost always subject to a repayment clause if you leave within 12 to 24 months. Read it. A $30,000 sign-on that you have to repay if you leave before 18 months is a retention mechanism disguised as a gift.
Benefits start date. Some companies start health coverage on day one. Others have a 30 to 90 day waiting period. If you are leaving a role with active health coverage, this gap matters and it is negotiable.
Job title and level. Confirm the title in the offer letter matches what was discussed. At companies like Google and Meta, the level determines your compensation band for every future review cycle, your promotion eligibility, and your negotiating leverage at your next job. Being leveled at L4 vs L5 at Google is roughly an $80,000 to $100,000 annual compensation difference. If you were told E5 and the offer says E4, that conversation needs to happen before you sign, not after.
Start date. This is negotiable in most cases. If you need more time to transition out of a current role, handle a personal matter, or take a break between jobs, ask. Most companies are flexible within a three to four week window.
Non-compete and IP assignment clauses. Read these. At most standard tech companies, these are boilerplate and reasonable. At some companies, they are broad enough to restrict your ability to work in your field for a year after leaving. If anything looks unusual, it is worth 30 minutes with an employment attorney before you sign.
The Timing Rule: When to Actually Respond
The professional standard for responding to a tech offer is 24 to 48 hours for an acknowledgment, and 3 to 5 business days for a final decision.
Here is what that looks like in practice:
- Day 1 (same day or next morning): Send a short acknowledgment email. Confirm you received the offer, express genuine excitement, and state when you will respond with your decision. This email takes four sentences.
- Days 2 to 4: Review the full offer package. Run the compensation math. Check the equity vesting schedule. Decide whether you are accepting, negotiating, or asking for more time.
- Day 3 to 5: Send your decision email.
What you should not do is go quiet. A recruiter who sends an offer and hears nothing for 48 hours starts worrying. Their hiring manager starts asking questions. The clock on the headcount approval starts ticking. Silence reads as indecision or disrespect, even if you are planning to accept. The acknowledgment email is free and it costs you nothing. Send it.
The Exploding Offer Problem
Some companies, particularly smaller tech firms, attach 24 to 72 hour deadlines to offers. This is a pressure tactic. An offer that expires before you have had a reasonable chance to evaluate it is a red flag about how the company operates, not a sign of how much they want you.
The right response to an exploding offer is not to panic. It is to call the recruiter, explain that you need a few additional days to review the package properly, and ask for an extension. Most companies will grant 3 to 5 extra days if you are warm, professional, and specific about your timeline. A company that refuses a reasonable extension request has just told you something about how it treats its people.
The 5 Scenarios: Exactly What to Send in Each One
Scenario 1: You Are Ready to Accept
Use this when you have reviewed the full package, the compensation meets your expectations, and you are ready to commit. Keep it short. This is good news. The recruiter knows you are excited. You do not need five paragraphs of enthusiasm.
Subject: Offer Acceptance: [Job Title] - [Your Name]
Hi [Recruiter Name],
Thank you for sending over the formal offer for the [Job Title] role at [Company]. I have reviewed everything and am excited to formally accept.
To confirm the key terms: base salary of $[X], RSU grant of $[X] vesting over four years, a start date of [Date], and [any other key terms discussed].
Please let me know the next steps for onboarding paperwork. I am looking forward to joining the team.
[Your Name]
Why this works: Confirming the key terms in your acceptance email creates a written record. If anything was communicated differently during the verbal offer, this gives the recruiter the opportunity to correct it before you are officially onboarded, not three months in.
Scenario 2: You Want to Negotiate Before Deciding
Use this when you are genuinely interested but the compensation, equity, title, or another term needs to be addressed before you can accept. Do not wait until the deadline to bring this up. Negotiate as soon as you have reviewed the offer.
Subject: Re: Offer for [Job Title] - [Your Name]
Hi [Recruiter Name],
Thank you for the offer. I am genuinely excited about the role and the team, and I want to move toward accepting.
Before I do, I would like to discuss the base salary. Based on my research into the current market for [Job Title] roles at this level and my background in [specific experience], I was hoping we could get to $[Target Number]. Is there flexibility there?
I want to be straightforward: this is not a hard stop. I am committed to making this work. I just want to make sure we start in the right place.
Happy to jump on a call if that is easier.
[Your Name]
The negotiation reality at tech companies: Over 85% of candidates who negotiate receive some form of a positive response. The number the company puts in the offer letter is almost never their absolute ceiling. Base salary is the hardest lever at large companies because it affects payroll budgeting across bands. Sign-on bonus and additional RSUs are often easier to move because they are one-time costs or longer-term obligations that sit in a different budget bucket.
If base salary is capped, ask specifically about: a higher sign-on bonus, an accelerated first performance review (six months instead of twelve), an additional RSU refresh, or a more senior title. Any one of those has real monetary value. See the full salary negotiation email template guide for scripts across every scenario.
Scenario 3: You Need More Time
Use this when you are genuinely undecided, waiting on a competing offer, or need additional time to review the package with a financial advisor, partner, or attorney. Be specific about how much time you need and why. A vague "can I have more time?" is harder for a recruiter to approve than "I need until Thursday because I have a competing offer I need to resolve."
Subject: Re: [Job Title] Offer - Request for Additional Time
Hi [Recruiter Name],
Thank you for the offer. I am very interested in the role and want to give you a thoughtful answer rather than a rushed one.
I am currently [in final stages with another company / reviewing the equity details with my financial advisor / handling a personal matter] and would like to ask for an extension until [specific date, 3 to 5 business days out]. I want to make sure I am making the right decision for both of us.
Is that timeline workable on your end?
[Your Name]
One note on using competing offers to buy time: If you tell a recruiter you have a competing offer and you do not, and they ask to see it or ask which company, you are in an uncomfortable position fast. Only mention a competing offer if it is real. "I need a few more days to complete my due diligence" is always a truthful and acceptable reason. You do not owe anyone a detailed explanation.
Scenario 4: You Need More Information First
Use this when the offer letter is missing key details you need to make a decision. This happens more often than people expect, particularly with startup offers that leave out equity percentage, strike price, preferred vs. common stock, or how many shares are outstanding.
Subject: Re: [Job Title] Offer - A Few Questions Before I Respond
Hi [Recruiter Name],
Thank you for sending this over. I am excited about the opportunity and want to move quickly.
Before I respond formally, I have a few questions about the package:
- What is the current fully diluted share count? I want to understand the equity grant as a percentage of ownership.
- What is the most recent 409A valuation and the last funding round's preferred share price?
- What is the company's current runway, and is there a near-term liquidity event planned?
I realize those are specific, but the equity is a meaningful part of the package and I want to understand it properly. Happy to jump on a call if that is easier.
Thank you,
[Your Name]
Why startup candidates skip these questions and pay for it later: At a public company like Google or Meta, RSUs are valued at the current stock price and the math is straightforward. At a pre-IPO startup, the number of shares you are granted means almost nothing without knowing the total share count and the liquidation preferences stacked above common stock. A $500,000 equity grant that represents 0.05% of a company at a $200 million valuation with two rounds of participating preferred above it may be worth zero if the company exits at $300 million. Ask the questions.
Scenario 5: You Are Declining
Use this when the offer is not the right fit for any reason. Keep it brief, keep it warm, and send it as soon as you know. A recruiter who sent an offer deserves a faster answer than one who ghosted you for three weeks.
Subject: Re: [Job Title] Offer - Decision from [Your Name]
Hi [Recruiter Name],
Thank you for the offer and for everything you put into this process. I have genuinely enjoyed getting to know the team.
After careful consideration, I have decided to decline the offer and pursue another direction that is a better fit for where I am heading right now. This was not a reflection of the company or the team. I have a lot of respect for what [Company] is building.
I hope our paths cross again.
[Your Name]
For the full decline playbook including company-specific rules and what to say when the recruiter pushes back, see the how to decline a job offer guide.
The Acknowledgment Email: The One Most People Skip
This is the short email you send the same day the offer arrives, before you have made any decision. It is four sentences. It takes three minutes. And it is the single most underused move in the entire offer process.
Here is why it matters: a recruiter who sends an offer has their hiring manager, their HR business partner, and sometimes a VP waiting for the outcome. Every day that passes with no response creates internal pressure that occasionally leads to the offer being rescinded or a deadline being tightened. Your acknowledgment email stops all of that. It tells them you are engaged, you are taking it seriously, and they will hear from you by a specific date.
The acknowledgment email:
Subject: Re: Offer for [Job Title] - [Your Name]
Hi [Recruiter Name],
Thank you so much. I just received the offer and I am genuinely excited. I want to give this the proper attention it deserves, so I will come back to you with my response by [specific date, 2 to 3 business days from now].
Looking forward to talking soon.
[Your Name]
That is it. Send that first. Every other email in this guide comes after you have reviewed the package.
The Company-Specific Things to Know
Each major tech company has quirks in how their offers are structured that change what you should be looking for before you respond.
Google offers are detailed and, once finalized, can be difficult to adjust significantly. The most important thing to verify is your level, L3 through L8, which is stated in the offer letter. If you believe you were interviewed and evaluated at a higher level than the offer reflects, raise this before signing, not after. The leveling conversation is significantly easier before acceptance than it is six months into your tenure. For context on how Google's process gets you to the offer stage in the first place, the Google interview response time guide has the full timeline.
Meta
Meta does not use a one-year RSU cliff. Their equity vests quarterly from the start, which means if you leave after six months, you have still received some stock. This is more candidate-friendly than Amazon's back-loaded schedule and worth factoring into your comparison if you are weighing multiple offers. The sign-on bonus at Meta is typically structured to offset the unvested equity you are leaving behind at your current employer and is one of the most negotiable parts of the package. See the Meta interview response time guide for full context on how their process works.
Amazon
Amazon's RSU schedule, 5/15/40/40 over four years, is the most important thing to understand before responding. Year one and year two together are only 20% of your total grant. If you are comparing an Amazon offer to one from a company with a flat four-year vest, the Amazon package in years one and two looks significantly worse on paper than it does in years three and four. Ask what the annual RSU refresh cadence looks like at your level. For senior engineers, the refreshes can partially offset the back-loading. The Amazon interview response time guide covers how their offer process works from final interview to written letter.
Netflix
Netflix pays all-cash. There are no RSUs and no equity component in standard offers. Their base salaries are calibrated to reflect the market value of the equity they are not giving you, which is why Netflix base salaries for senior engineers frequently run higher than comparable levels at Google or Meta. When comparing a Netflix offer to an equity-heavy offer from another company, use a 10 to 15 year stock price assumption for the competitor's equity to make an honest comparison. The Netflix response time guide explains how they run the offer process from the inside.
Startups
For pre-IPO offers, the equity section of the offer letter is almost never enough information on its own. Ask for the cap table summary, the fully diluted share count, the most recent 409A valuation, the liquidation preference structure, and the company's current runway. None of these questions are unusual for a senior candidate to ask, and any company that refuses to answer them before you sign is telling you something important.
What Not to Do When You Receive an Offer
Accept verbally and then try to renegotiate. Once you say yes, you have set a psychological and professional anchor. Trying to negotiate after a verbal acceptance reads as either disorganized or dishonest. If you need to negotiate, do it before you say yes.
Ghost the recruiter for four days. They will start assuming the worst and they will be right to. Even if you need time, the acknowledgment email takes three minutes and eliminates all the friction that silence creates.
Accept without reading the full package. You will not catch the one-year cliff, the clawback clause, or the level discrepancy if you skip directly to the signature line. Read every section.
Negotiate with a number you cannot defend. "I was hoping for more" is not a negotiation position. "Based on current market rates for this level in [city], the range is $X to $Y, and I am targeting the midpoint" is one. Go into the negotiation with a number and a one-sentence rationale for it. Levels.fyi and LinkedIn Salary are the two fastest sources for this data.
Tell the recruiter you have another offer when you do not. This comes up in almost every negotiation context, and it is tempting because it works. But if they ask which company, when the offer expires, or whether you would be willing to share a copy, you have nowhere to go. Use real leverage only.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do you have to respond to a job offer?
The standard window at most tech companies is 3 to 5 business days from when the written offer is issued. Some companies include an explicit deadline in the offer letter. If no deadline is listed, respond within that window as a professional courtesy. If you need more time, ask for it in writing with a specific new date.
Should you accept a job offer immediately?
No. Even if you are certain you want to accept, take at least a few hours to review the full offer letter before responding. Send the acknowledgment email the same day the offer arrives, then take your time with the formal response.
Is it okay to negotiate after receiving a written offer?
Yes. The written offer is the starting point of the negotiation, not the end of it. Companies expect negotiation at this stage. The window to negotiate closes once you sign. Over 85% of candidates who negotiate receive at least a partial improvement to their package.
What should the job offer response email include?
A clear decision (accept, negotiate, ask for time, ask for questions, or decline), a confirmation of the key terms if accepting, and a professional closing. Keep it under 150 words unless you are asking detailed questions about the package.
What if you receive two offers at the same time?
Tell both companies. You do not need to name the other company, but being transparent about your timeline protects both relationships. "I am currently reviewing another offer and expect to have a decision by [date]" is the right framing. See the salary negotiation guide for the exact script to use a competing offer as leverage.
What happens if you accept and then change your mind?
You can rescind an acceptance, but do it immediately and by phone before you follow up in writing. See the how to decline a job offer guide for the exact script. Companies understand that situations change. What they do not forgive is a no-show on day one or silence after signing.
Do you have to give a reason when declining a job offer by email?
No. A brief, professional reason is courteous and leaves the door open for a future reapplication, but you are not obligated to explain your decision in detail. One sentence is enough.
Related Reading:
