Negotiating an offer

[Anonymous]

So I'm looking to make a move and received an offer yesterday. Curious as to how hard to push negotiations or if I'm in a good place.

Currently at $75k base + 35% project based bonus contingent on individual project performance with 15 days PTO.

Offer in at $95k base + 20% yearly contingent on company/individual performance with 20 days PTO.

New job does have better benefits but not hugely substantial.

I'd like to push for an even $100k and some more PTO but recruiter says he already bumped offer up to 95 from 90 and that the company is telling him they are standing firm. I'm somewhat annoyed that he negotiated previously without my input but it is what it is at this point.

1.) Is the new offer good enough to not even bother pushing it. I am very interested and would 99% take it with no adjustment.
2.) Should I even bother pushing it based on recruiters comments? Don't want to start off on wrong foot.

[Anonymous]

I'd tell the recruiter that you appreciate his doing a pre-negotiation but that this is the first offer you've seen and that you expect an opportunity to counter. I suspect he's being lazy/concerned about bridge-burning with the company (who pays his fee, right?). So tell him you're looking for 100K and X days of PTO and Y% bonus--and say that you're happy to reach out to the employer directly if he's not comfortable/willing to counter on your behalf.

[Anonymous]

Here is the thing: often PTO is not negotiable. Salary is. Ask for PTO, but then be ready to county with salary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd tell the recruiter that you appreciate his doing a pre-negotiation but that this is the first offer you've seen and that you expect an opportunity to counter. I suspect he's being lazy/concerned about bridge-burning with the company (who pays his fee, right?). So tell him you're looking for 100K and X days of PTO and Y% bonus--and say that you're happy to reach out to the employer directly if he's not comfortable/willing to counter on your behalf.

Agree other than the bypassing the recruiter part. It will feel like a threat.

Just tell the recruiter you appreciate the offer, thanks for negotiating for you, but you'd still like to ask for $100. It's a small increase really.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd tell the recruiter that you appreciate his doing a pre-negotiation but that this is the first offer you've seen and that you expect an opportunity to counter. I suspect he's being lazy/concerned about bridge-burning with the company (who pays his fee, right?). So tell him you're looking for 100K and X days of PTO and Y% bonus--and say that you're happy to reach out to the employer directly if he's not comfortable/willing to counter on your behalf.

The end of this is absolutely terrible and unprofessional advice. Do not listen to it, OP. If the recruiter is the one who found the job for you, set up your interviews, and introduced you to this employer, you cannot negotiate outside of them. Nor will the employer entertain such a conversation as they are also contractually bound by the guidelines of their contract with the recruiter. The recruiter IS there to have these convos though, so tell them that you'd like to counter with 100K and the additional PTO days. But going around them is an absolute NO unless you want the offer rescinded and your bridge burned with both the recruiter and the firm.