Before an offer can be compared to anything you need: the band for the level and where in it this sits, what the bonus actually paid last year, the vesting schedule and whether there is a cliff, the employer's contribution to insurance, the leave entitlement, the notice period, and whether pay is reviewed on a cycle. Employers expect these questions and an evasive answer to any of them is itself information.
The eight questions
What level is this role and what is the band for it? Increasingly required to be disclosed, and where it is not, usually answered if asked.
Where in that band does this offer sit? The single most useful question in the whole process, because it tells you whether there is room.
What did the bonus actually pay last year? Not the target. The outcome.
What is the vesting schedule, and is there a cliff? A one-year cliff means the first year of equity is worth nothing if you leave at eleven months.
What does the employer contribute to health coverage? A figure they have, and one of the largest non-salary items.
What is the leave entitlement, and does it accrue or reset? “Unlimited” is a policy, not an entitlement, and generally means no payout on leaving.
What is the notice period, both ways? It is part of the package and it is asymmetric surprisingly often.
Is pay reviewed on a cycle, and when is the next one? Joining a month after a review cycle can mean eleven months before the first increase.
Why asking is not risky
Because every one of these is a factual question about the terms of an offer that has already been made. Nobody withdraws an offer because a candidate asked what the vesting schedule is. The fear attached to these questions is mostly borrowed from the fear attached to asking for more money, which is a different conversation.
What an evasive answer tells you
An employer that will not say where an offer sits in the band usually has a reason, and it is rarely a good one. An employer that cannot say what the bonus paid last year either does not track it or does not want to. Neither is disqualifying and both are worth knowing before you accept rather than after.
Ask them in writing
Not to be adversarial but because the answers are detailed and you will want them later when comparing. A short email listing the questions is normal practice and produces better answers than a phone call, because the person answering can go and check.
Common questions
Is it safe to ask these questions?
Yes. Every one is a factual question about terms already offered. Nobody withdraws an offer because a candidate asked about the vesting schedule.
What is the single most useful question?
Where in the band this offer sits. It tells you whether there is room to move and therefore whether negotiating is worth the effort.
What does unlimited leave actually mean?
It is a policy rather than an entitlement. In practice it usually means no accrued balance and no payout when you leave, and often less leave taken rather than more.
Why does the review cycle matter?
Joining a month after one can mean eleven months before your first increase. It is worth knowing, and occasionally worth negotiating an off-cycle review at the outset.
Should I ask by email or on a call?
Email. The answers are detailed, you will want them when comparing, and the person answering can go and check rather than guess.