Offer letter crisis

by devon
(germantown, md)

I went for a job interview for a medical records analyst on thursday in washington dc. i didn't ask about the benefits the company offered(which was a dummy move on my end). i was offered the job friday morning. i recieved an offer letter with an increased salary. BUT, the increase is not enough to justify the commute to the city, and the benefits are not equal to the ones that i have now at my current job. how can i write a counter offer letter asking for an increase, and detailing the benefits that i want?

thanks in advance for your help.

--devon


Hi Devon,

Congratulations on getting a job offer!

Most companies will expect you to negotiate an offer so please feel comfortable doing so.
Before writing the letter you need to consider:
1- What are the positive points of the offer/company that have you interested in taking the job?
2-What are the elements of the offer that would need to be modified for you to accept it?

Once these points are clear to you, you can start writing your counter-proposal letter.

The best advice is to remain enthusiastic throughout the letter, weave through the positive points that you came up with in point 1. Limit the “negotiation items” to only those that are necessary for you to feel comfortable accepting the offer.

e.g.

I am very pleased to have received the offer for the position of medical records analyst and look forward to accepting it. I am convinced that my years experience in this field will be a great asset for your company. The terms of the offer are acceptable with a few minor modifications.

Base Salary of $xxx per year. I have researched the industry norms for the position of Medical records analyst and believe a salary of $xxx is more in-line with the vast experience and knowledge that I would bring to the job.

Benefits Package. The benefit package offered by your company is generous. My current plan also includes.... Would similar benefits be available to me?

Working for you company is of great interest to me. I sincerely believe that it corresponds to my professional objectives and that I would be a strong addition to your team. I welcome the opportunity to discuss these modification with you in the very near future.
Sincerely,

Remember that this is a negotiation so ask for a bit more that you need. However, do not go too much over, or the offer may be taken off the table.
Hopefully, all your request will be met. If not, you will need to evaluate the offer compared to your current job.

A good way to evaluate the offer is to:
• List the job factors that are important to you,

• Prioritize the list based on the importance of each factor,

• Use a weighting system (1- no good, 5 ideal) to evaluate each factor,

• Rank the offer based on these factors and compare to your current job.

This will allow you to compare the offer with what you have currently and help you decided which one is best suited to your needs.

Good Luck.