Can one negotiate a job offer after signing and sending the contract?

If you are not convinced that the offer is attractive, write a letter rejecting it.

Q. Last week, I finished an interview process that took a month. The HR manager later sent me the offer details and requested that I accept or reject it within one day.

When I read the job offer, it looked fine to me, so I signed it and sent it back. Thinking about it though, I think I made a hasty decision.

The letter states that there will be days when I will be expected to work overtime, as well as weekends, but there is no mention of compensation. Can one negotiate a job offer after accepting it?

It seems, in this case, that the recruiter was in a hurry to fill the position because common practice is for the employer to allow a minimum of seven days for the candidate to review the offer and make an informed decision before signing. It also allows the candidate sufficient time to discuss any areas of concern.

The danger of pushing the candidate to sign up is that they may end up accepting an offer without understanding the details, ending up resigning during probation or continue working but become frustrated as their expectations were not met. The contract should be explicit. In this case there are ambiguous clauses that need clarification from the recruiter.

I have observed that most candidates are in a rush to accept an offer with a slight adjustment to their current salaries without considering the other benefits that their current employer offers. Scrutinise all the details, including the benefits in comparison to the ones you currently have and ensure that the salary increase is more than what your current employer would offer during annual reviews.

Any career move should make a significant improvement to your financial situation, as well as career growth. That said, managers are sometimes required to work odd hours, and weekends as well depending on the industry, however there must be a schedule that allows for rest on other days.

Yes, it is possible for the offer to be changed even after you have accepted and signed it if you possess skills and competencies that the organisation is scouting for. My advice is that you outline all the areas of concern and seek audience with the recruiter.

If you are not convinced that the offer is attractive, write a letter rejecting it, even though this should be the last option since it may jeopardise a future opportunity with this particular employer. It is my hope that you have not yet tendered your resignation at your current work place.

A lesson to take with you is to always be prepared to say no when pressured to make a decision without giving it deep thought.