Counter-Offer Counter-offer
Should you stay, or should you go?
Imagine the scenario:
Your recruitment consultant calls; you’ve got the job! It’s an amazing sales job with an amazing company. You’re elated! But mid-way through your victory dance, you realise that this means now you’re going to have to resign from your current position. You start playing the scene over in your mind, what you’re going to say, how you’ll say it and when. One thing you might not count on is the scenario where they offer you a counter-offer to stay. Would you take it? Should you take it? If you’ve found yourself in this situation, consider these things before you decide either way.
Before accepting a counter-offer, ask yourself;
Is it really all about the money?
60% of people, who accept a counteroffer to stay at their current company end up leaving within 6 months anyway…
Money often isn’t the great fixer of all we hope it will be. Depending of course what the counter-offer involves, will it solve any of these issues? Will being paid more, make the role more challenging? Will it make you suddenly better able to do the role without the support you needed? Will you feel like you’ve got the respect or recognition now that your paycheck is bigger?
It’s important to really understand what is important to you, so ask yourself:
Why did you start looking for a new role in the first place?
Be clear about why you wanted to leave, and what was making you unhappy in that role. Was it not challenging enough, were you not getting the support you needed, or the respect you felt you deserved. Were you not being paid enough for the work you did? Make yourself a list of all the things that are lacking or causing you frustration in your current role. Will the counter-offer solve any of those issues?
Do they only want you now you’re leaving?
Are they only realising your value as an employee now that you’re going? Have you previously asked for the support, the challenge, the recognition in the past and been turned down? Are they only offering it now to keep you, not because they think you deserve it, but just so you won’t leave?
Is it really about you?
Do they want to keep you, for you, or is it because replacing you would be a challenge?
Will they walk the walk or just talk the talk?
It’s quite easy to say, ‘if you stay, we will give you a pay rise, plus a pony’. But will they really? Next payday will your paycheque have those extra numbers, and you’ll be able to get that new saddle for Buttercup? Or in a months time will you be sitting with the same paycheque as the month before, sans pony, thinking you’ve made a terrible mistake?
If you are offered a counter-offer, try these 3 things before answering:
Take your time. Take the details of the counteroffer, and give yourself time to think. Don’t let anyone pressure you into making you answer there and then. This is an important discussion, so don’t rush it.
Write a list. Write a list of all the things you don’t like about your current role. Now go through it and see if the counter offer fixes or changes any of those things. Still unsure what you should do? Make a pro’s and con’s list for each role
For example:
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New Job
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Current Job
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Pros
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Cons
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Pros
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Cons
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Good money
New challenge
More responsibility
Learning and growth
New people
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Change can be scary…
Lots to learn
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Familiar
Know the people and company
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Bored
No learning growth
People
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Talk it through. Talking through the options with someone can really help. They’ll provide a different, less personal or emotional perceptive. Your recruitment consultant can be a great sounding board when trying to decide, so don’t forget to give them a call. No matter what you decide, as long as you’re happy, they’ll be happy. But either way, maybe do keep their business card handy… just in case.
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