over 8 years ago
Looking for a new job can be a lengthy and a stressful process, from the initial stages of perfecting your CV through to interviewing and finally to accepting the offer.
It is often a decision that you will have given a great deal of thought to before embarking on your journey to find a new role.
So what happens when you finally find that perfect job, you hand in your notice, and your current boss makes you a better offer to stay?
This is quite common practice especially in today’s job market where all too often companies don’t want to lose good staff who they have invested their time in training, but don’t fully appreciate the individual until it’s too late.
If you’ve been offered a pay rise equal to or above your new job offer, consider why it took the threat of leaving to bring it about in the first place. Why haven’t they offered this before you threatened to leave?
Companies try to keep their staff as long as they can, and when a good employee hands in his or her notice, a well-intentioned manager will try to talk the employee out of it with a financial incentive to stay.
But consider this: in some instances they may only be keeping you on until they find a replacement. You may find the counteroffer comes to an abrupt end when they find someone who will work for your old salary. It may sound harsh, but sometimes that is the reality of the workplace.
So before you accept that counteroffer, as enticing it may seem, remember why you were initially looking to leave. It is important to keep a clear head, take a step back and consider the options available.
Remember 80% of all candidates who accept a counteroffer end up leaving normally within the following 6 months.
Do's and Don'ts of counteroffers
Do
- Expect to get a counteroffer
- Make sure you keep the other job in mind too. What did they offer you?
- Better salary? Promotional opportunities? Whatever it was, it must have been appealing as it made you resign in the first place, so remember to keep them in mind during your decision
- If you need to, write a pros and cons list to make it easier
- Think carefully as to why they are offering this to you now
- Get the offer in writing from your employer
- Check it extends beyond just a pay rise: gain agreement on discussions regarding career prospects as well
- Remember you are potentially getting your next few years’ salary increase in advance
Don’t
- Forget what made you want to leave in the first place
- Be flattered and blinded by the attention; remember that they are now only offering you more money or that promotion you had wanted once you have handed your notice
- Accept the offer immediately. Take time to consider it
- Believe in a commitment that was never delivered before
For any advice please get in touch with your consultant at trp recruitment who will be happy to help and advise you further: 0207 433 2534