Handling a counter offer
You made your choice and want to go for that new job. However, your current employer comes with a counter offer, hoping to persuade you not to leave. How can you best deal with this?
There are few statistics on how many times counter offers are offered. However, research into this phenomenon always bring up one fact: most people who accept a counter offer still leave within twelve months. And even more do so after three to six months.
Reasons why a counter offer is made
As enticing as counter offers may appear to be, it is important to keep a clear head, take a step back and consider the options available.
Reasons why an employer might want you to stay include:
- Replacing an employee can be expensive
- It might mess up their budget to re-recruit that time of year
- They have not got time to re-recruit right now
- They want to have you cover while they hunt for your replacement
- They want you to finish the project you are working on
- They don't have the time to train someone new at the moment
- Losing staff might reflect badly on your employer
Should I stay or should I go?
- From the day of your resignation, your loyalty will always be in question
- This lack of loyalty is likely to be an obstacle to future promotions
- Your colleagues will look at you differently - after all, you do not really want to be there do you?
- Your boss will probably start casting around for your replacement immediately - whether you stay or not
- Why are they offering you what you deserve now, rather than before your resignation?
- Has the real reason you resigned been adequately addressed?
- How guilty do you really feel?
Staying might not going to be easy
However, should you decide not to leave for pastures new, be aware that your resignation has not been forgotten. You are going to have to work extremely hard to win back your employer's trust. You might have to strive harder than your colleagues to prove your loyalty and worthiness as a long-term prospect. Your new post-resignation life with your old company is not going to be easy.
There's more:
How do you resign in a decent way and make a good start at you new employer?