Checklist · Career
Job Offer Evaluation Checklist for Developers
Opens with creditsA step-by-step checklist for reading, comparing and accepting a software job offer. It covers working out total compensation, the basics of stock options and vesting, the contract clauses that matter (notice, probation, IP, non-compete), benefits and leave, remote and location terms, the team and growth you are signing up for, negotiating without burning bridges, and getting every promise in writing. It is practical guidance, not legal, tax or financial advice.
Written by Tauseef Fayyaz8 chapters, 38 checksAbout 24 minReviewed 13 October 2026What you will learn
8 chapters · about 24 min
1Get the full offer before you judge itAn offer is more than a number on a call. Collect every term in writing first, so you are comparing complete offers, not first impressions.4 checks · 3 min
2Work out total compensationTurn each offer into numbers you can compare: what is fixed, what is variable, what is paper value, and what it costs you to take the job.5 checks · 3 min
- Understand equity before you count itStock options and shares can be valuable or worthless. Know what you are being granted, when it vests, what it costs to own and how it is taxed.5 checks · 4 minOpens with credits
- Read the contract terms that bind youWho employs you, probation, notice, intellectual property and restrictions after you leave. These clauses decide how free you are later.6 checks · 4 minOpens with credits
- Benefits, leave and protectionCheck the safety net: health cover, leave, retirement savings, and what happens if you are ill or the job ends.4 checks · 2 minOpens with credits
- Remote, hybrid and location termsWhere and when you work is part of the deal. Get the arrangement in writing so it cannot quietly change after you join.4 checks · 2 minOpens with credits
- Team, manager and growthPay is easy to compare; the team you join is harder and often matters more. Ask questions that show what your first year will really be like.5 checks · 3 minOpens with credits
- Negotiate politely and get it in writingAsk for what you need without damaging the relationship, then make sure every agreed term is in the signed contract before you resign anywhere.5 checks · 3 minOpens with credits
About this checklist
A job offer evaluation checklist helps you make one of the biggest decisions of your year with the full picture in front of you. Offers arrive with a deadline and a headline salary, and it is tempting to compare two numbers and sign. But the salary is only part of what you are agreeing to. The bonus may be discretionary, the equity may be worth nothing for years, the notice period may lock you in for months, and a broad IP clause may claim the side project you have been building on weekends.
This checklist walks through an offer in the order you should check it. The first chapters turn the offer into comparable numbers: base pay, bonus, equity and the cost of benefits you would otherwise buy yourself. The middle chapters cover the contract: who employs you, probation and notice, intellectual property and outside work, non-compete and non-solicit clauses, and remote or relocation terms. The last chapters cover what the numbers do not show, the team, the manager and the growth path, then negotiating politely and making sure everything you agreed ends up in writing before you resign from your current job.
The advice draws on GOV.UK guidance on written employment terms and restrictive covenants, the IRS on how stock options are taxed in the US, the FTC on the status of its noncompete rule, Carta's published explainers on vesting and exercise windows, and GitHub's open source employee IP agreement, checked in October 2026. It applies whether the offer comes from a startup in Karachi, a bank in Dubai or a product company in Berlin.
Employment law, tax and equity rules differ by country and change. Treat this as a practical checklist, not legal, tax or financial advice, and confirm anything important with official sources in your country or a qualified professional.
Common questions
How do I compare two developer job offers?
Turn each offer into the same set of numbers: take-home pay, expected bonus, the value of benefits you would use, and the cost of taking the job. Count equity at zero first, then as an upside. Then compare what the numbers do not show: the manager, the work, remote terms and contract clauses such as notice and IP.
What is a vesting cliff?
A cliff is a waiting period before any equity vests. Carta describes the typical startup cliff as one year: if you leave before it, you usually keep nothing, and after it a block vests and the rest vests over the remaining schedule.
Is it rude to negotiate a job offer?
No. Most employers expect some negotiation. Be warm, say you want to join, make one to three specific asks with true reasons, and get any agreed changes in the written contract.
Should I worry about a non-compete clause in my offer?
Read it carefully. GOV.UK warns that an employer could take you to court for breaching restrictive covenants, and enforceability depends on local law and wording. If the clause covers your whole industry for a long time, ask for it to be narrowed or get advice from a local lawyer.
Can my employer own my side projects?
It depends on your contract and local law. Some IP clauses only cover work for the job; others claim anything you create during employment. Read the clause, and if it is broad, ask for existing and unrelated personal projects to be excluded in writing before you sign.
When should I resign from my current job after getting an offer?
Only after the new contract is signed by both sides and every condition, such as references or background checks, is confirmed cleared in writing. Until then the offer can still be withdrawn.
Sources (7)
Checked against these, last on 13 October 2026.
- Employment contracts: Written statement of employment particulars, GOV.UKwww.gov.uk/employment-contracts-and-conditions/written-statement-of-employment-particulars
- Handing in your notice: Restrictive covenants, GOV.UKwww.gov.uk/handing-in-your-notice/restrictive-covenants
- Topic no. 427, Stock options, IRSwww.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc427
- Noncompete Rule, Federal Trade Commissionwww.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/rules/noncompete-rule
- Vesting: A guide to equity schedules, Cartacarta.com/blog/what-is-stock-vesting/
- Post-termination exercise period (PTEP), Cartacarta.com/learn/equity/leaving-company/post-termination-exercise-period/
- Balanced Employee IP Agreement (BEIPA), GitHubgithub.com/github/balanced-employee-ip-agreement
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