Why this negotiation is different

Startup equity is genuinely hard to value, unlike a base salary number, it depends on the company's current valuation, how many shares are outstanding, your strike price, and an outcome (acquisition, IPO, or nothing) that's uncertain by definition. Startups often use lower base salary paired with equity as a real trade-off, which means you need to negotiate both pieces together rather than treating equity as a bonus on top of a fully competitive base. The specific questions you ask (percentage ownership, vesting schedule, exercise window after leaving) matter more than the raw number of shares or options, which means little without that context.

A specific script and approach

Ask directly, even though it can feel uncomfortable: "Can you tell me what percentage of the fully diluted company this option grant represents, and what the strike price is?" Then on the trade-off: "I understand the base is below what I'd get at a larger company, given that, I'd like to understand if there's room to increase either the base or the equity grant." If the base is meaningfully below market and you're taking on real risk, it's fair to ask for both a modest base increase and a larger equity grant, not just one or the other.

Common mistakes

Don't accept a raw number of options or shares without asking what percentage of the company that represents, the number alone is meaningless without total shares outstanding. Don't ignore the post-termination exercise window (how long you have to buy your vested options after leaving), some companies give only 90 days, which can force a costly decision if you ever leave. And don't treat equity as guaranteed value equivalent to cash, most startup equity is worth nothing if the company doesn't have a successful exit, factor that risk into how hard you push on base salary.

Get real-time help in your next interview
Live Interview Help listens to your interview and surfaces personalised answers in real time. Free 20-minute trial on Google Meet, Teams, and Zoom.
Install Free on Chrome
Check your CV against the job description first
Free AI-powered CV Match Check scores your CV against any job description: missing keywords, weak impact metrics, and ATS parsing risk, before you even apply.
Check My CV Free

Frequently asked questions

What's a reasonable equity percentage to ask about for a non-founder hire?
It varies enormously by role, seniority, and how early the company is, early engineering or leadership hires at seed-stage startups sometimes get a meaningfully higher percentage than someone joining a well-funded Series C company. Rather than aiming for a specific percentage, ask what's typical for your level at that company's stage and compare it to your total compensation needs.
Should I prioritize base salary or equity if I can only push on one?
If you have real financial obligations (rent, family expenses) that need predictable income, prioritize base salary, since equity has genuine uncertainty. If you can tolerate more risk and believe strongly in the company's trajectory, a larger equity grant can be worth pushing for instead, but go in with clear eyes about the odds.

Before your next interview, it helps to have the fundamentals down. Our complete guide to preparing for a job interview covers the basics, and the STAR method is a reliable way to structure almost any answer under pressure.

Try an AI mock interview free
A real voice interviewer that questions you, drills into weak spots, and scores your answers, grounded in your actual CV and the job description.
Try a Mock Interview Free