You have successfully navigated the job search and interview process, and it resulted in a new career opportunity. Congratulations! You are about to embark on an exciting new stage in your life, but you also must let your current employer know about your intentions to leave. While the prospect of that conversation is unsettling, if you don’t talk to your current boss, you’ll never be able to move on. Before you walk into your bosses’ office, think about the potential outcomes of that conversation. What if they make an offer to lure you to stay? What’s the best way to handle a counter offer, should you even consider one?
In preparation to answer a counter offer, first answer this question, “Why did I start looking for a new job?” If your first answer is that you wanted more money, and your boss offers you a significant amount to stay, consider your response. Is there a certain dollar amount you’re after? Are there other contributing factors that a higher salary cannot make up for? Determine your salary expectations if you’d consider accepting a counter offer featuring additional compensation. WARNING: If you accept the counter offer from your current organization, your workplace may look at you differently, note it in your hiring file, and it may dissuade them from considering you for any other opportunity in the future. Keep in mind, the organization that is interviewing you asked employees to spend time and resources going through the interview process with you, and they are not achieving the desired outcome of their hiring process. Also, determine what your current employer expects from you in exchange for a higher salary. Can you meet their expectations, do you want to?
If money was not the motivating factor driving your job search, was it another factor like flexibility in your schedule, project diversity, a new challenge, new co-workers, a different culture or working for your dream company? Accepting a counter offer generally prohibits you from reaching those objectives. WARNING: If your current boss offers you increased flexibility or the ability to work on new projects, ask yourself why this is only being brought to your attention now. If your boss had the ability to offer you this before, why wasn’t it offered as a reward for your hard work and dedication? Have these perks been offered to other people on your team, and how will your teammates feel about you getting these new perks?
If company culture is the reason for your departure, assess how much influence your boss has in changing how your co-workers behave, or what the company values. If you have previously brought your concerns to your boss, and the issues you highlighted are still present, a counter offer may reflect an acknowledgement of your talent and value to the organization. Your boss knows you don’t like X,Y, & Z. But, having to replace you means an expensive training process to replace you, or you have valuable insights your manager can’t afford to lose. WARNING: In this scenario, the counter offer may just be a bridge to get you to stay until your current employer can find a person to train, and train other staff members on areas of your job.
If you determine that the negative outcomes of taking a counter offer outweigh the benefits, a polite way to turn down the counter offer from your current boss is to say, “Thank you for the offer. It’s a compliment that you want me to stay. However, I’ve made the decision to move on. The experience I’ve gained while working for you has been extremely valuable, and I am grateful for my time in my role.” About a week after you start your new position, send a handwritten thank you note to your former boss emphasizing the value you received out of your previous role, and throughout your relationship. It’s a very small world, and you never know if/ when you’ll have to work with your former boss again.
Research shows that accepting a counter offer rarely fixes the reason that you started your job search in the first place. A simple Google search of “should I accept a counter offer” brings hundreds of articles detailing why accepting a counter offer does not improve your career. For more information on navigating the difficult transition from a current employer, please see our Web site at: https://ambrion.developmentcdn.com/resignation-counter-offers.html. The best counsel we can give you is to review your situation carefully, read everything you can about the potential consequences, and make the best decision for you and your career.