Most senior candidates negotiate base salary and stop. Half the value of an offer is in other levers. Here's the full list.
1. Base salary. Standard. Aim for 8-15% above first offer if you have data. Anchor to market rate (Levels.fyi, Salary.com), not your previous comp.
2. Sign-on bonus. Easier to get than base. Frames as "covers the comp gap until your first review cycle." A $20-50k sign-on for senior roles is reasonable to ask for.
3. Equity / RSUs. Often the biggest lever for tech and growth-stage roles. Ask for the company's standard senior grant + a stretch. The recruiter usually has 10-20% flex on initial equity.
4. Severance. Negotiate this BEFORE you start. Standard at senior level in tech: 3-6 months base + benefits + accelerated vesting. Often easier to get than salary because it's a future event.
5. Title and scope. Sometimes the most valuable. Senior Director vs VP can mean 30-50% of comp 2 years from now. Title and reporting structure can be more leverage than first-year cash.
Bonus levers when budget is tight:
Vacation days (4 weeks vs 3)
Remote/hybrid flexibility
Equipment budget
Conference / learning allowance
Performance review timing (early review for accelerated raise)
The line that opens negotiation:
"I'm excited about the offer. Before I commit, I want to make sure we've thought through the full package. Let me share what I'm thinking, and you can tell me what's flexible."
— Dr. Hosney Adel