Offers & Negotiations

Receiving a job offer can be both an exciting and stressful experience! So when you receive an offer, what should you do first?

1. Express gratitude: The first thing you should do when receive a job offer is to say thank you!
2. Get the details: Ask questions about the offer. Be sure you have all the information on the salary, bonus structure, benefits (medical, dental, 401K, etc.), title of the position and location of the offer.
3. The third step will usually find people in one of three areas:

• Not sure you want to take the position? After you thank the employer for the offer, let them know that you would like to review the details of the offer and will get back to them within the week (or sooner if you need less time to review the details). Then think through the offer and identify what your hesitations are and compare that with your priorities. If your biggest priority is to be close to family but the location isn’t right, then maybe it’s not the right position. If you want to talk it through with a career advisor and the times on Handshake don’t work for you, come to Career Advisor walk-in hours, or email Misty Start, Director of Undergraduate Career Management, at startm@bu.edu to talk through the details.
• Want to negotiate? If you like the job but want to talk through potential negotiations, give it a shot! You can choose to negotiate during the call if you are prepared, but if you are not prepared, ask for a few days to review the details and to prepare your priority list. If you want support on this, again contact the career team for support. We will do our best to fit you in within 24-48 hours to discuss not only job offer decision making, but also job offer negotiation or timeline extension negotiations. If you feel comfortable negotiating on your own, go for it, but check out one of the handouts below for tips, suggestions, and process considerations!
  • How to Negotiation Compensation: explains what is negotiable, suggested language you can use, and limitations within the negotiation process.
  • How to Negotiate Timeline of Offer Acceptance: explains the proper steps to take, provides examples of how to frame your situation, and clarifies policy limitations.
• Happy to accept? Great! Simply, say thank you and accept! Be sure to clarify start date and have them send you the official offer letter. Then you can sign it and let the UDC know you’ve accepted an offer so we can take note and celebrate your success!

As for internship offers, the steps above apply to you as well, except for negotiation. While you may not be able to negotiate pay, you can always inquire about other perks they may offer, such as free lunches or support paying for a monthly pass for public transportation.