Salary & Compensation in English

You receive an offer from a US company. The recruiter says:

"The base salary is $145,000. On top of that, there's a 15% annual performance bonus target, $40,000 in RSUs vesting over 4 years, and a $10,000 sign-on bonus."

How much is the total compensation (TC) in the first year?

• $145,000 — only the base salary counts as real pay.
• $145,000 base + $21,750 target bonus + $10,000 RSUs (first-year vest) + $10,000 sign-on = $186,750 first-year TC.
• $145,000 + $40,000 + $10,000 = $195,000.
• $145,000 base + $21,750 bonus + $10,000 sign-on = $176,750 (RSUs vest over time so only $10,000 vest in year one).

In a salary negotiation, you want to ask for more money. Which phrasing is most professional and effective?

• "Your offer is too low. I need more money."
• "I'm really excited about this role, but your offer is not enough. Can you do better?"
• "Thank you for the offer. Based on my research and experience with distributed systems at scale, I was expecting a base salary in the range of $155,000–$165,000. Is there flexibility on the base?"
• "I think I deserve more than $145,000 because I have 8 years of experience."

Your manager asks you to compare two job offers in a meeting. You say:

"Offer A has a higher base — $150K versus $135K. But Offer B has a better equity package: $80,000 in RSUs over 4 years compared to $20,000. If we assume both companies perform similarly, Offer B's total four-year compensation is higher by approximately $40,000."

Is this analysis correct?

• Yes — $150K × 4 = $600K vs $135K × 4 = $540K + $80K = $620K. Offer B is $20K higher, not $40K.
• Yes — Offer B is clearly better in every way.
• No — you should always choose the higher base salary.
• The analysis is approximately correct. Offer A: ($150K × 4) + $20K = $620K. Offer B: ($135K × 4) + $80K = $620K. They are equal if bonuses are ignored — the "$40K higher" claim appears to be an error.

You're asking your current employer for a raise. Which opening is most professional?

• "I want a raise. I haven't had one in two years."
• "My colleague earns more than me, which isn't fair."
• "I'd like to discuss my compensation. Over the past year I've led the migration to Kubernetes, reduced deployment time by 60%, and mentored two junior engineers. Based on this contribution and current market rates for senior engineers in this region, I'd like to discuss a salary adjustment."
• "I have a job offer from another company, so you need to give me a raise."

A recruiter asks: "What are your salary expectations?"

Which response is most effective for a senior software engineer role?

• "I'm flexible — whatever you think is fair."
• "I'd rather not say — just make me your best offer."
• "My last salary was $120,000, so I'm looking for a similar amount."
• "Based on my research and the scope of this role, I'm targeting a base in the $140,000–$155,000 range for total compensation including equity and bonus. I'm open to discussing the full package."