Make the Offer Work
Your job offer isn’t just the finish line—it’s the next starting point. We help you understand the offer, evaluate your options, and negotiate with confidence.
Before you sign anything, break down what you’ve been offered. Look beyond salary—consider benefits, role responsibilities, performance expectations, work location and growth potential. A strong decision includes both short‑term needs and long‑term goals.
Evaluate the Fit
Does this job move you toward the career you want? Think back to how your campus experiences—the internships, leadership roles, research, and service—connect to what this role demands. If the match feels off, it’s okay to ask for time to review or to continue exploring.
Negotiating Strategies and Tips
Negotiating an offer is necessary step in the hiring process. Remember that the ultimate goal is to come to an agreement that both you and the organization are happy with.
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Be respectful and understand that you may need to give a little to get a little, but don't shy away from asking to discuss before accepting.
- Make it personal by negotiating in-person, by phone, or by video chat. Talking about important details via email can lead to miscommunication and frustration.
- Negotiate when you have been formally extended an offer.
- Research! Present an argument based in facts for the type of position, skills you bring to the table, and the area where the position is located. Research salary figures from data gathered through surveys of recent graduates in your field.
- Practice the discussion. Meet with a career counselor to work through phrasing, how to respond to questions, and other details you may want to cover in the negotiation.
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It takes two to negotiate and you should expect certain standards from employers as well. Employers are bound to ethics and should provide you with:
- Accurate information about their organization, timeline of hiring process, positions, career advancement opportunities, and benefits.
- No pressure to accept an offer within unreasonable amounts of time. Most companies are asked to provide at least 2 weeks for considering and most are open to extending (with valid reason and frequent communication) if needed.
- Offer fair and equitable assistance if an employer must revoke an offer that you have already accepted due to changing conditions such as downsizing or withdrawn contracts.
Salary Negotiation Tools
Feel Financially Confident
Making the move to the professional world comes with expenses. From understanding student loan repayment to creating a budget for household expenses to evaluate retirement plans, the Sokolov-Miller Family Financial Literacy and Life Skills team can help. Find on-demand modules, resources, and free workshops to help you understand how to make your offer work for you.
Respond with Professionalism
Once you’ve negotiated and accepted, respond with gratitude and clarity. Confirm the offer in writing, outline next steps, and keep building your professional relationship with the employer. This final impression matters.
- Importantly, once you accept a job offer remove yourself from any other hiring processes in the works. Notify other organizations that you are no longer considering employment in writing and cancel any pending interviews.
- Follow through with any next steps. This could be submitting a formal acceptance letter or completing an online process.
Find Career Support at Penn State
Penn State is home to career offices at the university-wide, college, and campus level. Regardless of what you need help with or where you are in your career readiness journey, professional support is available to help.
