A Guide to Delivering Offers with Equity Compensation
Equity compensation is often the most confusing part of a job offer—for both recruiters and candidates. That’s why Unicorn Talent created the Equity Offer Workbook, a simple, structured tool to help you clearly explain the value of total compensation in a way that builds trust and improves offer acceptance rates.
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Breaking down the key sections in the Equity Offer Workbook
1. Your Offer
This section gathers all the core components of a candidate’s offer: base salary, variable compensation, number of equity shares, and estimated value of annual benefits. Recruiters enter the offer actuals, and the model calculates a clear picture of total annual compensation—making it easier for recruiters to walk candidates through the numbers with confidence. It also reinforces that equity is part of a broader, competitive total comp package.
2. Company – Fully Diluted Shares
To calculate the potential value of equity, this section requires input on the company’s total fully diluted share count. This is a critical data point for translating shares into actual dollar value, which is often a missing piece when equity is discussed. Transparency here helps candidates understand what their ownership stake really means and demystifies how startups assign equity.
3. Projections
This area allows the company to set unified expectations about growth and it’s impact on equity valuation. These projections should correlate with the offer pitch used by recruiters to talk about company growth. They factor in both company growth, as well as dillution from future equity financing.
Candidates can use the custom scenario section to model out their own expectations in either direction. They get a realistic view of what their equity might be worth over time—not just a big number with no context. This is especially important to use during offer negotiations to talk through any deltas in growth plans. If candidates are not as bullish as the company, this tool will help align expectations
4. Visualize Your Earnings
The final section automatically calculates and displays the total annualized value of the offer—combining salary, bonus, benefits, and projected equity value. It gives recruiters a clean, consolidated figure to present in conversations or offer letters, helping candidates see the full picture. The graph is modeled from the custom scenario data in the projections tab, so candidate can see compensation distribution across each component. It’s the part that ties everything together and makes the equity conversation feel grounded and credible.
Why This Tool Works—for Everyone Involved
Equity offers typically have lower offer to accept rates due to ambiguity of valuation, misaligned expectations, or a lack of understanding of the compensation vehicle itself. The Offer Workbook simplifies the math, and gives both recruiters and candidates a shared understanding of what’s being offered. It supports more honest, informed conversations—reducing negotiation friction and improving close rates. Whether you're hiring for an early-stage startup or a growth-stage unicorn, this tool helps you present equity like a pro.
👉 Download the Unicorn Talent Equity Offer Template and start making your offers easier to understand—and harder to turn down.