Compare two job offers in India on fixed pay first, then on the work, the manager, the city and the joining date. The higher CTC is not automatically the better offer when a large part of it is variable, or when the role teaches you nothing you want. Write both offers in one table before you decide.
Line the money up in the same units
Put fixed pay, variable pay, joining bonus, provident fund, gratuity, insurance and any retention bonus in two columns. Ask which parts are guaranteed. A joining bonus that must be returned if you leave inside a year is not the same as fixed pay.
- Compare monthly in-hand from fixed pay, not just annual CTC.
- Note the city. Rent can erase a higher CTC.
- Check probation length and the pay during probation.
Compare the work and the manager
Ask what you will own in the first six months, who you will report to, and how performance is judged. A slightly lower offer on a team that matches your target skill is often the better career move.
- Request a conversation with the hiring manager if you have not met them.
- Ask why the role is open and how success is measured.
- Treat culture slogans as marketing. Treat the manager conversation as evidence.
Decide once, then close both conversations
Tell the offer you accept in writing, and tell the other employer the same day with thanks. Using one offer only to extract a number you never intended to take is how reputations travel in a small industry. If you need a day, ask for a decision date and keep it.
- Get the final numbers into the offer letter before you resign.
- Decline politely. You may meet that recruiter again.
- Do not resign until the accepted offer is signed.
Same table, fixed pay first, then the work. Accept one offer and decline the other the same day.
Questions people ask
Should I tell each company about the other offer?
- You can say you are at offer stage elsewhere and share the decision date. Share the other CTC only if you are comfortable and the number is real.
What if the lower CTC has equity?
- Treat startup equity as a possibility, not as salary. Ask what percentage you are being offered, the vesting schedule, and what happens if you leave. Do not trade away fixed pay you need for living costs.
How long can I ask for to decide?
- Two or three working days is a normal request. A week may be possible. Disappearing is not a negotiation tactic.
Related reading
Meera Iyer
Meera edits WePlacement career guides for people searching, interviewing and negotiating offers in India. She writes from questions recruiters and candidates ask every week.
