Practice offer letter vocabulary: base salary, signing bonus, RSU vesting schedule, offer expiry, counter-offer, and formal offer extension language.
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An offer letter states: 'Your ___ salary will be £85,000 per annum.' What word fits?
'Base salary' is the fixed annual compensation before bonuses, equity, or other variable components. It is always stated explicitly in an offer letter as the foundation of the compensation package.
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What is a 'signing bonus'?
A signing bonus (also called a 'joining bonus') is a one-time payment given at the time of hire. It is commonly used to compensate candidates for unvested stock or bonuses they forfeit by leaving their current employer.
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An offer includes '10,000 RSUs vesting over 4 years with a 1-year cliff.' What does '1-year cliff' mean?
A 1-year cliff means zero RSUs vest during the first year. After 12 months, 25% vest at once (the cliff), and the remaining 75% vest monthly or quarterly over the following 3 years. This protects the company from very short-tenure hires.
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An HR message says 'this offer ___ on Friday at 5pm.' What word fits?
Offer letters include an expiry date to create a decision deadline. 'The offer expires on Friday' means the candidate must accept or decline before that time, after which the offer may be withdrawn or renegotiated.
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A candidate responds to a job offer with a higher salary request. This is called a:
A counter-offer is the candidate's response proposing different terms — typically higher base salary, more equity, or a larger signing bonus. Counter-offers are a normal part of negotiation and recruiters expect them.