For some people this is dramatic, but counteroffers are career suicide. When you accept a counteroffer, you are no longer in the cool kid’s club at work. As a matter of fact, you have a HUGE target on your back so BEWARE if you are even thinking of accepting a counteroffer.
What I can tell you is that in my 16-years of recruiting I have seen 9 candidates accept counteroffers and of those nine, 8 of them were looking for a new job with 12-months.
My advice to you is to remember why you started looking for a new opportunity in the first place. No amount of money or promise of a promotion that may never come will change the reason you wanted to leave in the first place.
Below are some tips on what to expect and how to handle a counteroffer.
Ventech Search Group Counteroffer Prep
First, they will accept your notice and just like most well-managed companies. They know that trying to keep professionals from making an important adult life decision is disrespectful and selfish. Most well-managed companies know that it’s futile, why even try to talk you out of it. They’re going to let you finish out, have a party for you on your last day and say we wish you the best of luck. That’s how well managed companies operate and I’m sure your company is going to be like that.
This is the second and most common way this meeting could go. You are going to turn your notice in and they are going to react in a negative way. They may say mean things to you. They are going to try to pack your bags and put you on a guilt trip and try to make you stay there by manipulating you. They will say things like this,
“How could you do this to the team, especially during this important project when we need you the most?” or
“How could you do this to me after all I have done for you?” or
“How could you do this to the company, the company made you and now you are being disrespectful to the company by leaving?”
Here’s the third way the meeting could go. They might say it is funny that you should turn your notice in today because tomorrow we were going to give you a double top secret raise and a bonus and a promotion. It’s funny they would do this on the day you put in your notice. Isn’t it interesting they now have all these good, super-secret, things in store for you but they, coincidentally, didn’t want to tell you until now. Don’t fall for that. They are trying to everything they can to keep a good employee. You are a good employee and they don’t want you to leave. They will tell you anything to get you to stay and as soon as you tell them you will stay, who knows what will happen, usually promises tend to disappear. There is no guarantee they fulfill their promises. What would be their incentive?
Last Note
There is a shortage of talent in our industry and candidates like you are almost 100% guaranteed to receive a counteroffer. Last year, 95% of the candidates I placed received counteroffers so prepare for it. The one candidate who accepted a counteroffer last year left his company 4 months later due to unfulfilled promises.
Counteroffers Cause Permanent Career Damage
Accepting a counteroffer is going to cause you permanent career damage. I don’t want that on my conscious. I don’t want to know that I put you in this situation inadvertently. The decision you make to tell them that you are leaving can never be reversed. If it’s between you and someone else to get promoted it’s not going to be you. Your loyalty is always going to be in question. You’ll never be part of that inner circle of those people whose confidence they keep. You are never going to be part of that inner circle in the future.
Three Ways Counteroffers Can Go Down
Remember, your boss is responding to bad news that affects him personally. Managers are evaluated by how much turnover they have in their department. He’s not going to look as cool by losing a good employee like you.
Career Advice
So these are some things that I have seen over my 16-year career and advise candidates to be aware of. Like I said before, accepting a counteroffer is going to cause you permanent career damage. The decision you make to tell them that you are leaving can never be reversed. If it’s between you and someone else to get promoted it’s not going to be you. Your loyalty is always going to be in question. You’ll never be part of that inner circle of those people whose confidence they keep. You are never going to be part of that inner circle in the future.
During your
resignation meeting or shortly thereafter, if they say before we make this official let’s bring the President/Manager in and have him meet with you, you should tell them, no let’s not do that. I don’t want to discuss it anymore. I’ve turned my notice in and I respect you too much to have to reject you again. What I need from you right now is for you to accept my notice and let’s talk about how I can help you make this an easy transition process.
Resignation and counteroffer discussions are stressful so make 100% sure you are committed to leaving. As soon as you put in your notice and have the counteroffer discussion with your boss call your spouse, a co-worker, your recruiter, your Mom, whoever will take you call and let them know how things went. This will allow you to alleviate some of the stress of thinking, “did I just make the right move”
