Offer negotiation for remote roles
How to negotiate a remote offer as an Indian-resident contractor or employee — the USD band research, the counter-offer script, equity vs cash, and the moves that protect the relationship.
Offer negotiation for remote roles
Status: Offer negotiation outline — full guide coming soon. Get notified when it ships →
What this covers
- How to research the USD band for your level from India (Levels.fyi, USTC, Glassdoor + sanity checks)
- The counter-offer script that doesn't burn the relationship
- Equity vs cash for an Indian-resident: when equity is worth the tax friction, when it isn't
- The 4 non-cash levers most candidates leave on the table (signing bonus, equipment, dev budget, paid time off)
Why this matters for Indian devs going remote
Indian devs systematically under-negotiate remote offers — accepting the first number, assuming "I'm in India, I can't push." US/EU companies expect a counter for senior remote roles, and the gap between the first offer and the negotiated final is often 15-25%. That's life-changing money over a 2-3 year stretch.
Outline
USD band research
TODO — Levels.fyi by company, USTC seniority mapping, Glassdoor sanity check, the "what's the band" question to ask the recruiter.
The counter-offer script
TODO — the structure: gratitude → competing context → specific ask → flexibility → ratio of cash/equity/start-date.
Equity vs cash for India-resident
TODO — RSU tax treatment, ESOP gotchas, when to push for more cash, when equity is meaningful.
The 4 non-cash levers
TODO — signing bonus (USD), equipment budget, learning budget, PTO above default; how to ask.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Accepting the first offer without a counter
- Saying "I have no other offers" — leverage is always context, not lies
- Treating equity as fungible with cash for India-resident tax purposes
Templates / examples
TODO — a counter-offer email template, a USD band research worksheet, and the equity-vs-cash decision matrix for India residents.
Related guides
- Negotiating a remote offer from India: USD band, equity vs cash
- Remote contractor invoicing with Deel and Wise
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