Negotiating without a second offer to point to
An offer lands for your first engineering job and it's lower than you hoped, but you don't have a competing offer to point to, and you're not entirely sure what's actually negotiable at this level, base salary, a signing bonus, start date, or something else. New-offer mode runs that exact conversation.
You state what you're asking for out loud, the AI responds the way a recruiter handling a first-time candidate actually would, sometimes flexible, sometimes not, and you practice holding the conversation without a second offer as backup.
That gap, no comparable offer, no years of market data, is exactly what makes a first negotiation feel different from a later one, and it's the version of the conversation this mode is built around.
What gets covered
The session starts with you stating a position, a number, a start date, a request for more equity or a signing bonus, out loud rather than typed into a form, since saying it clearly under a little pressure is its own skill.
The AI on the other side responds and pushes back the way a real recruiter would rather than agreeing immediately, and the conversation continues until it reaches an actual close: an agreed number, a plan to follow up, or a clear no. Internal-raise mode exists as a separate scenario for later, once you already have the job and are negotiating a raise instead of a starting offer.
Scoring
What scoring weighs here
This session isn't scored on whether you'd get hired. It's scored on how you hold the conversation, whether you state a clear position, respond to pushback without folding immediately, and close on something concrete.
The penalty system still deducts for an abrupt ending, so a negotiation that trails off without landing on a number, a timeline, or a next step scores worse than one that closes deliberately, even if the number you asked for was reasonable and well-argued along the way.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a competing offer to practice this?
No. New-offer mode is built for the version of this conversation a first-time candidate actually has, which often doesn't include a second offer to point to.
Does the AI actually push back, or just agree to whatever I ask for?
It pushes back. The AI on the other side responds the way a real recruiter handling a first-time candidate would, with questions or hesitation, not automatic agreement.
What's the difference between new-offer and internal-raise mode?
New-offer mode practices negotiating a job offer that's just been made. Internal-raise mode, for later, practices asking a current employer for a raise, a different conversation with a different relationship behind it.
Is it scored on whether I'd actually get the job?
No. It's scored on how the negotiation itself goes, stating a position, handling pushback, and closing the conversation, not on hiring likelihood.
Related pages
Rehearse your first offer negotiation
Practice asking for more on a first software engineering offer out loud, with an AI that pushes back the way a real recruiter would.