The offer, the money and the first 90 days
The thank-you email, the offer line by line, the negotiation, the notice period and your first 90 days. Each one changes the money.
Done here when the thank-you is sent, the offer is understood line by line, and your joining date and last working day agree.
Thank-you email, and what to send when HR goes quiet
One specific moment makes it yours. Thank-you (one per interviewer), the nudge after silence, the documents reply, withdrawing, and the follow-up after a verbal offer, with the date to send the next one.
Write the emailSalary negotiation coach: plan, counter offer, practice
Your three numbers, market figures with sources, the call script, replies to every push-back and the emails. Practice out loud with a recruiter who pushes back, then paste what the recruiter replied and get your next line.
Open onThe coachCounter-offer emailCompare two offersAccept the offerDecline the offerAsk for more timePlan my askOffer letter reader
Open the PDF or Word file, or paste it. CTC breakupPay breakdown, take-home, joining bonus clawback, bond, notice, probation, non-competes and anything unusual, in plain words, marked red, amber or green, with the questions to ask HR.
Read my offer letterNotice period, last working day and buyoutpay in lieu
Last working day from days, weeks or months, with weekends and your holidays; the buyout under the basis your company usesthe pay in lieu if your contract has it, a calendar file and five emails: resignation, early release, the note to the new employer and more.
Work out my last dayResignation letter and exit checklist
A short, polite letter as a PDF or Word file, an email to your manager and HR, and the exit checklist for your country: relieving letter, F&F, PF, gratuity, ESOPclearance, certificate of employment, final payfinal pay, reference letter, benefits and equity paperwork, with official links and the dates that matter.
Write my letterJoining documents checklist for a new job
The papers HR usually asks for before day one, by country (India, US, UK, Philippines and elsewhere), for a first job or a job change: ID and right to work, tax and social-security numbers, certificates, past-job letters, bank details, medical. The slow ones first, official links, dates from your first day and the email that asks HR for their exact list.
Get my list30-60-90 day plan for your new job
A full plan for your job and level: goals with the job post's own numbers, dated tasks, people to meet and the talks to have with your manager, with an honest plan check. Track it week by week, or present it in the final interview. Free PDF, Word and PowerPoint, plus a 60-second version.
Open onAny roleFor new managersMake my planThank-you, read, negotiate, then the paperwork
- The same day: the thank-you email. Two lines, one specific moment from the conversation. The thank-you email tool writes it, and the polite nudge for when HR goes quiet.
- When the offer lands: read it before you feel it. The offer letter reader explains every clause in plain words, flags the unusual ones, and ranks the questions to ask HR.
- Know your three numbers, then ask. The salary negotiation coach sets your walk-away, target and ask, gives you the script and the replies to every push-back, and practices the call with you. The counter-offer email page writes the written version; two offers on the table go into the offer comparison.
- Answer in writing. Accept, decline, or ask for more time, each a short email that keeps the door open.
- Work out the dates, then resign. The notice period calculator gives the last working day and what an early release costs; the resignation letter tool writes the letter and the exit checklist.
- Before day one. The joining documents checklist lists what HR asks for in your country; the 30-60-90 day plan gives you goals and dated tasks for the first three months, with a version for new managers.
The order matters at one point: never resign before the offer letter is signed and the joining date is agreed. The notice period calculator and the offer reader both check that the two dates line up.
What do you do when a job offer arrives?
Most offers come first as a phone call that feels like the finish line. It is not yet. Slow down, and take these steps in order.
On the call: thank them, ask for it in writing, ask for time
Say you are pleased and that you would like to see the full offer in writing before you answer. Ask when they need a reply. You do not have to say yes, name a number or turn down anything on that first call.
Read the whole package, not the headline number
The headline is usually the gross yearly amount. What matters is the fixed part, the variable part and how it is paid out, any joining bonus and the conditions to keep it, the notice period, any bond or non-compete, the probation terms, leave, and the benefits. Write down anything you do not understand, and anything that differs from what was said in the interviews. Turn the fixed pay into the monthly amount that reaches your bank with the take-home salary calculator before you decide whether the number is enough.
Decide your ask before you talk again
Pick the lowest number you would accept, the number you hope for, and the number you will ask for. Base them on market data and your take-home needs, not on your current pay. If pay is fixed, ask about the things that often have more room: a joining bonus, the start date, remote days, a review after probation, or a title.
Get the final version in writing, then accept
When you agree on changes, ask for a revised letter. Accept by email, repeating the job title, the pay and the start date as you understand them. That email is your record.
Resign only when the new side is signed
Hand in your notice after you hold a signed offer and a confirmed joining date, and after any background check the offer depends on is done. Then work out your last day, write a short, polite letter, and leave on good terms. The people you work with now are your references later.
Offer mistakes that cost money, or the job
- Saying yes on the call. Excitement makes people accept terms they have not read. "Thank you, can I see it in writing?" costs you nothing.
- Comparing offers on the headline. Two offers with the same gross pay can leave very different amounts each month. Compare take-home pay, bonuses you will really get, and benefits.
- Asking for more with no number and no reason. "Can you do better?" invites a small move. A specific number tied to your skills and the market gets a real answer.
- Using a fake competing offer. If they ask to see it, you lose trust and maybe the offer. Only mention offers that exist.
- Missing the clawback. A joining bonus or relocation payment may have to be paid back if you leave early. Read the condition before you count the money.
What "done" looks like for this step
You hold a signed letter whose terms match what you agreed, your notice is in, your last day and your joining date line up with no gap you did not plan, and your joining papers are ready. You start the new job with a plan for the first month instead of waiting to be told what to do.
Done here? Next: salary and career
Once the dates are set, the last step is the money itself: what reaches your bank, and what comes next: Salary, retirement and your next move. The first tool there is the Take-home salary calculator.
Lost? The interview readiness quiz asks eight questions and tells you which tool to open next.