Where this negotiation actually gets complicated
A software engineering offer letter rarely reads as a single number. It's a base salary, a grant of equity with its own vesting schedule, and often a signing bonus meant to offset unvested equity being left behind at a previous employer.
A candidate negotiating this has to hold several moving parts at once: asking for more base without ignoring that a recruiter might offer more equity instead, or clarifying whether a signing bonus is one-time or tied to a retention condition. A candidate who's only rehearsed asking for a bigger number in the abstract can get outmaneuvered by a recruiter who's used to trading between these levers fluidly.
What the practice session covers
Salary negotiation practice runs in two modes, a new-offer mode for a job offer that's just landed, and an internal-raise mode for negotiating with a current employer.
In new-offer mode, a candidate states their ask out loud, a base number, a question about the equity grant, a counter on a signing bonus, and the AI on the other end responds the way a recruiter actually would, with a counter, a clarifying question, or a note about the company's compensation bands rather than folding immediately.
Scoring
How the scoring applies here
The session ends with a scored report and written reasoning on how the negotiation actually went, not on whether the candidate would get hired, since this is a negotiation, not an evaluation.
The penalty system deducts for an interview that ends abruptly, which matters here specifically, since a candidate can win ground on the numbers during the conversation and still lose points for failing to land on a clear next step, a number restated, a timeline for a written offer, before the call wraps up.
Frequently asked questions
Can I practice negotiating equity and a signing bonus, not just base salary?
Yes. New-offer mode is built around the full negotiation a real software engineering offer requires, and a candidate can bring up equity, vesting, or a signing bonus the same way they would in an actual call.
Will the AI just agree to whatever number I ask for?
No. The AI on the other side of the conversation responds and pushes back the way a real recruiter or hiring manager would, with a counter or a clarifying question, rather than folding immediately.
Is this useful if I don't have a real offer yet?
Yes. Both new-offer and internal-raise modes can be used ahead of a real conversation, which gives a candidate a chance to rehearse the negotiation before an actual offer or review puts them under real pressure.
Can I practice asking for a raise at my current job instead of a new offer?
Yes. Internal-raise mode is a separate scenario built for that exact conversation, since asking a current manager for more differs from negotiating a brand new offer.
Does ending the conversation without a clear next step cost points?
Yes. The penalty system deducts for an abruptly ended session, so closing with a clear ask restated or a timeline agreed on scores better than letting the conversation trail off.
Related pages
Rehearse the full offer conversation before you have it for real
Practice negotiating base salary, equity, and a signing bonus with an AI that pushes back, then review a scored report on how it went.