got a Deloitte offer a few months back, negotiated, and want to be specific about what worked and what didn't because most advice online is generic.
the role was senior consultant in the Government and Public Services practice, based in DC. initial offer was $118k base with a signing bonus around $15k. not terrible but below what I was targeting.
what I tried first (did not work): just saying I had a competing offer in a vague way. recruiter said "we'll note that" and came back with exactly the same number. they didn't bite without substance.
what actually moved it: I had a real competing offer at a smaller advisory firm at $125k. I said the number out loud, named the firm type (boutique federal advisory), and said I preferred Deloitte but needed to close the gap. base went from $118k to $122k. when base stalled I pivoted to signing bonus. asked if there was flexibility there given relocation costs (I was moving from Chicago to DC). they bumped signing from $15k to $20k. that felt easier for them to move than base. I asked about the performance bonus structure and got clarity that senior consultants typically get 5-10% of base if they hit utilization targets. that context helped me understand the total comp picture better.
total movement: about $4k base, $5k signing. not huge but real. the biggest lesson was that vague competing offers don't work here. Deloitte recruiters have a process and they need something concrete to escalate to a comp manager.
also: the offer letter had a 5 business day window. I used 4 of them. not sure if urgency matters but I didn't feel pressure.