Press Release
The Hidden Meaning behind a Counter Offer – Should you accept?
Friday, April 18, 2008
I accepted a position with a great company located close to my home. When I gave my resignation to my current employer, my boss presented me a counter offer to increase my salary and get me to stay. I don‘t know what to do now. Any suggestions?
Although counter offers are extremely flattering they inevitably are not in your best interest to accept. Often when a counter offer is made, it is used as a stop gap because the company now knows you are looking to leave. By appeasing you in the short term the company hopes to buy time to be able to create a contingency plan for your inevitable departure. In other words, they can begin recruiting or grooming someone to move into your role.
Furthermore, there are reasons other than money that made you want to make a move. Many times a person’s judgment gets clouded when money comes into play, allowing them to “forget” the problems that made them consider leaving in the first place. Eventually those issues come back to light as they were not solved when you accept a counter offer for a larger amount of compensation. Not surprisingly, frustration will settle back in and you will be searching again for another opportunity outside of your current employer.