How to Handle Counter Offers from Your Current Employer
When you resign from your current job after accepting a new one, a confusing and somewhat flattering situation can occur when a counter offer arrives from the boss. At this point, you’re on the fence about what to do.
The fact is that employers usually first consider their personal interests when an employee gives notice. They don’t want to demonstrate department turnover to their managers, spend more time and money finding a replacement, nor lose productivity such as falling short of sales goals or project deadlines.
Here are the facts about a Counter Offer:
- Before you grab a counter offer, it’s important to think about what’s being offered and what actually brought you to the point of leaving in the first place. A counter offer is almost always about money. The reasons people leave are almost never about money alone.
- The counter offer is useful tool from your employer to retain your services and bridge the gap while they seek a replacement. Two weeks notice is never enough time for an employer to find a replacement so they can always give you more money to stay around while your boss reviews resumes and takes time to interview replacements. When that special someone is found, you may be history.
- The counter offer may give you more more money, but it never really addresses the key issues at hand about your job (career growth, commute, company culture/personalities, job duties, etc.).
- The end result is, no matter how you behave in the future, you’ll always be regarded with suspicion. You may not be seen as a true member of the team. You’ve already shown that you’re ready to leave, so management will be waiting for you to do it again. You’ll be at the bottom of the list for promotions. A company may also not invest in training someone who may leave at any time.
- Eventually, your job unhappiness or frustrations may return to the way they were before the resignation.
Before accepting a counter offer, ask yourself why your employer has made the counter offer. There is a strong possibility that the cons will outweigh the pros and you will realize that your decision to resign and pursue a new job opportunity was right after all.