The counter Offer (Candidate perspective)

Dated: 10 Dec, 2015

The Counter Offer

Looking back on 2015 we certainly saw a huge increase in counter offers.  This article talks about the candidate perspective in relation to counter offers.

People decide to leave jobs for various reasons; company changes, lack of career progression, under pressure etc. but surprisingly money is rarely the real reason that people decide to leave a job.

Once you have found the perfect job and you receive an offer, your current employer then offers you more money and even a change in your current work arrangements in order for you to stay.  This is great, a boost in confidence even; more money and a few changes so what do you do?…

You need to ask yourself the following;

• With regards to the increased salary and the promised changes - why they were not offered before?
• You may have felt undervalued before so why has it taken for you to hand your notice in for this to be recognised?
• It is very easy to fall back into your comfort zone but remember something made you unhappy enough to leave in the first place.Do you think that this will change?
• It is expensive to recruit staff and your employer maybe stalling for time as in our experience most people who accept counter offers look to leave again within 6 months, mainly for the reason that things have not changed.
• Your employer may not want you to leave to go to a competitor and may offer you more purely because of this.
• If you do decide to stay, will your loyalty always be questioned?
• Finally you would have also burnt bridges with the employer who was good enough to make you the offer in the first place.

Ultimately the decision is yours and you do have to weigh up what is best for you as it is your life, but you need to be honest with yourself and you have to know deep down that the decision is right for you.  If you do decide to stay and your employer is promising changes it would be advisable get these in writing.